WMU Off-Campus Neighborhoods: 6 Kalamazoo Areas by Commute

Most WMU off-campus neighborhoods that students actually rent in fall inside about a mile and a half of campus, and on Find My Place they sort into six areas: South Howard Street, Knollwood and Lafayette, Kendall Avenue, Michigamme Woods, farther out West Michigan Avenue, and a couple of complexes two-plus miles out. The Tate on Howard is the closest at 0.4 miles. The cheapest beds, $350 to $390, sit on Kendall Avenue and out West Michigan, both on Kalamazoo Metro routes that stop at campus.

Every distance here is what FMP's commute widget reports to Western Michigan, and every price is listed base rent this September. You can sort the full list of off-campus housing near WMU the same way.

Key Takeaways

• Closest walk: South Howard Street, where The Tate on Howard is 0.4 miles out.
• Kendall Avenue is the value pick. Five complexes there list $350 to $390 a bedroom about a mile out, and Metro Route 21 is named for the street.
• Knollwood and Lafayette give you studios and one-bedrooms at 0.6 miles.
• Out West Michigan Avenue (1.2 to 1.4 miles), you're on Metro Route 3 and bedrooms still start at $350.
• Past two miles, A2 and The Paddock cost more per bed than Kendall, not less.

1. South Howard Street: The Shortest Walk

Pick South Howard if you never want to think about a bus. The Tate on Howard at 700 South Howard Street is 0.4 miles from campus, the closest property on FMP's WMU list. Its two 4x2 floor plans, The Western and The Soho, list at $519 and $539.

That's pricier than most shared bedrooms here, and you're paying for the walk. FMP's listing doesn't spell out whether those are per-bedroom prices, so confirm with the leasing office. FMP has no reviews for it yet, so tour it and ask a current resident about noise and maintenance.

Best for: early-morning class schedules and anyone without a car.

2. Knollwood and Lafayette: Studios Close to Campus

This is where to look if you want your own place and a short walk. FMP's WMU page describes Knollwood as sitting right next to campus, and both listings here are 0.6 miles out.

Campus Court at Knollwood at 1701 Knollwood Avenue lists studios from $929 and one-bedrooms at $1,009. A few blocks over, Arcadia Grove at 1324 Lafayette Avenue has the most range: bedrooms in six-bedroom units for $409, a $760 studio, and one-bedrooms from $890.

Lafayette is also on Metro Route 21, so rainy days are covered.

Best for: students who want to live alone without leaving walking distance.

3. Kendall Avenue: Cheap Beds About a Mile Out

Kendall Avenue, where it crosses West Michigan Avenue, is the best value on FMP near WMU. Six complexes line a few blocks of it. Five of them list four-bedroom units at $1,560, which their own listing copy breaks down to $390 a bedroom.

North Campus Village at 140 S. Kendall is the standout: 0.9 miles out, a 4.4 FMP score, and a six-bedroom that works out to $350 a person. Kendall Village Townhomes (0.8 miles), Kendall Ridge South, Kendall Ridge North and Santos Hill (all about a mile) round out the strip. Kendall Manor at 125 S. Kendall is the exception, with regular one-bedrooms at $875.

Kendall Ridge South's 3.0 score is the weakest on the street, so start your tours at North Campus Village. A mile is a 20-minute walk. If that's too much in January, Metro Route 21 (Solon/Kendall/Lafayette) is one of the routes WMU lists at its campus bus page.

Best for: groups of four to six who want the lowest rent without a real commute.

4. Michigamme Woods: The Bronco Club

The Bronco Club is its own little area on Michigamme Woods Drive, 0.9 miles from campus, and it's the most flexible complex near WMU. You can rent a single bedroom or a whole unit.

Bedroom-only plans start at $430 in a six-bedroom ranch and $445 in a five-bedroom townhome, and run up to $765 for a 3x3 with your own bath. Whole units go from $1,635 (two bedrooms plus a den) to $2,700 (three bedrooms with a basement). Residents give it a 3.4, so dig into the reviews on maintenance before you sign.

Best for: groups that can't agree on a budget, since everyone can pick a different plan.

5. West Michigan Avenue: Farther Out, Still Cheap, on the Bus

The complexes out around the 4100 block of West Michigan Avenue sit 1.2 to 1.4 miles from campus, and bedrooms here still start at $350. That's the same floor as Kendall, with a longer trip.

Firehouse Crossings on Jack Pine Way (1.2 miles) lists six-bedroom plans at $350 a bed. West Campus Village at 4101 W. Michigan (1.4 miles) lists four- and six-bedroom townhomes at $425, and Hunters Ridge at 4130 W. Michigan prices two-bedrooms at $610 a bed. Arboretum Apartments on Emajean Street (1.4 miles) runs $440 in a four-bedroom.

The reason this works is Metro Route 3 (West Michigan), which WMU lists among the routes serving campus. Check the stop nearest your building before you sign, and know that West Campus Village holds a 3.0 score.

Best for: students with a car, or a class schedule that lines up with the bus.

6. Two-Plus Miles Out: A2 and The Paddock

Skip this ring unless you want something specific. At 2.4 and 2.7 miles, these two cost more per bedroom than Kendall Avenue and add a real drive.

A2 Apartments on Hidden Hills Drive lists bedrooms from $440 in a 4x2 to $545 in a 3x3, with a 3.8 score. The Paddock on Copper Beech Boulevard starts at $549 in a furnished four-bedroom townhouse. Furnished is the real draw there.

Best for: students who want a furnished townhouse and drive to campus anyway.

How to Pick Between WMU Off-Campus Neighborhoods

Start with how you'll get to class, then look at rent. Within a mile (Howard, Knollwood, Lafayette, Kendall, Michigamme Woods) most people walk. Past that, you're choosing a bus route or a parking spot. Leases here usually run 12 months from August, per FMP's WMU page, so whichever area you pick, plan on summer rent or a subletter.

Whatever you pick, look the address up in the City of Kalamazoo's rental registration search first. The city requires every rental to be registered and certified. Before you tour, read what current tenants say in the WMU housing reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions About WMU Off-Campus Neighborhoods

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

The Tate on Howard, at 0.4 miles, per FMP's commute widget. Campus Court at Knollwood and Arcadia Grove are next at 0.6 miles.

Which area near WMU is cheapest?

Kendall Avenue and the West Michigan Avenue complexes tie at a $350 floor. North Campus Village on Kendall gets you that price 0.9 miles out with a 4.4 score, so it's the better deal.

Can I live off campus near WMU without a car?

Yes, anywhere within about a mile. Kendall Avenue and Lafayette are on Metro Route 21, and West Michigan Avenue is on Route 3, both of which WMU lists as serving campus.

When do WMU students start looking?

October through January for the following fall. FMP's WMU page says the student complexes and the popular houses on West Main Hill and in Knollwood start preleasing in the autumn.