Sam Houston State Off-Campus Housing Cost in 2026

Sam Houston State off-campus housing costs about $549 a month for a bedroom in a shared student apartment, based on 67 floor plans at 11 Huntsville complexes listed on Find My Place in November 2026. The middle half of those beds list between $469 and $705. A one-bedroom or studio at the same complexes has a median of $1,119, and you should add $40 to $120 a month for utilities.

Every number below comes from the live listings on our Sam Houston State University off-campus housing page. No national averages, no guesses.

Key Takeaways

• $549 a month is the median bed in a shared 2- to 6-bedroom unit near SHSU (67 floor plans, 11 complexes).
• More roommates, lower rent: a bed in a 4x4 has a median of $469, while a bed in a 2x2 runs $725.
• Want your own place? A 1x1 or studio at the student complexes lists from $770 to $1,715.
• On-campus halls cost $2,520 to $3,892 per semester for 2026-27, before the meal plan.
• All 120 SHSU-linked listings on FMP show a lease term of 12 months or longer, so June and July rent is part of the deal.
• None of the 24 properties has posted its monthly fees yet. Ask for the all-in number before you sign.

Sam Houston State Off-Campus Housing Cost by Unit Size

The biggest factor in what you pay near SHSU is how many people share your unit. Here's how the 2026 listings break down at the 10 student complexes that price each bedroom separately, plus Sam Houston Village II on Varsity Drive, which lists its 4x4 as a "Per Individual Lease":

• Four-bedroom units: median $469 per bed, with a range of $329 to $609 across 20 floor plans.
• Five- and six-bedroom units run $349 to $549 per bed (8 plans).
• In a three-bedroom, expect a median of $602, though plans range from $379 up to $829.
• Two-bedroom units cost the most per person: median $725, range $525 to $1,049.
• 1x1s and studios: median $1,119, with plans from $770 to $1,715.

How FMP read the per-bed vs. whole-unit question

Our listing data doesn't label per-bed pricing, so we used what we call the FMP rent-curve test. If rent falls as bedrooms go up, each bed is priced on its own. The Armory on Sam Houston Avenue lists its 1x1 at $1,709 and its 4x4 at $450, which only works if that $450 is one bedroom. The Forum at Sam Houston settles it from the other side: renting its entire 2x2 lists at $1,470, exactly two of its $735 private rooms.

Properties with a single floor plan can't be tested that way. For those, we just tell you what they list at.

Cheapest Off-Campus Apartments Near SHSU in 2026

The lowest bed price near Sam Houston State right now is $329, for a 4-bedroom townhome at 18 Seventy Nine. It sits 1.3 miles from campus on Sam Houston Avenue. Its FMP score is 1.9 from five reviews, so read those first.

Closer options that still come in under $500 a bed:

• Lark Huntsville lists a standard 5-bedroom at $349 a bed, 0.6 miles out (also a 1.9 FMP score).
• At 0.4 miles on Bowers Blvd, Arbors of Sam Houston has a 3-bedroom, 2-bath shared plan from $379.
• The Armory: 4x4 beds at $450, half a mile from campus, with a 5.0 FMP score.
• Six private bedrooms, six bathrooms, $485 each. That's the big plan at Bearkat Cottages, also on Bowers Blvd and also scoring 5.0.

Two single-plan properties list in the same range, though we can't confirm those are per-bed prices. Villas on Sycamore (0.4 miles) lists its 4-bedroom at $464 to $484. Encore at Sam Houston on Nottingham St (1.1 miles) lists its 4x4 from $479.

Does Living Closer to SHSU Cost More?

Barely. The cheapest bed within 0.6 miles of campus lists at $349 at Lark, and the cheapest one past a mile lists at $329 at 18 Seventy Nine. Twenty dollars.

The farther complexes, like The Quarters Huntsville on Pine Shadows Dr (1.2 miles, $430 for a 4x4 bed) and Gateway at Huntsville (1.5 miles, $399), aren't meaningfully cheaper than Arbors or The Armory. In Huntsville, walking distance is the better deal.

