LandlordsStudents
East Village Flats Boulder is a two-story apartment building with light gray siding, several windows, and a parking lot in front with parked cars. Trees with autumn-colored leaves surround the building under a clear blue sky.

$1,275+/person

Fees may apply

East Village Flats

3.8 (5)
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The Mountainaire Boulder apartment building with balconies is surrounded by green lawns, young and mature trees, and a sidewalk under a bright blue sky.

$1,445+/person

Fees may apply

Mountainaire Boulder

1.9 (8)
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Modern two-story apartment building with large windows, brick and metal exterior, a balcony, and steps leading to the main entrance. The address 910 is displayed by The Gaslamp boulder near the entrance. Trees and a sidewalk are visible in front.

$1,850/person

Fees may apply

The Gaslamp

5.0 (5)
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A circular outdoor swimming pool at The Lodge Boulder is surrounded by lounge chairs and a three-story apartment building with balconies. A large evergreen tree, lush grass, and a wooden pergola sit to the right under a clear blue sky.

$800+/person

Fees may apply

The Lodge

2.7 (6)
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Aerial view of Sterling Boulder Apartments Boulder featuring a rooftop lounge area, swimming pool with lounge chairs, hot tub, and patio tables with umbrellas, all surrounded by brick buildings and green lawns.

$870+/unit

Fees may apply

Sterling Boulder Apartments

2.0 (5)
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Rooftop patio at 3100 Pearl Boulder features cushioned seating, tables, potted plants, and modern railings overlooking city buildings and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

$1,874+/unit

Fees may apply

3100 Pearl

4.2 (5)
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Three cars are parked along 909 14th in Boulder, in front of a brick building partially obscured by green trees and bushes on a sunny day.

$920+/unit

Fees may apply

909 14th

5.0 (1)
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A row of colorful bicycles is parked in a bike rack outside Buffalo Canyon Apartments Boulder, a two-story building with white railings, surrounded by green bushes and trees under a partly cloudy sky.

$965+/person

Fees may apply

Buffalo Canyon Apartments

1.2 (6)
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A three-story brick apartment building, Coronado Apartments Boulder, features balconies, outdoor stairs, mature trees, potted plants, and a bright blue sky above. A white car is parked in front of the building.

$1,645+/unit

Fees may apply

Coronado Apartments

4.4 (5)
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A four-story hotel building, reminiscent of Creekside Apartments Boulder, features a fenced outdoor swimming pool at sunset, framed by tall green trees and sunlit mountains in the background beneath a clear sky.

$1,700+/person

Fees may apply

Creekside Apartments

4.2 (5)
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A modern, three-story brick apartment building with balconies and large windows stands along a clean, empty street under a bright blue sky. A sign on the corner reads Depot Square Apartments Boulder.

$1,580+/unit

Fees may apply

Depot Square Apartments

4.2 (5)
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Mountainaire

$1,195+/unit

Fees may apply

Mountainaire

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Modern apartment building entrance with a wooden pergola labeled Olly, glass doors, landscaped greenery, benches, and a bike rack visible to the right—minutes from ōLiv Boulder in vibrant Boulder.

$1,838+/person

Fees may apply

ōLiv Boulder

5.0 (5)
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Aerial view of Parker off Pearl Boulder, a mid-rise apartment building surrounded by trees, with more residential buildings nearby and mountains covered in greenery in the background under a clear blue sky.

$1,995+/unit

Fees may apply

Parker off Pearl

4.4 (5)
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Aerial view of Boulder with modern buildings, tree-lined streets, and mountains in the background under a bright, clear sky with the sun shining—Reve Boulder Apartments offers prime living in this stunning setting.

$2,523+/unit

Fees may apply

Reve Boulder Apartments

5.0 (5)
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A modern, three-story apartment building, Saga Boulder Boulder, features brick and light-colored paneling, set against a backdrop of green trees and mountains under a sunny, blue sky.

$1,722+/unit

Fees may apply

Saga Boulder

4.2 (5)
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The Lodge Boulder

$1,355+/unit

Fees may apply

The Lodge Boulder

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Modern apartment building exterior with a Riverwalk sign and The Lotus Boulder nearby, featuring a Leasing Office entrance, multiple balconies, large windows, and landscaped areas with ornamental grasses and shrubs along the driveway.

$1,599+/unit

Fees may apply

The Lotus

3.4 (5)
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Aerial view of The View on 26th Boulder: a green park with walking paths, trees, and a swimming pool. Buildings are partly visible among the trees, with mountains and autumn foliage in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

$1,958+/person

Fees may apply

The View on 26th

2.0
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Modern, three-story apartment building with balconies, large windows, and a beige and white exterior at U Club on 28th Boulder. Several bicycles are parked outside on a sunny day with blue sky and clouds.

