6 UofL Off-Campus Neighborhoods: Old Louisville, Belknap and Germantown Compared

The six UofL off-campus neighborhoods most students end up in are the South 4th Street strip, the Floyd Street side of Belknap, the student complexes northwest of campus, Old Louisville, Germantown and the Highlands. The closest, cheapest beds sit within a mile of Belknap, starting at $609 a month at Derby Row in October 2026 FMP listings. Old Louisville is the classic pick if you want an old house, and the Highlands cost more for the Bardstown Road scene.

Key Takeaways

• South 4th Street is the shortest walk: Trifecta and The Marshall both sit 0.3 miles from UofL.
• Sophomores, read this first. UofL's second-year rule only counts three private complexes: The Nine, The Brexx and The Marshall.
• $609 a bed at Derby Row is the lowest price FMP lists near campus right now.
• Old Louisville has the largest collection of Victorian mansions in the country (and plenty of them are split into student apartments).
• Germantown means shotgun houses and a longer commute, about a mile and a half east across I-65.
• Highlands rents start at $1,115 for a one-bedroom, 2.4 to 2.8 miles out.

Before You Pick: UofL's Second-Year Housing Rule

If you're a rising sophomore, your choice may already be made for you. UofL requires second-year students to live on campus or in one of its Belknap Campus affiliated properties: The Nine, The Brexx or The Marshall. Living at home with a parent or guardian is the other way out.

Skip it without an approved exemption and UofL charges a non-compliance fee each semester equal to a standard double room. Some students are exempt automatically, like those who were 21 by the first day of class their first year. Others (veterans, married students, parents) have to request it. One more wrinkle: The Province on Ruggles Place is now part of UofL Housing, so it counts as on-campus. Juniors and seniors can live anywhere below.

1. South 4th Street: The Shortest Walk to Belknap

Pick South 4th Street if you want to roll out of bed and be in class. Trifecta Apartments at 2501 S 4th St and The Marshall Student Living at 2400 S 4th St are both 0.3 miles from UofL, tied with Cardinal Village for the closest buildings on our off-campus housing near UofL list.

Prices here fall as units get bigger, so they're per bed. Trifecta's three-bedroom lists at $675 a bed, the cheapest bed outside Derby Row. The Marshall runs $715 in a three-bedroom and $789 to $799 in a four. Want to live alone? One-bedrooms at both run $1,109 to $1,199.

Best for: students who'd rather pay for proximity than for character. The Marshall counts toward the second-year rule, and at $715 it's the cheapest approved bed. Trifecta doesn't count.

2. Floyd Street and South 2nd Street: The Nine and Cardinal Village

This pocket mixes an approved sophomore option with one of the best deals for pairs. The Nine at 1900 S Floyd St is 0.4 miles from UofL and is one of the three properties UofL accepts for the second-year requirement. Beds run $719 in a five-bedroom, $819 in a four, and $829 to $859 in a three.

A few blocks west, Cardinal Village at 1800 South 2nd St. is 0.3 miles out. It prices the whole apartment instead: one-bedrooms from $899 to $995 and a two-bedroom at $1,085. Split that two-bedroom and you're at about $543 each, which beats every per-bed complex on this list.

Best for: second-years who need an approved address, and pairs of friends who want a real two-bedroom without a stranger in the third room.

3. Northwest of Campus: Ruggles Place, Manor Park Drive and Bellamy Place

The cheapest beds near UofL are here, half a mile to 0.8 miles northwest of Belknap. Three big student buildings sit close together, though only two are private.

• Derby Row, 1501 Bellamy Pl: $609 to $649 in a four-by-four, 0.8 miles out. That $609 Secretariat plan is the lowest bed FMP lists near UofL.
• The Province, 600 Ruggles Pl: now part of UofL Housing. A bed in a 3x3 or 4x4 costs $5,088 a semester for 2026-27 on an 11.5-month agreement, per UofL's housing cost page. It's 0.6 miles out.
• The Brexx at Louisville, 1000 Manor Park Drive: 14 floor plans from $799 (five-bedroom) to $1,019 (two-bedroom), 0.5 miles out. It's one of UofL's three affiliated properties.

