University of Pittsburgh - Off-Campus Housing

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

The key to finding a great place off campus is to scour the area as much as possible. There are so many options that it is likely you’ll be able to find the perfect place. At the same time, it's also not difficult to find places that are way too expensive or have slumlord property managers. When moving off-campus, Pitt students primarily move to North and South Oakland. Students joke about South Oakland being "the dirty South" because it's a little more run-down than the rest of Oakland, and it's louder and less safe. But the houses and apartments there tend to be more affordable and closer to campus, and therefore more attractive to the college crowd. North Oakland has nicer places in a better area, but you're not always getting what you pay for. As you move farther away from campus, options increase and prices vary. Shadyside, near North Oakland, is considered the best area to live and rent prices reflect this with rates sometimes doubling those in South Oakland. Squirrel Hill can be the best of both worlds, with nice apartments and reasonable rent, but it is a bit far either being about a half hour walk or a ten-minute bus ride.

The best advice is to start looking early. If you haven't found a place by March, good luck. The best places, especially in South Oakland, get snatched up quickly. Your options are also going to increase by a lot if you have roommates. Some of the best areas are mainly house rentals, which are entirely affordable if you have three or four other people that you can share the rent. For better apartments, even having one or two roommates will lower your rent significantly. Read everything before you sign any leases and, most importantly, get to know the area where you're looking to rent. Pittsburgh neighborhoods have a lot to offer, but it's best to know what you're getting into ahead of time.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

Off-campus housing can be fun if... Off-campus housing can be fun if you know what you’re willing to pay, and what you’ll get for what you’re willing to pay. If you don’t want to pay a lot, you usually won’t get the Taj Mahal. Sometimes you get lucky. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

It’s definitely cheaper to live... It’s definitely cheaper to live off campus and buy a commuter meal plan, but if you want to live off campus, you have to search for an apartment rather early before all the good locations are rented. Stay away from South Oakland; everyone calls it ‘the Dirty South’ for a reason. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

There are a decent amount of... There are a decent amount of people who do move off campus sophomore year, for freedom’s sake. Personally, I am lazy, so I like living on campus, but off-campus housing is also close, and relatively easy to find. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

You have to realize that you need... You have to realize that you need to have a good sense of humor about an off-campus apartment. Things break, neighbors can suck, landlords can be shady; but if you keep your sense of humor, you can get things fixed, make nice with the neighbors, and learn how to get what you need from your landlord. Off-campus housing can be as conveniently located as you like—a five-minute walk, a five-minute bus ride, or even farther. It’s all what you want! 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

Anonymous says:

You’re guaranteed housing through... You’re guaranteed housing through your junior year if you turn in your housing deposit on time—so make sure you do that. A lot of students tend to live on campus for at least two years just because once you move off campus, depending on where you live, you tend not to see as many of your friends and people from your classes as you did before. Plus, it’s convenient to live on campus for a lot of people, and the best part is that you can get a place in Bouquet Gardens. Many students will try and live there because you have the benefits if living in an apartment, with the convenience of living on campus. 12345 Off-Campus Housing Report

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