Student Housing in Deland, FL
Student Housing in Deland, FL
About Student Housing in Deland
DeLand, Florida is a small, walkable Central Florida city of around 40,000, set inland between Orlando and Daytona Beach with a genuinely charming historic core. Stetson University anchors the town, its red-brick campus blending right into the tree-lined streets, so students are a defining part of daily life here. Downtown is the heart of it, a National Main Street district of brick storefronts, galleries, and frequent community festivals, with the historic Garden District of restored homes nearby. You're a short drive from the St. Johns River, state parks, and natural springs. As a student renter you get a true college-town feel, where campus and downtown blur together and most of your life sits within a few walkable blocks.
Best Neighborhoods for Students in Deland
Downtown DeLand
The walkable historic core beside campus, ideal for students who want to ditch the car for daily life.
The Garden District
A historic neighborhood of restored homes just off downtown, quiet, leafy, and within walking distance of Stetson.
Campus-edge streets
The immediate streets around campus hold classic student houses and small communities, the closest you can get to class.
Getting Around Deland as a Student
Here's what you need to know about getting around Deland.
Public Transit
Votran, the Volusia County bus system, serves DeLand and links it toward the wider county, including connections toward Daytona Beach, though service is daytime-oriented and routes are limited, so don't count on it for everything. There is also a regional rail station on the SunRail line opening connections toward the Orlando area. The bus covers some daytime trips for students without a car. For reaching Orlando, the SunRail line is a useful option.
Walking and Biking
DeLand is one of the more walkable college towns in Florida, at least at its core. Stetson's campus sits right beside the historic downtown, so students living nearby can handle class, errands, and downtown life on foot or by bike across flat, shaded, tree-lined streets. Living car-light near campus is realistic here. The compact, walkable center makes daily trips easy on foot or by bike.
Parking
Beyond the walkable center, the city spreads into residential areas where a car helps for groceries and reaching the river and springs. Students living farther out may find a vehicle useful for errands and trips to the outdoors. Those who drive should expect to use a car mainly for destinations beyond downtown. For daily life near campus, though, a car is often optional.
Frequently Asked Questions: Student Housing in Deland
Common questions from students searching for housing.
DeLand is relatively affordable for Florida. A bedroom in a shared house or multi-bedroom apartment near Stetson often runs around $600-$900/month per person. Smaller one-bedrooms and nicer townhomes downtown push higher, commonly $1,000-$1,500/month for a whole unit. Sharing a house with roommates near campus is the classic way students keep it low.
Downtown DeLand and the campus-edge streets are the top picks for walkability and proximity to class, with shared bedrooms in nearby houses often around $600-$900/month per person. The Garden District offers quiet, historic charm within walking distance, while the areas along Woodland Boulevard keep you near amenities and transit. Farther-out residential pockets suit students who drive and want more space.
Not necessarily if you live near campus. DeLand's walkable core means many Stetson students handle daily life on foot or by bike. A car helps for big grocery runs and reaching the St. Johns River, springs, or nearby cities, but living car-light in the downtown and campus area is genuinely workable here.
Very close. Stetson's campus sits right against downtown, so houses and small communities on the campus-edge streets and in the Garden District put you within an easy walk of class. A handful of student-focused properties are within walking distance, with more a short bike or drive away.
DeLand has a calm, small-town feel overall, and the Garden District and the residential streets around campus are quiet and well-kept. Downtown is livelier during events but still low-key. As always, walk a block in the evening and ask current Stetson students for the read on a specific street before signing.
Start two to three months ahead of fall. The walkable spots near Stetson and the limited downtown-area student housing fill quickly, so touring in spring or early summer gives you the best pick and the easiest roommate matching.
Twelve-month leases are standard, especially for the houses students often share near campus. A few student-oriented communities offer shorter or by-the-bedroom terms, but most houses and apartments expect a full year, so plan around the academic calendar.
Usually not in full, particularly in the older houses students rent near campus. Water and trash are sometimes included, but you'll often cover electric, which runs higher in Florida from air conditioning, plus internet. Confirm exactly what's covered before signing.
Yes. Splitting a house with roommates near campus is the norm and the main way students keep costs down, and Stetson's housing resources help with matching. Summer sublets are common as students leave town, but check your lease and get landlord approval in writing first.
Partly. A regional SunRail station opens connections toward the Orlando area, and Votran buses link DeLand toward the wider county and Daytona Beach. Service is limited and daytime-focused, though, so for frequent trips a car still helps most students.
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