3 St. Thomas Off-Campus Neighborhoods: Mac-Groveland, Merriam Park and Highland Park

St. Thomas off-campus neighborhoods come down to three parts of St. Paul. Mac-Groveland, south of Summit Avenue, is the most popular and puts you a block from class on Grand Avenue. Merriam Park, north of Summit toward Marshall Avenue and I-94, has some of the lowest listed rents near campus, from $695 at 88 Cleveland Ave N. Highland Park, starting about a mile south at Randolph Avenue, is quieter and sits outside St. Paul's student housing overlay.

Key Takeaways

• Mac-Groveland: four FMP listings sit on Grand Avenue within 0.3 miles of campus, listing from $720 to $1,550.
• Merriam Park's 88 Cleveland Ave N lists a three-bedroom at $695 and is a 0.3-mile walk.
• St. Paul's overlay district caps how close together houses rented to three or four students can be (150 feet apart).
• Highland Park is the pick for a quieter street and more space, if you don't mind a mile-plus trip.
• First- and second-year students have to live on campus, so this search usually starts junior year.

How the Three St. Thomas Neighborhoods Compare

Pick Mac-Groveland to be closest to class, Merriam Park for the cheapest shared houses, and Highland Park for quiet. You can browse every listing on the FMP page for off campus housing at St. Thomas, which shows 36 places as of October 2026.

• Mac-Groveland: 0.1 to 0.3 miles to campus, Grand Avenue shops and cafes, inside the student housing overlay
• Merriam Park: 0.3 to 0.8 miles, houses and small apartment buildings, overlay applies south of I-94
• Highland Park: about 1 to 1.5 miles, apartment buildings and single-family homes, outside the overlay

Prices below are base rent from FMP property pages, before fees. Several listings show only one floor plan, so we flag when the price could be per person or for the whole unit.

St. Paul's Student Housing Overlay: Read This Before You Rent a House

St. Paul limits how many houses near St. Thomas can be rented to groups of students. The city's student housing registration form defines a "student dwelling" as a one- or two-family home where at least one unit has three or four students. Each one has to sit at least 150 feet from the next.

When the overlay was proposed in 2012, the St. Thomas Newsroom described its edges as I-94 on the north, Snelling and Fairview avenues on the east, St. Clair Avenue on the south and Mississippi River Boulevard on the west. In plain terms: if three or four of you want a house near campus, ask the landlord whether it's a registered student dwelling. A house that isn't registered may not be allowed to rent to your group.

1. Mac-Groveland: Closest to Class, Right on Grand Avenue

Mac-Groveland is the best neighborhood for St. Thomas students who want to walk to class in a few minutes. FMP's St. Thomas page calls the area immediately surrounding campus "the most popular area," and the Grand Avenue listings are a block or two from campus.

• Grand Place, 2158 Grand Avenue (0.1 miles): two-bedroom, two-bath units at $1,480 and $1,550.
• Grand & Finn II, 2140 Grand Avenue (0.1 miles): one four-bedroom, two-bath plan listed at $850.
• The Luxe, 2132 Grand Avenue (0.1 miles): a six-bedroom, three-bath plan listed at $845.
• 2003 Grand Ave (0.3 miles): a two-bedroom, one-bath unit listed at $720.

A warning on those numbers. Grand & Finn II, The Luxe and 2003 Grand each show a single floor plan, so the pages don't tell you whether $850 or $845 is your share or the whole house. A six-bedroom for $845 total would be a miracle. Ask before you assume.

Best for: juniors who want to roll out of bed and be in class, and don't mind sharing a kitchen with five people.

2. Merriam Park: Cheaper Shared Houses North of Summit

Merriam Park is the value pick, with listed rents that undercut Grand Avenue for a walk that's only a few minutes longer. It runs north from Summit Avenue toward Marshall Avenue and I-94.

• 88 Cleveland Ave N (0.3 miles): a three-bedroom, one-bath at $695 and a two-bedroom-plus-den at $945. The bigger unit costs less, which only works if those are per-person prices.
• Marshall at Finn, 2127 Marshall Avenue (0.5 miles): five four-bedroom, two-bath units, each listed at $750. Ask whether that's per bedroom.
• 1912 Roblyn Ave (0.8 miles): a four-bedroom, two-bath unit listed at $2,200. Four ways, that's $550 each if it's the whole-unit price.

Merriam Park also has the best bus access of the three. St. Thomas's bus page lists a B Line stop at Marshall and Cretin and a Route 87 stop at Cleveland and Selby.

Best for: groups of three or four who want a house, not an apartment, and want to keep rent under $800 a head.

3. Highland Park: Quieter Streets, a Longer Commute

Highland Park suits upperclassmen and grad students who want space and quiet more than a short walk. FMP's St. Thomas page describes it as "a close second," with apartment buildings and single-family homes across a range of prices.

The neighborhood starts around Randolph Avenue, about a mile south of campus, and its commercial center at Ford Parkway and Cleveland is roughly a mile and a half away. Highland Bridge, the redevelopment of the old Ford plant site, has added new apartment buildings near the river.

One upside most guides skip: Highland Park sits south of St. Clair Avenue, outside the student housing overlay as it was drawn in 2012. A group of four renting a house down here shouldn't run into the 150-foot spacing rule. You will want a car, a bike or a bus pass, though.

Best for: students who'd trade a 10-minute bike ride for a quieter block and a driveway.

Getting to Campus From Each Neighborhood

Mac-Groveland and most of Merriam Park are walkable. Highland Park usually isn't. St. Thomas sells a Metro Transit College Pass for $150 a semester to students who don't buy a parking permit, and its bus page lists Route 63 at Cretin and Summit and the rush-hour Route 134 at Summit and Cleveland, along with the B Line and Route 87.

Frequently Asked Questions About St. Thomas Off-Campus Neighborhoods

What is the best neighborhood for St. Thomas students?

Mac-Groveland, for most people. FMP calls it the most popular area, and Grand Avenue listings like Grand Place sit 0.1 miles from campus. Merriam Park is the better deal if you're renting a house with friends.

When can St. Thomas students live off campus?

Junior year, usually. St. Thomas's residency requirement covers full-time first- and second-year undergraduates, typically four semesters, with exceptions such as turning 21 during those years.

Can four St. Thomas students rent a house together?

Yes, if the house is a registered student dwelling. Near campus, St. Paul's overlay requires student dwellings with three or four students to be at least 150 feet apart, so not every house can take a student group.

How much does a room near St. Thomas cost?

Listed rents near campus run from $695 at 88 Cleveland Ave N to $1,550 for a two-bedroom at Grand Place on Grand Avenue, per October 2026 FMP listings. Confirm whether single-plan listings price per person or per unit.