Auburn Off-Campus Housing: Where Students Live

Auburn off-campus housing is where most students live: 83% of undergraduates lived off campus or commuted in fall 2025, according to Auburn's Common Data Set. Students sign for next year's apartment early, the type of lease matters, and city zoning limits who can share a house. Our private, student-led tours of Auburn walk families past where upperclassmen rent.

Where do Auburn students live after freshman year?

After freshman year, most Auburn students live off campus in apartments and rental housing around town. In fall 2025, 83% of undergraduates lived off campus or commuted, and so did 41% of first-years, per the 2025-26 Common Data Set.

Apartments near campus. Riley, our Auburn Campus Lead, says that if you keep walking past the library or toward the business buildings, "you'll see some off campus" housing.
The university's listing site. University Housing links offcampushousing.auburn.edu, where apartments and condos can be filtered by bedrooms, rent and per-bed or per-unit pricing.
Fraternity houses. 21 of the 28 IFC fraternities have a house, mostly on Old Row (West Magnolia Avenue) or New Row (Lem Morrison Drive), per Greek Life.
The Sorority Village. Sororities have no houses. Members can live in the halls above their chapter rooms in Magnolia, Leischuck and Oak halls by Neville Arena. Our guide to Auburn sororities and rush explains how that works.

University Housing holds about 5,200 students and does not guarantee freshmen a room, so many families face the off-campus question early.

When do Auburn students sign leases for next year?

Auburn students sign leases for next year during the school year before, and the talk starts by early fall. University Housing told families in late September 2026 that "in Auburn, the local custom is for students to select housing for the following year in the current year."

The same note, on the Auburn Family Portal, said "many of your students are talking now about where they want to move to in August 2027." So a freshman who arrives in August can be choosing next year's apartment within a few months.

What that means for a family:

Start the conversation in the fall, before friend groups commit to a place.
Ask people who lived there. University Housing suggests talking to past residents and checking the company's record on maintenance and safety.
Read the lease type before anyone signs.

Should an Auburn student sign an individual or a unit lease?

An Auburn student can sign an individual lease, which covers only their own share, or a unit lease, which the roommates share. University Housing's Family Portal note explains both, as of September 2026:

Individual lease. Your student owes only their portion. If a roommate leaves, the leasing office can fill the empty space with another person.
Unit lease. Your student and their roommates choose to live together, and the office will not place a stranger in the unit. Your student can be responsible for rent a roommate leaves unpaid.

The individual lease suits a student moving in with people they barely know. The unit lease suits a set group of friends who trust each other with the rent. Either way, have your student read who pays what before signing.

Can Auburn students rent a house in a neighborhood?

Yes, Auburn students can rent a house in a neighborhood, but the City of Auburn limits traditional residential neighborhoods to "no more than two unrelated persons" at an address.

Apartment complexes and multi-family buildings are zoned for students with more than one roommate, per the city's student occupancy page. In a traditional residential neighborhood, a four-bedroom house can still take only two unrelated tenants.

Before your student signs for a house:

Look up the zoning on the city's map at www.auburnalabama.org/maps.
Call Planning at (334) 501-3040 if the zoning is unclear.
Count the roommates against the limit before anyone pays a deposit.

What does a current Auburn student say about renting off campus?

A current Auburn student says renting off campus is common, was cheaper for her, and is worth choosing carefully. These are Riley's words from October 2026:

On why she rents. "We have like a housing shortage on campus, so they're like, you can live wherever, and then off campus ended up being cheaper, so I was like, that's what I'll do, and I'll have my own bathroom." She has lived off campus since freshman year.
On being honest with families. She tells them "housing is really hard," and then which places are good.
On what parents ask. Families on her tours ask which areas she would not recommend living in.

That last question is the one a walk answers best. A private tour of Auburn is $150 for your family, 60 to 90 minutes, with a current student. TourCollegeTowns is independent and not affiliated with Auburn University.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a bus from Auburn apartments to campus?

Yes, there is a bus from many Auburn apartments to campus. Tiger Transit runs Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the fall and spring, for students with a valid Auburn University ID, per Auburn Transportation Services in October 2026. There is no service on weekends, during semester breaks or on university holidays.

Do you need a car living off campus in Auburn?

Often, yes, you need a car living off campus in Auburn. University Housing told families in September 2026 that Auburn is rural and a car is often needed. Tiger Transit covers weekdays from about 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., so a student without a car needs another plan for nights and weekends.

Does Auburn have an off-campus housing website?

Yes, Auburn has an off-campus housing website: offcampushousing.auburn.edu, linked from the University Housing home page. Listings show bedrooms, rent, a per-bed or per-unit price and the commute to campus. University Housing also suggests talking to people who lived at a property before your student signs.