How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near Illinois State?
Illinois State off-campus housing cost runs about $465 a month for a bed in a shared house or small apartment building in Normal, the median starting rate across 19 by-the-bed listings on Find My Place in October 2026. Newer student complexes like The Flats at ISU and The Social on Hovey start higher, at $699 to $739 a bed.
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Illinois State off-campus housing cost runs about $465 a month for a bed in a shared house or small apartment building in Normal, the median starting rate across 19 by-the-bed listings on Find My Place in October 2026. Newer student complexes like The Flats at ISU and The Social on Hovey start higher, at $699 to $739 a bed. A one-bedroom apartment of your own starts around $750 in Bloomington.
Key Takeaways
- $465 a month is the median starting price for a bed near Illinois State.
- Rooms in older houses near campus start at $350 to $420 a bed, all within about 0.6 miles.
- The big complexes cost roughly $195 to $275 more per bed than the median.
- Off campus is cheaper than the dorms on rent alone. The lowest 2026-27 residence hall rate is $6,746 for two semesters, versus about $5,580 for 12 months of a median bed.
- Your Redbird Card works as a Connect Transit bus pass.
- Most students can't move off campus until two years out of high school.
Where These Illinois State Rent Numbers Come From
We pulled every property on the Find My Place page for off-campus housing near Illinois State in October 2026. That's 52 properties, mostly in Normal, with some older houses in Bloomington. Prices are base rent, and almost none of these listings show monthly fees yet.
The pricing basis matters here. At 505 S Fell Ave, a two-bedroom is $600 and a four-bedroom is $405. That only adds up if the price is per person. Nineteen Normal listings follow that pattern clearly, and the $465 median comes from their lowest bed prices. Where a property lists a single floor plan, we say "lists from" instead of guessing.
Illinois State Off-Campus Housing Cost for a Room in a House
A room in one of the older houses and small buildings near campus is the cheapest way to live off campus at Illinois State, with most beds between $350 and $540. FMP's Illinois State page describes the Fell Avenue and School Street area as mostly divided older homes with easy campus access. A few examples, with distances from each FMP listing:
- 723 Osage St (0.6 mi): $350 a bed in a four-bedroom, $460 in a three-bedroom.
- 102 W. Locust (0.4 mi): $360 a bed in a four-bedroom, $550 in a two-bedroom.
- 505 S Fell Ave (0.3 mi): $405 a bed in a four-bedroom.
- 200 S Linden (0.4 mi): $420 a bed in a four-bedroom.
- 98 E Mulberry St (0.3 mi): lists from $300 for a four-bedroom.
The pattern is simple. More roommates, lower rent. At 102 W. Locust, choosing the four-bedroom over the two-bedroom saves you $190 a month. 98 E Mulberry looks like the cheapest, but it shows one floor plan, so confirm with the landlord that $300 is per person.
One trap to watch for: some house listings show each bedroom as a "1 bedroom" floor plan. At 814 S Fell Ave, the $700 plans are labeled master room, second bedroom and third bedroom. That's a room in a shared house, not a one-bedroom apartment.
What the Newer Student Complexes Cost Near Illinois State
Expect $659 to $739 a bed at the big student complexes, roughly $195 to $275 more than the median. You're paying for newer buildings and amenities. Reviews vary a lot, so read them:
- The Flats at ISU, 709 S. Main (0.5 mi): $699 a bed in a four-bedroom. Its FMP score is 1.1 from five reviews, with complaints about maintenance and management.
- The Social on Hovey, 800 Hovey Ave (0.5 mi): $739 a bed in a four-bedroom.
- The Social Normal, 9 Traders Circle (1.9 mi): $659 a bed in a four-bedroom, with an FMP score of 4.2.
- CollegePlace Uptown, 100 South Fell Avenue (0.2 mi): lists from $845 for a two-bedroom, FMP score 4.8.
Our take: The Social Normal is the value pick if you don't mind 1.9 miles. The Flats at ISU is close, but a 1.1 score from five reviewers is a real warning sign. CollegePlace Uptown is the closest of the group, right by Uptown Normal.
What a One-Bedroom or Whole House Costs Near Illinois State
Living alone near Illinois State starts around $750 a month. These places price the whole apartment, because rent climbs as bedrooms are added:
- Apartment Mart, 912 N. Linden, Bloomington (1.6 mi): one-bedrooms from $750, two-bedrooms from $1,200.
- Ironwood Gardens Apartments, 2000 N Linden St, Normal (2.4 mi): lists from $982 for a one-bedroom, with a 5.0 FMP score.
Whole houses in Bloomington are another option for a group. 916 N East St rents a five-bedroom for $2,275, about $455 each. The Flats on East rents a four-bedroom for $2,080, or $520 each. Both sit about 1.5 to 1.6 miles from Illinois State and a few blocks from Illinois Wesleyan, so you'll want a car or the bus.
Illinois State Off-Campus Housing Cost vs Living on Campus
Off campus usually wins on rent at Illinois State. Per Illinois State's 2026-27 rates, residence hall rooms cost $3,373 to $5,769 a semester, and Cardinal Court apartments run $5,172 to $7,234 a semester. The cheapest hall room comes to $6,746 for the year. A median off-campus bed at $465 is about $5,580 over a full 12-month lease.
Meal plans widen the gap. Residential plans run $2,716 to $2,918 a semester, so the cheapest room and plan together cost about $12,178 for two semesters. Off campus you'd buy groceries instead, and FMP's Illinois State page estimates utilities at $30 to $80 a month on top of rent.
The two-year live-on rule
Illinois State's housing policy requires students to live in university housing their first two years out of high school. Exceptions are occasionally made. For most students, this article is about junior year and beyond.
Getting to Campus Without a Car
Your Redbird Card is your bus pass. Under Illinois State's agreement with Connect Transit, running July 2025 through June 2027, students can use the card to ride. The Redbird Express loop has 15 campus stops and runs 7 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday, and until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
That makes Bloomington or the north side of Normal workable without a car. Check the route nearest your door before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions About Illinois State Off-Campus Housing Cost
How much is rent near Illinois State?
About $465 a month for a bed, the median across 19 by-the-bed listings on Find My Place. Newer complexes start at $659 to $739 a bed, and one-bedrooms start around $750.
What is the cheapest off-campus housing near Illinois State?
723 Osage St, at $350 a bed in a four-bedroom, 0.6 miles from campus. 102 W. Locust is close behind at $360. 98 E Mulberry St lists from $300, but confirm that price is per person.
Is it cheaper to live off campus at Illinois State?
Usually, yes. The cheapest 2026-27 hall room is $6,746 for two semesters before a meal plan. Twelve months of a median off-campus bed costs about $5,580, plus utilities.
Can Illinois State freshmen live off campus?
Rarely. Illinois State requires students to live in university housing for their first two years out of high school, with occasional exceptions.
Do Illinois State students ride the bus for free?
Yes. Your Redbird Card works as a Connect Transit bus pass, including on the Redbird Express campus loop.
Find My Place — By Students, For Students
Colton Hibbert is the founder and CEO of Find My Place. He started it after getting burned by the usual student housing routine: hidden fees, staged photos, and a leasing office that stopped answering the second the lease was signed. So he built the platform he wished he'd had. Today he sets the strategy and keeps the whole company pointed at one job, making off-campus housing something students can actually trust. He writes here about where the student housing market is headed and why FMP is built the way it is.