Sam Houston State Off-Campus Housing Cost vs. Living on Campus

On-campus housing at SHSU runs $2,520 to $4,772 per semester for 2026-27, depending on the hall or apartment, according to the university's official housing rates page. Elliott is the cheapest traditional hall at $2,736. Raven Village and Sam Houston Village top the hall list at $3,892, and on-campus apartments go up to $4,772 for a Copper Village one-bedroom.

Two semesters at Piney-Woods ($3,060 each) total $6,120 for about nine months, before food. A median off-campus bed at $549 comes to $6,588 for a full 12-month lease, plus utilities. So off-campus costs a little more on paper, but you get a kitchen and a place to live all summer.

First-year students mostly don't get to choose. SHSU's housing page says "All students entering SHSU within 1 year of high school are required to reside on-campus" and buy a resident meal plan, usually for fall and spring. (Quick warning: Sam Houston Village is an on-campus hall. Sam Houston Village II at 113 Varsity Dr is a separate off-campus property. Don't mix them up on a guarantor form.)

Houses and Small-Landlord Rentals Near SHSU

Outside the big student complexes, Huntsville rentals list from about $570 for a single room to $1,999 for a three-bedroom. Most are single listings from smaller landlords, so ask whether the price covers the whole place.

• Single rooms on Varsity Drive (107, 109 and 154 Varsity) list at $570 to $590, about a mile from campus.
• Woodcreek Apartments on Josey St (0.6 miles) lists a 1-bedroom at $875 and a 2-bedroom at $999. Rent goes up with size here, so these are whole-unit prices.
• Downtown Loft, a 1-bedroom on 12th Street in downtown Huntsville, lists at $875.
• Two-bedrooms list between $950 (MPA Bldg E on Montgomery Rd) and $1,200 (a duplex on Elkwood Circle). Cornerstone Apartments on Bobby K Marks Dr sits at $1,115.
• A 3-bed, 2-bath on Vicki Dr lists at $1,400; a 3-bed, 2.5-bath at 1922 20th St lists at $1,999.

If that Vicki Dr unit is $1,400 for the whole thing, three roommates pay about $467 each. That's right in line with a 4x4 bed at a complex, and you pick your own roommates.

Hidden Costs on Top of Huntsville Rent

Plan on $40 to $120 a month for utilities (the range on our SHSU page), with the high end hitting in July and August when East Texas AC runs nonstop.

Fees are the bigger unknown. None of the 24 SHSU-linked properties on FMP has posted its monthly fees yet. Ask every leasing office for application fees, admin fees, and any monthly trash, parking or amenity charges in writing.

Your deposit has some protection. The Texas Attorney General's renter's rights guide says a landlord must return your deposit, minus itemized damages, within 30 days, as long as you give them a forwarding address. Do that on move-out day.

Before you commit to 12 months, read resident reviews on the Huntsville student housing reviews page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sam Houston State Off-Campus Housing Cost

Is it cheaper to live off campus at Sam Houston State?

Only if you pick a cheaper bed. Two semesters in a mid-priced hall like Piney-Woods cost $6,120 before a meal plan, while a median off-campus bed costs $6,588 over 12 months. A $399 bed at a 4x4 brings that down to $4,788 a year.

What's the cheapest off-campus apartment near SHSU?

18 Seventy Nine, at $329 a bed for a 4-bedroom townhome, 1.3 miles from campus. Closer in, Lark Huntsville lists a 5-bedroom at $349 a bed and Arbors of Sam Houston lists a shared 3-bedroom from $379.

Do freshmen have to live on campus at Sam Houston State?

Yes, most do. SHSU requires students entering within one year of high school to live on campus and buy a resident meal plan their first year. Ask Residence Life about exemptions before you sign anything.

How much should I budget per month to live off campus near SHSU?

Around $590 to $670 for rent and utilities if you take a median shared bed. That's $549 in rent plus $40 to $120 for utilities. Then add whatever monthly fees your property charges.

Can I rent a whole apartment instead of a single bed?

$1,450 gets you a whole 2x2 at The Quarters Huntsville, and The Forum lists its entire 2x2 at $1,470. Neither is a discount. Those prices equal the per-bed rate times the number of bedrooms, so renting the whole unit only makes sense if you already have roommates lined up.

Are leases near SHSU always 12 months?

Yes. All 120 SHSU-linked listings on Find My Place show a lease of 12 months or more. Going home for the summer? Read the sublease clause first.