Apartments Near Howard University: LeDroit Park, Shaw and What DC Rent Rules Mean for Students

Apartments near Howard University cluster in three places: LeDroit Park's rowhouses right against campus, Shaw and the U Street corridor just south of Florida Avenue, and the Georgia Avenue blocks of Pleasant Plains. Typical FMP-listed rents near campus run about $1,532 to $2,905 a month, with a median near $2,000. DC's tenant laws also cap deposits at one month's rent and protect you when your lease ends, which is more than most college towns give you.

Key Takeaways

• Plan on about $2,000 a month for a typical unit near Howard; shared rowhouse rooms can come in lower.
• First-time freshmen and rising sophomores must live in university housing, so most students start looking junior year.
• 2106-2108 Vermont Ave lists one-bedroom suites at $1,400, just 0.3 miles from campus.
• Rent-controlled DC units can only go up 4.1% between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027 (newer buildings are usually exempt).
• Your deposit can't exceed one month's rent. It has to come back within 45 days.
• Shaw-Howard University station on the Green and Yellow lines is the transit anchor for all three neighborhoods.

Where Howard Students Actually Rent

Most Howard students who move off campus stay within a mile of the Yard. That puts you in LeDroit Park, Shaw, or Pleasant Plains along Georgia Avenue, and the choice mostly comes down to budget and how much nightlife you want outside your window.

Here is the quick read:

• LeDroit Park: quietest, closest, mostly rowhouse shares from individual owners
• Shaw and U Street: best food and Metro access, highest rents, loudest weekends
• Pleasant Plains and Georgia Avenue: newer buildings, easy walk to the medical side of campus

You can see every building currently listed on the off-campus housing near Howard page, which shows 27 places right now. Some of those sit across town near Georgetown or Foggy Bottom, so check the distance before you fall for a floor plan.

LeDroit Park: The Closest Rowhouse Neighborhood

LeDroit Park is the Victorian rowhouse pocket tucked along the south and east edge of campus. You can roll out of bed and be at Founders Library in under ten minutes. That is the whole appeal.

The catch is inventory. Almost everything here is a subdivided rowhouse or a basement unit owned by one landlord, not a managed apartment building. Listings move by word of mouth, especially in spring, and a four-person group that already knows who it is living with has a real edge.

Ask about three things on every tour: who pays for heat, whether the basement floods, and whether the unit is legally registered as a rental. DC requires rental housing licenses, and an unlicensed basement unit is a headache you do not need.

Shaw and U Street: Apartments Near Howard University With the Most Going On

Shaw puts you south of Florida Avenue, between campus and downtown. It has the Shaw-Howard University Metro station, the 9th Street restaurant strip, and U Street's music venues. It also has the highest rents of the three.

Two FMP-listed options stand out:

• 2106-2108 Vermont Ave lists one-bedroom suites at $1,400 a month and sits 0.3 miles from Howard. For a solo unit this close, that number is low for DC.
• District Co-Living at 1126 9th St NW lists furnished one-bedroom units with utilities included from $1,640 to $1,850. It is 1.1 miles from campus, closer to the Convention Center than to the Yard.

Be honest with yourself about noise. U Street on a Friday night is fun until you have an 8 a.m. organic chem exam.

Pleasant Plains and Georgia Avenue: Newer Buildings Near Campus

Georgia Avenue runs along the west side of campus past Howard University Hospital, and the blocks around it are where most of the newer apartment buildings are. Health sciences students like it for the short walk to the medical buildings.

• The Oliver at 2711 Georgia Ave NW is 0.3 miles from Howard. It lists four-bedroom plans from $525 and one-bedrooms from $2,250 to $2,700. That four-bedroom figure is low enough that you should confirm whether it is per bed before you celebrate.
• 745 Gresham Pl is 0.5 miles out, with one-bedrooms listed from $1,300 to $1,800.
• Euclid CoLiving at 910-912 Euclid St NW, 0.4 miles away, lists furnished one-bedroom units with utilities included from $1,740 to $1,815.

Furnished, utilities-included coliving costs more on paper. It can still beat a cheaper unfurnished place once you add a Pepco bill, internet and a bed frame.

What DC Rent Rules Mean for Howard Students

DC has some of the strongest renter protections in the country. Four rules matter most when you sign.

Rent control caps increases on older buildings

For rent-controlled units, the 2026 cap announced by the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate is 4.1% for most tenants, effective May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027. Rent control generally covers buildings built before 1976. Newer construction is exempt, and so are many units owned by small landlords with four or fewer rentals, so ask directly whether your unit is covered.

Your deposit is capped at one month's rent

A DC landlord cannot charge more than one month's rent as a security deposit. They have 45 days after you move out to return it or tell you what they are keeping. Stay 12 months or longer and you are owed interest too.

Your lease does not just end

This one surprises students from other states. In DC, a landlord generally cannot make you leave simply because the lease term is up. Your lease usually rolls into month-to-month, which is great if graduation plans slip. It also means you should give proper written notice when you do want out.

Read the fee sheet anyway

Newer buildings along Georgia Avenue and in Shaw often add amenity, trash and package fees on top of base rent. Our guide to hidden fees in student apartment leases shows what to ask for in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apartments Near Howard University

How much is rent near Howard University?

About $2,000 a month is the median for FMP-listed units near campus, and the typical range runs $1,532 to $2,905. A few places come in under that, like the $1,400 one-bedroom suites at 2106-2108 Vermont Ave.

Can Howard freshmen live off campus?

Usually not. Howard requires first-time freshmen and rising sophomores taking 12 or more credits to live in university housing. Exemptions exist for commuters living with family, students 21 and older, and a few other cases, but they are reviewed one by one.

Is LeDroit Park or Shaw better for Howard students?

LeDroit Park if you want quiet and the shortest walk. Shaw if you want Metro access, restaurants and a social life on your doorstep, and you can handle higher rent and weekend noise.

Does DC rent control apply to student apartments?

Sometimes. It generally covers buildings built before 1976, not new construction, and many small landlords with four or fewer units are exempt too. Ask before you sign, because the difference is a 4.1% cap versus whatever the market will bear.

What Metro stop is closest to Howard University?

Shaw-Howard University on the Green and Yellow lines. It sits at 7th and S Streets NW, a short walk south of campus, and connects you to downtown in a few stops.