




$525+/unit
Fees may apply11th Street Flats





$499/unit
Fees may applyBear Crossing





$685/unit
Fees may applyDomain at Waco
$610/unit
Fees may applyThe House Apartments





$499/unit
Fees may applyThe Outpost at Waco





$499+/unit
Fees may applyThe View on 10th





$599+/unit
Fees may applyU Pointe on Speight

$509+/unit
Fees may applyEastgate Apartments- STUDENT LIVING
$499+/unit
Fees may applyElevate


$529+/unit
Fees may applyWest Campus Lofts
Baylor University sits on a green 1,000-acre campus along the Brazos River in Waco, where about 19,300 Bears study at the largest Baptist university in the world. The river runs right past campus, and McLane Stadium rises on its bank, so home games turn into a sailgate with boats pulling up to tailgate on the water. Tuesdays mean Dr Pepper Hour, a decades-old tradition of free floats, fitting since the drink was invented in Waco. Every spring, Diadeloso, the Day of the Bear, shuts down classes for a campus-wide day of music and games. Cameron Park, one of the biggest urban parks in Texas, gives students cliffs, trails, and river access minutes away. Campus is walkable, though Waco spreads out enough that many upperclassmen keep a car.
Baylor requires first-year students to live on campus their freshman year, part of the university's residential college model, and most freshmen also carry a meal plan. Most freshmen at Baylor spend that first year in the residential colleges. The model shapes when students begin planning their move into the surrounding neighborhoods.
Exemptions are limited but exist for students living at home with family within commuting distance, married students, those with dependents, and older or transfer students who meet the criteria. Most Bears move into apartments or houses just off campus as sophomores. Waco's student demand sits heavily right around campus, so the closest houses and by-the-bed complexes lease early.
The local rental process uses standard Texas leases with an application fee, a credit or income check, and a guarantor when rental history is light. Watch the lease for whether utilities are capped, since older houses near campus can run up summer cooling, and confirm parking and occupancy limits before you sign. Some single-family rentals cap unrelated tenants, so read the fine print and ask about subletting.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Baylor University before signing a lease.
Waco runs on a brisk leasing clock driven by Baylor demand. Preleasing for the next school year opens in the fall, and the prime by-the-bed complexes and close-in houses near campus get claimed through winter and early spring. If you want to walk to class, start looking in October or November and aim to sign by January or February. Signing with friends early helps if you want a specific house near the Speight corridor.
The prime by-the-bed complexes and close-in houses near campus get claimed through winter and early spring, so October through February is the prime signing window. Classes begin in late August, so most move-ins happen in early to mid August. The Speight corridor and close-in blocks see the strongest demand during this stretch. Groups wanting a specific house should sign by January or February.
Late searchers can still turn up apartments farther from campus over the summer, but the best inventory near the Speight corridor goes early. Spring leases and sublets appear around December and May when Bears graduate, study abroad, or leave for the summer. Those are the easiest windows to land a mid-year place or take over the remaining months of someone's lease. Late searchers often end up near Elm Avenue or Cameron Park for more space.
The Speight Avenue corridor just north of campus is the classic student strip, walkable and packed with apartments and the easiest place to live car-free. It is the top pick for students who want to walk to class.
South 10th Street and the blocks right around campus mix older houses split for students with newer complexes. It suits students who want close-in options with variety.
The Elm Avenue area sits a bit farther out and lighter on the wallet with more space. It works well for students who want more room for the money.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A shared room or by-the-bed spot near Baylor usually runs $500-$850/month per person. Older houses along Elm Avenue and farther out land at the bottom, while newer complexes near the Speight corridor and the river sit higher. Budget another $40-$120/month for utilities, since Waco summers push cooling costs up.