$1,514+/unit

Fees may apply

U Club on 28th

2.0 (5)
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Modern Union 9Seventy Boulder apartment complex with a fenced outdoor pool, several lounge chairs partially in the water, and multi-story buildings with balconies and large windows under a blue sky with clouds.

$1,590+/unit

Fees may apply

Union 9Seventy

2.8 (5)
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About Off-Campus Housing Near University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder's off-campus rental market is competitive and expensive for a Colorado city — the combination of CU's large student body, a strong tech and outdoor recreation workforce, and limited developable land in the valley keeps rents high and vacancy low. Most students pay $1,000–$1,500/month for a shared room. The Hill neighborhood immediately west of campus is the densest student zone, with apartments stacked close enough that you can hear your neighbor's playlist. East of campus along 28th Street and in East Boulder are more affordable alternatives. Boulder is exceptionally bikeable — it's one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country — and the transit system is solid for a city its size.

University of Colorado Boulder Housing Requirements

Freshman Live-On Requirements

CU Boulder requires all first-year students to live on campus unless they are living with immediate family. The residence hall system on the main campus houses most freshmen. Off-campus housing searching becomes relevant during spring semester of freshman year for sophomore occupancy — Boulder's market requires early action.

Off-Campus Eligibility

After the required first year, students rent freely throughout Boulder, Louisville, Superior, and the surrounding area. No contracted off-campus housing system exists. CU Boulder's Off-Campus Housing office maintains listings, connects students with roommates, and provides tenant education resources.

Lease Timing

Boulder's rental cycle is aggressive. Most leases near campus turn over in May and June, but landlords list units as early as October or November for the following fall. By January, the best Hill apartments are gone. This is not an exaggeration — Boulder landlords face no shortage of demand and have no incentive to wait.

Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with University of Colorado Boulder before signing a lease.

When to Start Looking for Housing Near University of Colorado Boulder

Early Searchers

October and November of freshman year is when serious Boulder off-campus housing searching happens. The Hill's most desirable units — well-maintained houses, apartments with outdoor space, anything within 3 blocks of campus — are signed by January. Students who think they have until March are consistently shocked by what's left.

Peak Demand Window

November through January is Boulder's real competition window for fall housing. It feels absurd to sign a lease in November for the following August, but that's the market. The CU housing office will confirm this. Students who wait until spring find the good Hill inventory entirely locked up.

Last-Minute Options

Students searching in the spring for fall housing are choosing from what CU's large student body passed on. East Boulder, the Broadway Corridor further from campus, and the suburban edges of Boulder proper have more availability. Louisville and Superior (10–15 minutes away) are genuinely affordable fallbacks with direct bus access.

Neighborhoods Near University of Colorado Boulder

The Hill

Directly west of campus, The Hill is the most densely student-occupied neighborhood in Boulder. Houses, apartments, and converted duplexes packed into a compact area walking distance from most academic buildings. Most competitive for housing, most social in character. Signed fastest — sometimes in fall of the prior year.

East Campus / 28th Street

East of campus along 28th Street and in the surrounding blocks, more apartment-complex style housing at slightly lower prices. Less of the neighborhood character of The Hill, but solid access to campus via bike or bus. The 28th Street corridor has good transit frequency.

South Boulder / Broadway Corridor

Further from campus and more affordable, South Boulder along Broadway has a mix of residential streets and apartment complexes. Popular with grad students and upperclassmen who want more space. The Boulder Creek path connects it to campus by bike in about 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions: Off-Campus Housing Near University of Colorado Boulder

Common questions from students searching for housing.

Shared rooms on the Hill near CU Boulder typically run $1,000–$1,500/month. Solo apartments start around $1,500–$2,000/month. Boulder is expensive for Colorado — closer to Denver pricing than Fort Collins. Suburbs like Louisville and Superior are meaningfully cheaper with bus access to campus.

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Other Universities in Boulder

Other universities in Boulder share a similar off-campus housing market.

Boulder College of Massage Therapy

Boulder College of Massage Therapy is a vocational institution in Boulder, Colorado, offering professional massage therapy programs at its location on Iris Avenue in northwest Boulder. The school is career-focused rather than residential, drawing students who are making a deliberate professional change or entering a…

View housing near Boulder College of Massage Therapy

Naropa University

Naropa University is a small, contemplative liberal arts university located in Boulder, Colorado, founded in 1974 by Tibetan Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. With an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students, Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate programs rooted in mindfulness, social engagement, and…

View housing near Naropa University

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