For most incoming students, finding the right off-campus housing has a lot to do with where the rental unit is. Some extroverted students will forego roommates for an uptown studio apartment, just like some introverted ones will choose a room in an 8-bedroom rental house if the address is right.
We make it a point to collect cool student rentals all over uptown, near uptown, and close to campus. Because one of the great things about Athens is, if you rent in the right location, you virtually never need a car – you can walk everywhere. But Athens is a really old town, built because of, and for, Ohio University’s professors, staff and students. And history + hills = some wonky-angled side streets you might not think to look for.
Here’s our advice on some of the best streets for finding off-campus housing that’s not really that off-campus:
Best Streets for Rentals Close to the West Side of OU
The West Side is a part of Athens that’s really a 50/50 mix of residential and student rentals. Most students who go to the buildings around West Green are athletes, and those majoring in environmental sciences, social sciences or psychology.
Union Street runs across Court Street at the Northwest corner of OU’s campus. West State, High Street and West Washington Street are great locations for students who want to be West Green-adjacent, and these student rentals tend to be a bit larger than apartment housing that’s right uptown. Foster Place is also a tucked away street that’s right near campus via Union Street.
Best Streets for Rentals Close to the East & South Side of Campus
Because of the way the campus is set up, rental housing close to East and South Green overlap quite a bit. Mill Street and its offshoots are the best way to go, especially if you’re a Fine Arts major. For instance, housing on the little-known, one-way, super-short Lash Street is tucked away from everything but right in the middle of it all at the same time. The other way the layout of campus is great for East and Southside students is that the rentals close to OU are also close to uptown.
Best Streets for Student Housing Close to OU and Uptown
These ones are our specialty. A look at our property list and our detailed search map will show you that even the street names you don’t recognize are close to OU campus and uptown. Most of our rental properties sit in an arc around the North side of Court Street, meaning you’re living a short walk from classes and the bars. Some of the streets where you get the best of both worlds are:
North Congress
West State (between Court Street and North High)
Fern
Franklin (near its intersection with Carpenter)
Lash
The great thing about all our rental housing on these streets is you have proximity to all the things uptown Athens and OU campus have to offer.
A Rental Company that Cares about Location
We understand that when students look for off-campus housing, it’s important how convenient the location is, just like it’s important the housing is clean, updated, and has amenities like AC, dishwashers or laundry. Whether you’re looking for a studio apartment, a three-bedroom apartment or an 8-bedroom house, we have rental properties of all types close to campus and uptown. With many of our properties, even though you might be Court Street-adjacent, there’s still available parking for rent near your apartment or house. So on those really rainy winter days, it’s just a short walk to your car to avoid walking around campus all day soaked to the bone.
We’re a medium-sized rental company in Athens offering premium student housing close to campus and near Court Street and the bars. We’re invested in the quality of our rental housing just as much as the location, because your experience as a college student at OU doesn’t mean you can’t have nice things and live in a super-cool Athens apartment. Curious? Take a look at our rental properties and get in touch with any questions or inquiries.