Where MTSU Students Live Off Campus: 6 Murfreesboro Areas Compared by Commute

MTSU off-campus housing on Find My Place clusters in six Murfreesboro neighborhoods and corridors, and the one most students should look at first is the cluster on Old Lascassas Road and Lascassas Pike, where College Center, College Place and 1540 Place sit 0.6 to 0.9 miles from campus with rooms from $499. Past about a mile, a car stops being optional. The Raider Xpress shuttle stays on campus, and Murfreesboro's city buses quit at 6 p.m. on weekdays.

Key Takeaways

• Old Lascassas Rd and Lascassas Pike: the walkable pick, 0.6 to 0.9 miles out, with by-the-room rent from $499.
• Greenland Drive holds FMP's two best-reviewed MTSU complexes, Nottingham (4.2) and Crossings at Greenland (5.0).
• South Rutherford Blvd has the deepest one-bedroom supply (Landmark from $1,099), but most of it sits 1.3 to 1.9 miles away.
• Downtown and the Square trade a 1.4-mile commute for Friday Night Live and real restaurants.
• Living 2 to 4 miles out? You'll drive every day (the city bus doesn't run nights or Sundays).

How We Compared Murfreesboro Areas

Every distance below comes from the commute widget on each property's Find My Place page, which measures to Middle Tennessee State University. Prices are base rent from those same pages in October 2026, before fees. You can sort the full list of Middle Tennessee State University off-campus housing by distance or price if you want to check our math.

One thing shapes this whole list. MTSU's Raider Xpress shuttle exists to move people around campus and runs only while classes are in session. It isn't an apartment shuttle. So "commute" here really means three options: walk, bike or drive.

1. Old Lascassas Road and Lascassas Pike: Best for Walking to Class

This is the area to beat if you don't have a car. Four complexes line the two roads running north from campus, all between 0.6 and 0.9 miles out (roughly a 12 to 18 minute walk).

• College Center, 1023 Old Lascassas Rd, 0.6 mi: furnished private rooms in four-bedroom units at $500 a month, and one plan includes electricity and water.
• College Place Apartments, 1002 Old Lascassas Rd, 0.6 mi: studios and two-bedrooms list from $700. Rated 4.2 from five verified reviews.
• 1540 Place, 0.9 mi: four-bedroom plans list from $499. Its two-bedrooms cost more ($775 and up), so that $499 is a per-person price.
• The Brownstone, 1455 Lascassas Pike, 0.9 mi: one-bedrooms at $900, though its 3.2 score comes with some pointed reviews about an unopened pool.

Best for: freshmen and sophomores who want a room, a lease and no car payment.

2. Greenland Drive: Best-Reviewed Complexes Near MTSU

Greenland Drive is where you go for management that answers the phone. Nottingham Apartments and Crossings at Greenland are the two highest-rated MTSU properties on FMP, and both sit under a mile from campus.

Nottingham Apartments (1311 Greenland Dr, 0.7 mi) lists a two-bedroom at $1,336, or $668 each split two ways. One resident wrote that the "grounds are always clean and landscaping done weekly." Crossings at Greenland (920 Greenland Dr, 0.9 mi) holds a perfect 5.0 from five verified reviews, with three-bedrooms from $1,573 and four-bedrooms from $1,885.

Nearby, Crossings at Hazelwood (1350 Hazelwood St, 0.8 mi) lists two- to four-bedroom units from $1,448 to $2,080. Rent rises with each bedroom at both Crossings properties, which points to whole-unit pricing. Confirm with the office before you split it.

3. North Rutherford Boulevard and East Main Street: Shortest Walks

These two have the shortest walks on this list. East Main Quarters (1604 East Main Street) sits 0.5 miles from MTSU and lists four-bedroom suites at $765. Albion at Murfreesboro, at 285 N Rutherford Blvd, is 0.6 miles out.

