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Charlottesville, VA sits in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, and the University of Virginia shapes the city's rhythm from its Jeffersonian Grounds outward. UVA students cluster in the neighborhoods just off Grounds: the lively Jefferson Park Avenue corridor, the quieter residential stretches along Rugby Road and Lewis Mountain, and the blocks near Grady and Preston avenues. The Corner, the commercial strip at the edge of Grounds, functions as the social heart of student life. Downtown, the pedestrian mall anchors the city's civic scene with festivals, markets, and public events. For green space, the city threads parks and trails through its hills, and the mountains put hiking within a short drive.
Known as JPA, lively and close, the default for students who want to walk to Grounds.
Quieter and more residential, with older houses and a calmer pace.
Right at the edge of Grounds, the social hub, walkable to class and the heart of student life.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Charlottesville.
Charlottesville Area Transit runs free fixed routes across the city, and a free trolley loops between downtown, the Corner, and UVA Grounds, which covers most of where students actually go. UVA also runs its own university transit network around Grounds. Between the two, students off Grounds can get around without a car. The free trolley links the core student destinations.
The city is genuinely bike and scooter friendly, so getting between Grounds, the nearby neighborhoods, and the downtown mall is easy without a car. Walking works well in the dense core near the Corner and JPA. The compact central districts keep daily life on foot. Cyclists and scooter riders move easily between Grounds and the neighborhoods.
You'll want a car if you're commuting from the outer county or planning Blue Ridge trips, but students living off Grounds often get by on transit, biking, and walking alone. Keep parking in mind near Grounds if you bring a vehicle. A car covers trips beyond the transit-served core. Budget for parking only if your routine truly needs it.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Off-Grounds apartments near UVA commonly run about $750-$1,250 a month for a furnished room, while citywide a one-bedroom averages closer to $1,839 and a two-bedroom near $2,051. Sharing a house with roommates is how most students keep it workable.
Browse student housing near each Charlottesville-area university.