from the blog
everything you need to know about finding, choosing, and living in student housing.
Three Tempe zones absorb most off-campus ASU students: the Mill Avenue corridor (walkable, social, expensive), South Tempe past US-60 (cheaper, requires a car), and the Papago Park area north of the Salt River (quieter, residential, manageable commute). Each optimizes for something different.
ASU does not require freshmen to live on campus — only "expects" it. Three-quarters of ASU students live off campus. Skip the May 15 housing application and you've opted out by default.
ASU off-campus housing runs $700–$1,600/month per student in Tempe for 2026. Real numbers, named buildings, and what utilities + parking actually add to your bill.


Sublets, ASU summer housing, short-term leases, and extended stay hotels in Tempe range $600–$1,800/month. Most affordable inventory is gone by mid-May — here's how to find summer housing near Arizona State before it disappears.
