6 UNM Off-Campus Neighborhoods, From Nob Hill to Silver Hill

The classic place UNM students move off campus is University Heights, the grid of older houses and small apartment buildings just south of Central and west of Girard. Nob Hill, across Girard to the east, is the pick if you want restaurants on your block, and Silver Hill is the quiet historic option just south of campus. If you want a managed apartment building with a leasing office instead, look along University Boulevard north and south of campus, where studios start at $746 on Find My Place's off-campus housing near UNM page.

Key Takeaways

• University Heights is the closest walk and the classic student area. Its western half has been nicknamed "the student ghetto" since around 1970.
• Nob Hill runs from Girard east to Washington, centered on old Route 66 (Central Avenue).
• Silver Hill is a National Register historic district of bungalows whose northeast corner touches campus.
• Want a leasing office and a fixed price? Union 505 ($746 studio) and The Citadel ($794 one-bedroom) sit north of campus off University Boulevard.
• South Campus has Lobo Village (four-bed, four-bath plan listed at $769) and University Village Living (studios from $800).
• Every ABQ RIDE bus is free, which makes the farther options workable.

1. University Heights: The Shortest Walk to Class

University Heights is where UNM students have rented for more than 50 years. It sits south of Central Avenue, with Girard Boulevard separating its western half (the student-heavy part) from Nob Hill. Harvard Drive, Lead Avenue and Coal Avenue cut through it, and Lead and Coal run one-way as through streets.

The history explains the housing stock. The city rezoned the western half for high-density housing in 1969, right after UNM began letting unmarried students live off campus, and cheap apartment blocks went up between the old houses, according to a 2025 Nob Hill News history of the neighborhood. That's where the "student ghetto" nickname came from.

Best for: students who want to walk everywhere and don't mind a party on the next street over. Expect older buildings, independent landlords, and a lot of roommate setups. Newer mixed-use spots like Bricklight Court on Harvard have added cafes and breweries to the mix.

Want it calmer? Shift east. Find My Place's UNM page describes the Girard Boulevard side as more residential and quiet, while still close enough to walk to class.

2. Nob Hill: Route 66 Restaurants East of Girard

Nob Hill is the neighborhood for students who want to live where the city goes out to eat. It lies just east of UNM, bounded by Girard Boulevard on the west, Washington Street on the east, and Lomas Boulevard on the north, per the American Planning Association, which named it one of its Great Neighborhoods in 2016.

Central Avenue is the spine. It was Route 66, and the Nob Hill Business Center at Central and Carlisle opened in 1947 as Albuquerque's first modern shopping center. Today that stretch is restaurants, bars, shops and the ART bus stops.

Best for: upperclassmen and grad students who'll trade a slightly longer walk for a livelier block. Living on the quieter residential streets north of Central gets you most of the perks with less noise.

3. Silver Hill: Historic Bungalows Just South of Campus

Silver Hill is the quiet, pretty option. The Silver Hill Historic District went onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1986, and its bungalow and Craftsman houses make it one of the oldest developments on Albuquerque's East Mesa.

It's small. The neighborhood runs roughly from Central Avenue south toward Central New Mexico Community College, with Yale Boulevard on its east side, and its northeast corner borders UNM, per its Wikipedia entry.

Best for: a group of three or four friends looking for a house with character, a porch, and neighbors who'd prefer you keep it down.

4. North University Boulevard: Union 505 and The Citadel

North of campus along University Boulevard NE is where you'll find the cheapest whole apartments on Find My Place right now. These are managed buildings, not houses, so you get a leasing office and a posted price.

Union 505 at 801 Locust Place NE lists a studio at $746, a one-bedroom at $1,018 and a two-bedroom at $1,181, about 1.5 miles from campus. The Citadel at 1520 University Blvd is a mile out, with one-bedrooms from $794 and most units at $944.

Best for: students who want to live alone (or with one roommate) on a budget. Split Union 505's two-bedroom and you're each around $591. You'll bus or drive more than you'll walk.

5. South Campus: Lobo Village and University Village Living

South Campus, around Avenida Cesar Chavez and University Blvd SE, is the purpose-built student housing pocket. It's near UNM's athletics venues rather than the main academic core.

Lobo Village on Avenida Cesar Chavez lists a four-bedroom, four-bath plan at $769; the listing doesn't say whether that's per person, so ask (Find My Place's UNM page puts typical by-the-bed spots at $600 to $900 per person). University Village Living at 1901 University Blvd SE rents studios at $800 on a 12-month lease, $850 for six months, and $900 for three.

Best for: sophomores who want the apartment-complex setup with their own bathroom, and students who only need a place for a semester.

6. West Toward Downtown: Olympus Highlands North

West of University Boulevard and north of Central, between campus and downtown, Find My Place's listing is Olympus Highlands North at 200 Mulberry St NE, 0.8 miles from campus.

It's the priciest option in this list: one-bedrooms list at $1,897 and two-bedrooms at $2,299 to $2,354. Downtown itself is a short ride west on the ART line.

Best for: grad students, couples, or anyone splitting a two-bedroom who wants to be closer to downtown than to the dorms. Check the Olympus Highlands North listing for current floor plans.

Getting Around: Every Neighborhood Is on a Free Bus

All ABQ RIDE transit is zero fare, per the City of Albuquerque. That includes the ART rapid bus down Central, which connects Nob Hill, University Heights and downtown along one line.

So the trade-off is time, not money. A place in University Heights or Silver Hill is a walk. Union 505 or Lobo Village is a bike ride or a free bus. You can compare every one of these buildings side by side on the Albuquerque student housing page.

Frequently Asked Questions About UNM Off-Campus Neighborhoods

What is the best neighborhood for UNM students?

University Heights, for most people. It's the shortest walk to class and the most student-heavy area, south of Central and west of Girard. Nob Hill is the better pick if you want restaurants and nightlife more than proximity.

Can you walk from Nob Hill to UNM?

Yes. Nob Hill's western edge is Girard Boulevard, which runs along the east side of campus. The ART bus on Central covers the same trip for free.

Where is the "student ghetto" at UNM?

West of Girard Boulevard and south of Central Avenue, in the western half of University Heights. The nickname dates to around 1970, after the city rezoned the area for denser housing in 1969.

Do I need a car to live off campus at UNM?

No. University Heights, Nob Hill and Silver Hill are all walkable to campus, and every ABQ RIDE route is free. A car helps more if you live north on University Boulevard or work off campus.