Best for: budget-first students who are fine with a 10- to 15-minute walk. Sophomores can use The Brexx (affiliated) or The Province (UofL Housing) here, but not Derby Row.

4. Old Louisville: Victorian Houses Right Above Campus

Old Louisville is where you go for an apartment with high ceilings and a creaky staircase. The American Planning Association calls it home to the largest collection of Victorian mansions in the United States, spread over roughly 1,200 acres between Broadway and Cardinal Boulevard, 9th Street and I-65. UofL sits on its southern edge.

A lot of those mansions are now split into units. FMP's UofL page puts a shared room or per-person rate in an Old Louisville house at about $500 to $850 a month. For a newer building, Lofts on Ormsby at 512 West Ormsby Ave lists studios from $700 and sits 1.1 miles from UofL.

Two perks you won't get south of campus: the 17-acre Olmsted-designed Central Park, and the St. James Court Art Show, whose proceeds still pay for upkeep on St. James Court. The trade-off is old-house stuff. Ask about window units, heating bills and where you're parking before you sign.

Best for: juniors and seniors who want character and a walkable commute.

5. Germantown and Schnitzelburg: Shotgun Houses East of I-65

Germantown is the pick for upperclassmen who want a whole house and don't mind a bike ride. It sits about a mile and a half east of Belknap, across I-65. The neighborhood has the largest collection of shotgun houses in Louisville, built mostly in the 1890s in a neighborhood German immigrants settled in the 1870s.

Schnitzelburg is right next door, bounded by Goss Avenue on the east and Shelby Street on the west. It's the same shotgun-house stock, plus one very specific tradition: the World Dainty Championship, a German stick-hitting street game played at Goss and Hoertz Avenues on the last Monday in July.

Full disclosure: none of the 12 buildings on our Louisville student housing page this fall sit in Germantown or Schnitzelburg. Plan on walking the blocks and watching for yard signs. You'll also want a car or a bike for the commute.

Best for: a group of three or four friends who want a porch and a quieter street, and who are done with the second-year rule.

6. The Highlands: Bardstown Road, at a Price

The Highlands are for students who care more about where they go at night than how far they walk in the morning. FMP's Louisville page describes the area as strung along Bardstown Road and the social heart of student life.

It's also the priciest area on this list. Highland Station at 1172 East Broadway lists studios at $1,189 and one-bedrooms from $1,229 to $1,649, 2.4 miles from UofL. The Avenue in the Highlands on Everett Ave starts at $1,115 for a one-bedroom and sits 2.8 miles out. If you'd rather be downtown, Vue at 3rd Street has units from $899, 2.3 miles from campus.

Getting to class is doable without a car. UofL's Parking and Transportation office says that with a valid virtual TARC pass you can ride TARC anywhere, free.

Best for: grad students and seniors living alone who want nightlife over a short walk.

Frequently Asked Questions About UofL Off-Campus Neighborhoods

What's the closest off-campus housing to UofL?

Trifecta Apartments, The Marshall and Cardinal Village, all 0.3 miles from campus. Trifecta and The Marshall are on South 4th Street, and Cardinal Village is on South 2nd Street.

Can UofL sophomores live off campus?

Only at three affiliated complexes, unless you qualify for an exemption. UofL's second-year rule accepts The Nine, The Brexx and The Marshall, plus UofL's own halls, which now include The Province. Living anywhere else without an approved exemption triggers a fee each semester equal to a standard double room.

Is Old Louisville a good place for UofL students to live?

Yes, if you want an older house and a walkable commute. It sits directly north of Belknap, and FMP's UofL page puts shared rooms there at about $500 to $850 a month. Ask landlords about heating, cooling and parking, since many units are carved out of 19th-century homes.

What's the cheapest neighborhood near UofL?

Northwest of campus, around Bellamy Place and Ruggles Place. Derby Row lists beds from $609 and The Brexx from $799. Splitting Cardinal Village's $1,085 two-bedroom comes out even lower, at about $543 each.