Loading listings
Belmont University is a private Christian university of roughly 9,000 students tucked into the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee, a few blocks from the bustle of 12South and Music Row. Founded in 1890, Belmont has built a national reputation in music business, audio engineering, and commercial music, drawing students from across the country who want proximity to Nashville's industry as much as they want a degree. The campus sits along Belmont Boulevard and spills into the surrounding Victorian-era neighborhood of tree-lined streets and older homes, many of which have been converted into student rentals. Beyond music, Belmont has strong programs in nursing, business, pharmacy, and the arts. The university maintains a Christian values ethos while remaining welcoming to students of all backgrounds. Nashville's rapid growth over the past decade has made the neighborhoods around Belmont genuinely competitive for off-campus housing, with young professionals and students competing for the same inventory in 12South, Edgehill, and the Melrose area. The combination of campus culture and a world-class city at the doorstep makes Belmont one of the more distinctive university environments in the South.
Belmont University requires all first-year students to live on campus unless they are living with a parent or legal guardian within a defined commuting distance. This policy applies to traditional-age freshmen enrolling in fall or spring.
Sophomores and upper-division students are free to move off campus. Most students transition to off-campus housing after freshman year, with many choosing the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood immediately surrounding campus or nearby areas like 12South, Edgehill, and Melrose.
Nashville's rental market moves fast, and the neighborhoods near Belmont are in high demand. Sophomores planning to move off campus should begin their search in November or December to compete for spring or summer move-in dates. Leases typically run 12 months, and many prime units near Acklen Avenue are claimed by January or February.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Belmont University before signing a lease.
Students aiming to land in the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood or 12South should treat their search like a competition and start in October or November of the year prior to their move. These are among the most sought-after urban neighborhoods in Nashville, and inventory near campus is genuinely limited. Joining the Belmont Off-Campus Housing Facebook group and connecting with current upperclassmen about lease takeovers is a practical first step. Early movers also have time to secure roommates and split costs on houses that would otherwise be out of reach.
January through March is when the bulk of near-campus leases get signed for the following fall. Landlords along Acklen Avenue, Linden Avenue, and the side streets between Belmont Boulevard and 12th Avenue South see the highest activity during this window. Students who have not started by February risk being pushed to less central locations in Edgehill or farther down 8th Avenue South. Having a co-signer and proof of income or enrollment ready will make the process faster.
Students searching in May or June for fall housing in Nashville should look at larger apartment complexes along Wedgewood Avenue or south of I-440, where turnover is more common. The Music Row and Vanderbilt-adjacent areas sometimes have units available into the summer but at premium prices. Subletting is common in Nashville's music and student communities, and posting in Belmont student Facebook groups or on Roomies.com can surface options that never hit major listing sites.
The neighborhood immediately surrounding campus is the first choice for most upperclassmen. Streets like Acklen Avenue and Linden Avenue are lined with older Craftsman homes converted to rentals and small apartment buildings, putting students within walking distance of campus, Fido, and the Village area shops.
A few blocks west of campus, 12South is one of Nashville's most popular urban neighborhoods with boutiques, restaurants, and the famous Mas Tacos. Rents here run higher than other student areas, and competition with young professionals is real, but proximity to Belmont makes it a consistent favorite.
Just east of campus, Edgehill offers more affordable rents than Belmont-Hillsboro or 12South. The neighborhood has seen significant investment in recent years. Students willing to trade some walkability for lower costs find solid options here, particularly in newer apartment developments along Edgehill Avenue.
A short drive or ride south of campus, these two adjacent neighborhoods offer a mix of rental houses, small apartment buildings, and newer construction. Wedgewood-Houston in particular has become popular with creative and music students for its gallery and studio scene.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Nashville's Belmont-Hillsboro and 12South neighborhoods are expensive by college-town standards. One-bedroom apartments near campus typically range from $1,400 to $2,000 per month. Two-bedroom units run from $1,800 to $2,800, though splitting with one or two roommates brings individual costs down significantly. Edgehill and Wedgewood-Houston offer somewhat lower rents for students willing to be a short drive or rideshare from campus.
Other universities in Nashville share a similar off-campus housing market.
Lipscomb University is a private Christian university affiliated with the Churches of Christ, located in the Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. With an enrollment of approximately 4,500 students, Lipscomb offers undergraduate and graduate programs across a broad range of disciplines, with particular…
View housing near Lipscomb UniversityTennessee State University is a public historically Black university located at 3500 John A Merritt Blvd in Nashville, TN, with an enrollment of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 students. Founded in 1912, TSU is one of the nation's premier HBCUs offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across a wide range of…
View housing near Tennessee State UniversityTrevecca Nazarene University is a private Christian university in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition, located at 333 Murfreesboro Pike in Southeast Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1901 by the Church of the Nazarene, Trevecca enrolls approximately 2,500 to 3,000 students across undergraduate and graduate programs in arts…
View housing near Trevecca Nazarene UniversityVanderbilt University sits on a 330-acre campus that doubles as a national arboretum in the heart of Nashville, home to about 13,500 students. The grounds are famous for their trees and green quads, and just across the street lies Centennial Park, with its full-scale Parthenon replica and wide lawns. Vanderbilt borders…
View housing near Vanderbilt