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Edgewood College tucks about 2,000 students onto a wooded campus on the shore of Lake Wingra, right inside Madison's leafy Dudgeon-Monroe neighborhood. The lakeside boardwalk runs the length of campus, the 1,200-acre UW Arboretum sits just across the water, and Monroe Street, a walkable strip of shops, cafes, and the Saturday scene, starts a block away. You're a short walk from Vilas Park, Wingra Park, and the Henry Vilas Zoo, and downtown Madison with the State Street corridor and the Capitol Square farmers market is a quick bike or bus ride. Madison runs on lakes and trails, so canoeing Lake Wingra or biking the Arboretum loops is normal weekend stuff. Metro buses cover the rest, and most students get around on foot, bike, or the B-cycle share.
Students under 21 generally live on campus for their first two academic years at Edgewood College. Exemptions apply if you live with a parent or guardian within commuting distance, are a veteran, are married or in a domestic partnership, have children, or are not enrolled full time. Studying abroad can also count toward the requirement.
Once the requirement is met, most students move off campus as juniors and seniors, usually into the surrounding Dudgeon-Monroe and Monroe Street blocks or nearby west-side neighborhoods. Madison's rental process is straightforward but competitive, with landlords typically running a credit and income check. Expect to provide a guarantor if you do not qualify on your own, plus first month and a security deposit up front.
Most Madison leases run a fixed 12 months starting August 15, so watch your term carefully. Read the fine print on subletting rules and confirm who handles snow removal and lawn care before you sign.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Edgewood College before signing a lease.
Madison leases on an early, fast cycle, so do not sleep on it. Preleasing for the next August opens in the fall, and a lot of the best units near Edgewood College and along Monroe Street get signed between October and December, almost a full year ahead. Aim to tour and sign by November or December if you want a place within walking distance.
The strongest demand runs through the fall and into early winter as walkable spots closest to campus get claimed. By late winter the closest options thin out, and the strongest remaining choices sit a little farther west or toward the isthmus. Madison's standard move-in is August 15, which lines up with fall classes, so plan your search around that date.
If you start late, look for spring sublets from students heading abroad or graduating, and check for January openings. Widen your radius to bus-friendly neighborhoods to keep more choices open. Summer scraps exist but go quickly, and you will have less to choose from.
The leafy, walkable blocks right around campus and the Monroe Street shops, the closest you can get on foot to class and Lake Wingra.
Just east near the park and zoo, with older houses and student-friendly flats. Lively and central.
A quick bike ride out, with a mix of apartments and shared houses. A bit calmer and easier on the wallet.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A shared room or a spot in a shared house near Edgewood College usually runs about $700-$1,100/month per person. Older houses in Vilas and Dudgeon-Monroe land at the lower end, while newer units and anything right on Monroe Street sit higher. Budget another $40-$120/month for utilities depending on whether heat is included.
Other universities in Madison share a similar off-campus housing market.
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