Boulder is one of the most competitive student rental markets in the country, driven by the University of Colorado Boulder's 36,000-student enrollment and a housing stock that has not kept pace with demand. Expect prices significantly higher than most comparable university towns — one-bedroom apartments routinely exceed $1,500/mo, and shared units near campus fill before the previous spring semester ends. The city compensates with legitimately exceptional biking infrastructure, a walkable downtown, and an outdoor culture that draws students who plan their lives around the Flatirons. Hill and University Hill are the two neighborhoods you will hear about first; both have tradeoffs worth understanding.
The densest student zone, directly adjacent to CU Boulder's campus. The highest concentration of bars, restaurants, and student apartments. Fills earliest — late fall for the following academic year. Pricey for the unit quality, but unmatched for walkability to campus.
Quieter and slightly more affordable than the Hill, popular with graduate students and upperclassmen who want to live off the main party corridor. Bus access to campus is solid.
Further from campus but the most affordable part of the city. Families and long-term residents mix with students. Requires biking, busing, or driving for the campus commute.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Boulder.
Boulder's HOP, SKIP, JUMP, and DASH buses are run by Boulder's free municipal system and are genuinely useful — the HOP loop runs around the CU campus and Hill area. RTD buses connect Boulder to Denver and neighboring cities. The combination of city buses and the free CU Buff Bus system makes car-free life viable for most CU students.
Boulder has some of the best urban cycling infrastructure in the United States. An extensive network of separated multi-use paths — called Boulder Creek Path and its connections — lets you bike from almost anywhere in the city to campus without sharing a road with cars. The CU campus itself is very walkable. Hill is walkable for daily life. The terrain is flat near campus, hillier toward the Foothills.
On-campus parking requires a permit and is limited. Hill-area street parking is contested during school hours. Most serious CU students use bikes and buses rather than fighting for parking. If you have a car, expect to leave it parked most of the time.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Boulder is expensive. Shared units near campus typically run $900-$1,400/mo per person, and living alone on the Hill easily exceeds $1,800/mo. It is one of the pricier university markets in the Mountain West, driven by limited supply and high demand from CU's large enrollment.
Browse student housing near each Boulder-area university.
