It’s hard to predict the next Silicon Valley (the backyard of Stanford University), but towns that have seen solid population growth in recent years include Madison, Wis., home of University of Wisconsin; Missoula and Bozeman, Mont., (University of Montana and Montana State University, respectively); Fayetteville, Ark., (University of Arkansas); and Fort Collins, Colo., home of Colorado State University, Karlgaard said.

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