Albion is the pricier of the two: studios at $1,330 and two-bedrooms at $1,855. Its 3.6 score from five reviews is middle of the pack (one resident singled out a leasing employee named Kira as "very helpful"). Pick Albion if you want a studio within walking distance and can stomach the premium. East Main Quarters is the budget half of this pair.

4. South Rutherford Boulevard: Best for One-Bedrooms (If You Drive)

South Rutherford and the streets off it hold the most one- and two-bedroom apartments in this guide, as long as you own a car. Complexes here run 0.9 to 1.9 miles from campus, which is a long walk on a hot August afternoon in Middle Tennessee.

• The Social Blue, 1.5 mi: private bedrooms from $715 in a three-bedroom. Its two-bedroom rooms cost more ($869), so these are per-person prices.
• Landmark Apartments (2827 S Rutherford Blvd, 1.3 mi): one-bedrooms from $1,099, two-bedrooms from $1,370.
• Richland Falls on Dill Lane, 0.9 mi: one-bedrooms $1,399 to $1,490.
• Cobalt Row on Old Castle Drive, 1.9 mi: four-bedroom plans at $695.

Most of these are unclaimed on FMP with no fees posted yet. Ask for the all-in monthly number in writing before you sign anything.

5. Downtown Murfreesboro and the Square: Best for Nightlife

Downtown is for upperclassmen who'd rather live near the Square than near the dorms. FMP's MTSU guide puts it well: Friday Night Live concerts "take over the courthouse lawn," and the streets around the historic courthouse are walkable in a way most of Murfreesboro isn't.

The commute is the cost. 435 S Highland Ave lists a two-bedroom at $2,000 and sits 1.4 miles from MTSU, so you'll drive or bike. Inventory is thin, too, so set an alert and move fast when something lists.

6. Outer Murfreesboro: Group Houses and Quiet Streets

Most of the group houses and townhomes on FMP sit 1 to 5 miles out. That's where you find the space, and it's also where the daily drive becomes non-negotiable.

The Grove at Murfreesboro on Journey Drive (1.1 mi) lists three-bedroom plans at $549 and four-bedrooms at $685. Farther out, 2762 Residences on Lascassas Pike lists three- to five-bedroom homes from $2,795 to $3,025, and a three-bedroom house on Sunray Drive lists at $2,375. FMP's market guide notes that the neighborhoods near the Stones River Greenway "trade walkability for trail access and quieter streets." Fair trade, if your schedule has room for it.

Getting to MTSU Without Walking

Driving is the default once you're past a mile, and at least the permit won't surprise you. According to MTSU Parking Services, a share of the Student Program Services Fee in your registration covers your student permit, rather than a separate permit charge.

The city bus is a backup, not a plan. Murfreesboro Transit runs 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with only the Highland, Mercury and Old Fort routes running Saturdays, per the City of Murfreesboro. Night labs and Sunday study sessions? You're on your own.

Want the full map instead of six areas? Browse every listing on the Murfreesboro student housing page.

Frequently Asked Questions About MTSU Off-Campus Neighborhoods

What is the best area to live off campus at MTSU?

Old Lascassas Road, for most students. College Center and College Place sit 0.6 miles from campus, rent starts around $500 to $700, and you can walk to class. Greenland Drive is the better pick if reviews matter more than price.

Can you live off campus at MTSU without a car?

Yes, but only within about a mile. The Raider Xpress shuttle doesn't serve apartments, and Murfreesboro Transit stops at 6 p.m. on weekdays. Stick to Old Lascassas Road, Lascassas Pike, Greenland Drive or the North Rutherford and East Main area.

How far is downtown Murfreesboro from MTSU?

1.4 miles from 435 S Highland Ave, the closest listing to downtown on FMP. That's about a 10-minute bike ride or a 5-minute drive. Walkable on a nice day; annoying in January.

Which MTSU off-campus apartments have the best reviews?

Crossings at Greenland, with a 5.0 FMP score from five verified reviews. Nottingham Apartments and College Place both hold 4.2, also from five reviews each.