The University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign’s 2023 class pushed university enrollment over 50,000 students for the first time in school history. It’s an exciting time for the state of Illinois’ flagship university. But if you’re a current student, such growth means something else: finding a place to live becomes harder. Competition is more intense and while new apartments have popped up around campus year after year recently, it’s still going to be tougher this year to find a place that’s near campus and everything you want.
But those most adept at spotting a place they want know to start their housing search in Campustown. This relatively small neighborhood has boomed in the past 10 years. New buildings like HERE Champaign, Skyline Tower and 309 Green have popped up and the entire district was part of a very focused redevelopment. Now, campustown is jam packed full of shops, restaurants, bars, and practically bleeds orange blue with it’s themed streets, decor and the thousands of UIUC students that call Campustown home. Want to join your fellow peers and live in Campustown, too? Check out campustown rentals at UIUC here!
Campustown is located just west of the UIUC campus with bustling Green Street at its core. A vast majority of Campustown residents are UIUC students that flock to this neighborhood due to its proximity to campus and metropolitan feel, with some of the cities best shops, eaties, bars and businesses. Be sure to check out local favorites like Bangkok Thai, Mia Za’s, Legends, and Murphys Pub!
Campustown’s Makeup
Renovations to Campustown began in the early 2000s to not only provide more housing and businesses, but to also improve the overall safety to students living off-campus. Being that Campustown does have more of a “metro feel,” the majority of housing in this area are apartments versus houses. While there are some rental homes, as renovations continued over the years more and more luxury apartments have gone up like Illni Tower, Suites at Third, and Lofts 54. These apartment complexes often boast some sweet amenities like furnished apartments, sports courts, cyber lounges, rooftop hangout spots, and more!
Getting to Class from Campustown
Pulled an all nighter cramming for that exam? Well, you can hit that snooze alarm one more time because getting to class from your pad in Campustown is a breeze! Students living in Campustown tend to leave their cars at home because you get campus in ten minutes and can virtually walk to anything you need for everyday living needs. Bikes are a popular mode of transportation and Urbana-Champaign recently added a dockless bikeshare program called VeoRide, so if you don’t have a bike this is totally something worth checking out. All UIUC students can also flash their student id for free, full access to the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD), which is particularly useful during those brisk winter months! Download STOPwatch to track your ride and never miss a ride again.
Campustown surely doesn’t have any trouble living up to its name and if you’re the type of student looking for the quintessential college experience, with maybe even a touch of luxury in one of the newer highrise apartments, then this is the spot for you!
Need help getting started on finding your perfect Campustown rental? Be sure to check out University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign off-campus housing here, and to help you even further, check out our list below of Campustown and UIUC landlords and properties!
Ali Bartmer
Chips and salsa aficionado, Ali Bartmer joined the Rent College Pads team in the fall of 2016 as the Operations Assistant and has since become a Content crafter. Cat mom of one, Ali prides herself in being a Bloody Mary connoisseur and with her Masters from Hogwarts there’s nothing Ali can’t do.