@CrewDad, its sad that you can’t provide the OP with positive feedback about schools that would fit for a student looking for a Math / Theoretical Math major concentration, and instead feel the need to make derogatory comments about others, including a school already on her list.
@Chembiodad. Derogatory comments about others? I quoted a statement made by a Hamilton student that was published in the * Princeton Review.*
It’s a tad immature to resort to ad hominem attracts when you dislike something someone wrote, don’t ya think? 
If you’re unhappy that the Princeton Review published the student’s remarks, I suggest that you take it up with them.
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The OP was concerned about Hamilton’s location. A schools location is very important to many prospective students. I’m sure you’ll agree that it’s judicious for students to have as much information as possible when researching colleges and universities.
^Agreed, location can be very important and appreciated. For example, Middlebury was a contender for my D but we found the location a negative because of what I consider its remoteness. Clark U another school that location became a deciding factor. Location, and opinions of such, is why we turn to CC.
@CrewDad, Think of good things to say about schools that you care about and move on.
And because facts matter, this is the entire paragraph from the student comments in the Princeton Review - sorry not going to pick and chose sentences to include …
Campus Life
The “beautiful campus” is located in the middle of relatively nowhere, but students are creative in that they “very successfully compensate for our isolated location with themed parties, clubs, and other eclectic activities.” Students are “incredibly devoted” to their school work, but they are also devoted to having a good time. “A typical Hamilton student loves to learn on the weekdays, and drink…on the weekends (but gets to bed early enough to study the following afternoon!).” Still, there are plenty of people on campus who prefer to remain sober, though “whether that is a choice or due to lack of confidence in finding parties, I don’t know.” More often than not, “Hamiltonians aren’t strictly about working themselves to death.” People who have cars (a huge plus) can go downtown or into New Hartford in their free time, but “most students spend most of their time on campus.” Often, students just catch the van that travels around the area and “go to the movies or the mall and just hang out with friends.” Hamilton has “a very intellectually stimulating academic environment,” and “it is not at all uncommon to find a whole dorm room debating about an economic theory that only one of them actually learned about in class.”
@VaporeonKid, because actual student feedback is always best, here’s what they say about the student body in Princeton Review - our DD’s who are Freshman have said they agree.
Student Body
The typical student at Hamilton was a top student at his/her high school; is very invested in at least one activity on campus; works hard during the week but makes the most of weekends; is invested in maintaining health and fitness; and has big dreams for his/her future. “‘Preppy’ seems to be the common connection between a lot of students,” but “for a school in the middle of Central New York, [Hamilton has] a remarkably varied student population.” Students are often characteristically preppy, athletic “light siders,” or artsy “dark siders,” “but things aren’t really that black and white, and there is typically a place for everyone as long as you look.” Everyone is “exceptionally nice,” and “people here aren’t afraid to be themselves.” “Everyone is passionate about their academics as well as their activities outside the classroom.”
Locations offset from the East Coast megalopolis may be both generally desirable and appropriately collegiate. Actually, one’s college years may be the best time to choose an area such as this freely, without the economic constraints frequently associated with later life.
@merc81, agree which is likely why most liberal arts colleges are in rural or small town areas. And even for those schools that aren’t, with the exception of some city schools like Columbia or Northeastern, students rarely spend time much time off campus.
To me, location, although important, isn’t a dealbreaker (unless it’s rural or in the middle of nowhere—I’d like to avoid that as much as possible). An LAC with a sizeable small town (not very sure how ‘small town’ is defined in the US, but anything with >5000 population would be preferable). Hamilton sounds like a good school (and I’m sure it’s great for the majority of its students!), but I’m not sure its the right school for me. Do you have any other recommendations?
If this helps, I think I’d prefer a school on the extreme metropolitan end (NYU, BU) over extreme rural areas, all other factors remaining constant. School culture and department offerings are very high on my selection criteria though—any suggestions based off of those criteria instead?
@VaporeonKid, that would be Brown, Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts to name a few. I don’t think that schools such as Bates, Wesleyan, and Vassar that are adjacent to old blue collar cities or ones like Swarthmore that are in city suburbs are going to do much for you -my brother attended Swarthmore and they never went into Philly as the train just wasn’t that easy to deal with.
