Iowa State University - Off-Campus Housing

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

On-campus housing isn’t for everyone, obviously. A whopping 65 percent of students live off campus, so off-campus housing in Ames clearly has a lot to offer. They seem to cite freedom and price as their main motivators, but living off campus does have its drawbacks. Students have to commute to class and deal with landlords, contracts, and roommates meeting rent payments.

Housing that is close to campus tends to be more expensive, so if you are looking to live off campus, you must decide how important proximity is to you. If it is important, it might be worth the extra bucks to be close to campus. If money is tight, and you don’t mind the bus, then living several blocks away might be a nice option for you. Ames offers a wide variety of off-campus housing, not only apartments, but also houses for rent. Before signing a contract for any apartment or house, know what your base payment covers and how much of the utilities you must pay as well. Check the proximity to the bus routes if you plan to rely on CyRide, and begin the search early so you can shop around and find the place that feels the most like home. Housing can be expensive, so try to get the best deal for the best place.

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Students Speak Out

ISUAB says: Iowa State University 2013 Communication and Journalism

Housing is reasonable, and it's... Housing is reasonable, and it's totally worth it if you wait until mid-summer. Just don't rent through University West. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 13, 2009 Report

ISUMS says: Iowa State University 2015 Psychology

It is very convenient to live off... It is very convenient to live off campus after your freshman year. They send out e-mails to all students, there are many open houses throughout the year, and they even host a big apartment fair on campus. Most of them are a lot cheaper than on-campus apartments, and there are many that are in walking distance to campus. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: April 01, 2009 Report

ISUCE says: Iowa State University 2016 Arts, Visual and Performing

Ames is very apartment-friendly.... Ames is very apartment-friendly. The key is to start looking for apartments around November or December of your freshman year. That may sound early, but you will get the best apartments, the best deals, and the best benefits before many of your classmates have even thought about roommates. I pay $310 a month, which includes all utilities, Internet, garbage, and fitness center fees, because I signed my lease in January. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 30, 2009 Report

ISUAC says: Iowa State University 2013 Engineering

At Iowa State, there are plenty of... At Iowa State, there are plenty of apartments that surround the area near campus. You can find an apartment with anywhere from one to five bedrooms. Prices for the single- and double-room apartments can get pricey if you are close to campus; otherwise, finding roommates and living in an apartment is definitely worth it. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 30, 2009 Report

Anonymous says:

There’s a lot of housing... There’s a lot of housing available, some pretty close to campus, and most at reasonable pricesIt is definitely worth it, especially since the buses are free to all students and service all the areas where college students get housing in town (and basically everywhere else in town). 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

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