45 Underrated Religious College Towns Across America You'll Fall in Love With

38. Berea, Kentucky: Faith-Fueled Justice and Appalachian Grace

Berea’s spirit is shaped by its namesake college—founded by abolitionists and rooted in Christian service. Berea College was the first interracial, coeducational college in the South, and its founding ethos of faith and justice still pulses through the town. Churches here are places of both worship and activism, and the Appalachian setting fosters a deep sense of place-based humility. Visitors will find handcrafted goods, traditional hymns, and campus chapels that double as sanctuaries for dialogue. Whether attending a vespers service or joining a mountain meditation walk, Berea invites you to witness a faith that’s active, rooted, and fiercely kind.