I could see you at Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Swarthmore or Harvey Mudd.
Alternatively, UChicago, CMU, URochester, WUStL and the, I believe, not heretofore mentioned Rice could work.
Condensed, these might be some of my recommendations for you based on the criteria you have indicated.
You’re too much 
You posted that Wesleyan, Vassar and Bates are adjacent to blue-collar cities and won’t do much for the OP. That’s a subjective opinion, and you have no idea if it’s true.
I pointed out the fact that Hamilton is in middle-of-nowhere because the OP was concerned about the location. The OP deserved to be informed of the pertinent information.
Do you see your hypocrisy?
Moving on 
Hamilton is in the middle of nowhere could also be considered a subjective opinion, based on one’s personal definition of middle of nowhere. In this case, the OP stated a preference for a population greater than 5000. Hamilton and its immediate surroundings meet this criteria.
Population of Clinton/New Hartford, NY area (home of Hamilton) 24,044. Utica’s population 62,235. Distance from Hamilton to Utica 9.8 miles.
Lewiston, ME (home of Bates) population 36,140. Portland, ME population 66,937. Distance from Bates to Portland 36.3 miles.
Perhaps neither Bates nor Hamilton would be appropriate choices for the OP, based on the desire for a school on the extreme metropolitan end.
However, the OP also deserves to be informed of truth about Hamilton’s location. The school is not on the extreme rural end.
Strength of the math and CS programs combined with knowledge of the population numbers with respect to Hamilton’s location might be enough to encourage you to take a closer look.
@apple23 I think you misunderstood my last comment: I mentioned preferring extreme metropolitan areas over extreme rural ones, but my main preference (as stated in the original post) is suburban/small town/borderline city-type area. Will definitely look into Hamilton closer though, thanks!
I did not misunderstand your point. My intent was to point out that Hamilton’s location is not what it seems as presented by CrewDad. I would hate to see you, or any other high school student, eliminate a college that is worth consideration based upon one person’s opinion of what connotes the middle of nowhere. Other factors might eventually lead to your removing it from your list, but in terms of surrounding population and strength of program it would appear to meet your stated criteria.
I wish you well as you continue your college search.
@apple23 Ah, alright; it seems I was the one who misunderstood you. Do you have any advice on how I can find out whether I’ll like a school’s location without visiting campus? (It’s practically impossible to squeeze in 15-20 colleges into my short trip—even more so because of how far each college is from one another)
Google is your friend (not just Google Search but also Google Maps in the Satellite and Street views as well as Map view). If climate matters to you, you can look up average January low temperatures, precipitation, hours of sunshine, etc., on usclimatedata.com. You can easily query travel distance to possible day-trip destinations (e.g. Middlebury to Montreal).
You also might want to check out online virtual tours.
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/05/31/visit-college-campuses-from-home
If you are uncertain, you could play it safe of course and hew towards a conventionally suburban/urban environment. In doing so, you might compromise to some extent with respect to a traditionally collegiate ambience, but the available amenities and cultural attractions might sufficiently offset this based on your individual preferences.
@VaporeonKid. Very amusing!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hamilton-college-is-easily-the-best_us_5707fb08e4b04bf520ff6efe
https://www.buzzfeed.com/apentak720/21-signs-you-went-to-college-in-a-small-town-1b817?utm_term=.mpw0NRD7DR#.kgRoZb4y4b
It isn’t mid-sized or small, but it fits the bill otherwise. Check out the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
@CrewDad Nice article—hilarious insight into the NESCAC schools’ cultures. If anything, it piques my interest about the other schools: do you know if they have established programs in math/CS? (This is excluding Amherst and Williams, of course, both of which are amazing, but not even close to being matches for anyone)
@merc81 That’s what I was thinking: if I can’t visit I might play it safe and apply predominantly to schools whose locations I know I’ll love.
@tk21769 I’ve always heard good stuff about Google Maps, but they’ve never provided me with enough ‘information’, so to speak. Will try out Satellite and Street view though, those look cool! Virtual tours too—will most likely be doing them right before I make final decisions on my college list.