How Much Does Off-Campus Housing Cost Near Kent State?

Off-campus housing near Kent State costs about $700 to $950 a month for a bedroom in a per-bed student complex and $900 to $1,870 for a one-bedroom of your own, based on October 2026 Find My Place listings in Kent, Ohio. Townhomes on Whitehall Boulevard list for less, from $585 a month. Many students can't move off campus right away, though: Kent State requires most students under 20 with fewer than 60 credit hours to live in the residence halls.

Key Takeaways

• Rooms in Kent's student complexes run $689 (345 Flats) to $959 (Paloma Kent), base rent before fees.
• One-bedrooms are expensive here. The median across nine one-bedroom and efficiency floor plans on FMP is $1,350.
• College Towers, 0.3 miles from campus, has the cheapest place to live alone: a $520 efficiency.
• Kent State's 2026-27 dorm double is $4,335 a semester, or $8,670 for the school year.
• Two-year rule: you live on campus until you turn 20 or earn 60 credits, unless you qualify for another exemption.
• No Kent listing on FMP has posted its monthly fees yet. Budget extra.

Kent State Off-Campus Housing Cost by Housing Type

Sharing is the cheapest way to live off campus at Kent State. A one-bedroom usually costs several hundred dollars more a month than a bedroom in a shared unit. Here's what each type lists for on FMP in October 2026.

• Bedroom in a per-bed complex: $689 to $959.
• Townhome bedroom on Whitehall Boulevard: $585 to $695 at KSU East Townhomes.
• One-bedroom or studio: $520 for an efficiency, $900 to $1,070 at College Towers and Dartmouth Place, $1,225 to $1,869 at 345 Flats and Paloma Kent.
• Two-bedroom, whole unit: $1,100 to $1,295 at College Towers and Dartmouth Place.

You can sort all 12 listings by price on the page for Kent State University off-campus housing. FMP's Kent market guide puts shared housing at $450 to $750 per person and one-bedrooms at $750 to $1,100, so today's newer complexes run at or above the top of those ranges.

For context, the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey puts median rent for the whole Akron metro, which includes Kent, at about $1,030 a month, per USAFacts.

What a Room Costs in a Kent State Per-Bed Complex

A bedroom in a Kent student complex costs about $700 to $950 a month. You lease your own room, share the common space, and pay only your share.

• The Province - Kent, 609 S Lincoln St, 0.6 miles: four-bedroom plans from $699 and three-bedrooms from $749, against $1,245 for a two-bedroom. More bedrooms, lower price. That's per-person pricing.
• Over on South Depeyster Street, 345 Flats (0.9 miles) lists four-bedroom plans at $689 to $699. Its one-bedrooms run $1,350 to $1,465.
• Campus Pointe Kent on Ashton Lane is 0.9 miles out, with private rooms from $724 in a four-bedroom and $925 in a two-bedroom.
• Closest of all is Paloma Kent at 1450 E Summit St, just 0.2 miles from campus. Rooms are $799 in a four-bedroom and $959 in a two-bedroom, and a one-bedroom is $1,819.

Paloma is the "pay for the walk" option. The Province and 345 Flats are the value plays.

What a One-Bedroom or Studio Costs Near Kent State

A one-bedroom near Kent State costs $900 to $1,870, with a median of $1,350 across the nine one-bedroom and efficiency plans on FMP. College Towers and Dartmouth Place sit at the bottom of that range.

College Towers Apartments on Rhodes Road, 0.3 miles from campus, lists an efficiency at $520 and a one-bedroom at $900. That $520 efficiency is the cheapest way on FMP to live alone near Kent State, by a lot. Dartmouth Place on South Lincoln Street lists one-bedrooms at $1,070 and a two-bedroom at $1,295, 0.6 miles out.

At the top end, 345 Flats lists studios at $1,225 to $1,305, and Paloma's one-bedrooms reach $1,869. That's a lot to pay for privacy in a town where a room in a four-bedroom costs about half as much.

Kent State Off-Campus Housing Cost vs. the Dorms

Kent State's dorms and its cheaper off-campus rooms cost about the same for rent. The difference is food, summer and who's allowed to leave.

Kent State's 2026-27 room rates list a standard double at $4,335 a semester, or $8,670 for fall and spring. Twelve months at The Province's $699 room is $8,388. Close enough to call it even.

Food tips it. Kent State's cost of attendance puts on-campus housing and food at $14,380 for 2026-27, with the Blue meal plan at $2,845 a semester. The university's own off-campus allowance is $11,552, about $2,800 less.

Who can actually live off campus at Kent State

Kent State's mandatory housing policy requires students taking 9 or more credit hours to live on campus unless they're 20 or older, have earned 60 credit hours, or commute from a parent's home within 50 miles. There are also exemptions for registered Greek housing and special circumstances, but an application doesn't guarantee approval. In practice, that makes off-campus housing a junior-year decision for many students who start college at 18.

Hidden Costs on Top of Kent State Off-Campus Rent

Every Kent property on FMP shows base rent only, with a note that monthly fees haven't been listed. Ask each leasing office for the all-in number: utilities, internet, trash, parking and any amenity fee.

Watch the lease dates too. Several Kent listings show a June 15 move-in (Paloma, Copper Creek, Hidden Pines), while others start in mid-August. A June start means paying for a summer you might spend at home. Compare move-in dates on the Kent, OH student housing page before you sign.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kent State Off-Campus Housing Cost

What is the cheapest off-campus housing near Kent State?

$520 a month for the efficiency at College Towers Apartments, 0.3 miles from campus. For a room in a shared unit, KSU East Townhomes on Whitehall Boulevard lists a five-bedroom at $585.

Is it cheaper to live off campus at Kent State?

Slightly, mostly because of food. A Kent State double is $8,670 for the school year, and 12 months at a $699 room is $8,388. Skip the $2,845-a-semester meal plan and off campus comes out ahead if you cook.

Can sophomores live off campus at Kent State?

Usually not. Kent State requires students taking 9 or more credits to live on campus until they're 20 or have 60 credit hours, unless another exemption applies.

How much is a one-bedroom apartment near Kent State?

$1,350 is the median on FMP. The range runs from $900 at College Towers to $1,869 at Paloma Kent, and an efficiency at College Towers is $520.

Do Kent State off-campus apartments include utilities?

None of the Kent listings on FMP say so, and none have posted fees yet. Assume utilities are extra and ask before you sign.