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Birmingham, Alabama is the state's biggest city, an old steel town turned medical and cultural hub of around 200,000 people, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham sits right in the middle of it. UAB is an urban campus with roughly 21,000 students and is the city's largest employer, so student life blends straight into the Southside fabric rather than sitting off on its own. Most students settle in Five Points South, Southside, Glen Iris, and the Highland Park area, all walkable to the campus green. For green space and culture there's Railroad Park, Vulcan Park atop Red Mountain, Regions Field, and Sloss Furnaces, plus a downtown that keeps growing. Being a student renter here means living in a real city, not a campus bubble.
Wraps right around UAB and puts you in the middle of the action, walkable to class with a historic, lively feel.
Just north and west of Five Points, it keeps you close to the hospitals and campus and draws a diverse mix of students and young professionals.
Sits just west of campus and is a popular, easy walk or bike to class.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Birmingham.
MAX Transit runs the public bus system across the Birmingham metro, and the Birmingham Xpress, the city's bus rapid transit line, connects downtown along the main east-west corridor. If you live in Southside or Five Points South near UAB, transit can cover a fair share of your trips around the core. It is most useful for getting between campus, downtown, and the surrounding student neighborhoods.
The campus and surrounding student neighborhoods are walkable, with class, hospitals, and plenty of restaurants within a 5 to 15 minute walk. Biking works well in the flatter Southside grid. Birmingham's hills and spread make walking and biking best suited to the close-in areas.
Birmingham is a car city at heart, so a car still helps once you venture beyond campus for grocery runs, jobs, or exploring neighborhoods farther out. Most students living outside the immediate Southside core find driving the practical choice. Parking is generally manageable in the residential student pockets.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
It depends on the neighborhood and how many people you split with. Near UAB in Five Points South and Southside, a shared room or a bedroom in a larger unit often runs about $700-$1,100/month per person, while a one-bedroom on your own is usually closer to $1,000-$1,400/month. Newer purpose-built student complexes sit at the higher end.
Browse student housing near each Birmingham-area university.