

$472+/unit
Fees may applyBayit Edinboro


$900+/unit
Fees may applyEdinboro Country Square Apartments

$971+/unit
Fees may applyEdinlake Apartments
Edinboro is a small borough in Erie County in northwestern Pennsylvania, home to roughly 6,000 residents and defined almost entirely by its identity as a college community built around the campus now known as PennWest Edinboro, formerly Edinboro University of Pennsylvania before a 2022 merger into the Pennsylvania Western University system. The borough sits about 18 miles south of Erie and borders Edinboro Lake, which gives the community an appealing natural backdrop unusual for a town of its size. Life in Edinboro moves at a slow pace, with a compact commercial strip offering a handful of restaurants, a grocery option, and a few local shops catering to students and year-round residents alike. Winter months in northwestern Pennsylvania are genuinely cold and snowy, so students should come prepared for a different climate than much of the country. The rental market is almost entirely made up of houses, duplexes, and small multi-unit buildings owned by local landlords, and prices are low by almost any regional comparison. For students who value affordability, a quiet setting, and close proximity to a walkable campus with a lakeside character, Edinboro offers a living experience that larger college towns cannot replicate.
The blocks immediately surrounding the PennWest Edinboro campus along and near Meadville Street form the highest-concentration student rental area in the borough. Students living here have the shortest possible walk to classrooms, the lake, and university dining, making this the most convenient location for anyone prioritizing access to campus.
The small commercial area along Edinboro's main street includes a handful of apartments above storefronts and in converted residential buildings nearby. Renters here are close to the limited but useful local businesses and are still within a short walk of campus.
The quieter residential streets near Edinboro Lake, just east of campus, offer a more scenic and peaceful living environment with a mix of year-round homes and student rentals. Students who want proximity to the water and a slightly less densely student-populated block often look in this part of the borough.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Edinboro.
Edinboro does not have a municipal bus system of its own, and public transportation within the borough is extremely limited. Students who need to reach Erie for larger shopping trips, medical appointments, or entertainment have access to Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority routes, but service to Edinboro is infrequent and requires planning around limited schedules. Most students who live off campus and need to travel beyond the borough rely on personal vehicles or rideshare services.
Edinboro's small size makes it genuinely walkable for day-to-day student needs. Most off-campus rental housing sits within a 5 to 15 minute walk of the PennWest Edinboro campus, and the main commercial corridor is easily reachable on foot from the majority of student housing areas. Biking is feasible during the warmer months, though the harsh northwestern Pennsylvania winters with significant snow accumulation make year-round cycling impractical for most students. The relatively flat terrain around the borough makes biking comfortable when conditions permit.
Parking in Edinboro is generally easy and low-stress compared to most college towns. Off-campus rental properties typically include driveway or off-street parking, and on-street parking in the borough is widely available without meters or time limits in most residential areas. Students with vehicles will find Edinboro one of the less frustrating parking environments of any college community in Pennsylvania. The campus itself has parking areas for registered student vehicles, and overflow options are available in the surrounding streets.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Edinboro is one of the more affordable college rental markets in Pennsylvania. Shared houses with multiple bedrooms near the PennWest Edinboro campus typically run between $400 and $650 per person per month depending on size and condition. One-bedroom apartments are less plentiful but can be found in the $550 to $750 range. Utilities including heat, which can be a meaningful expense in northwestern Pennsylvania winters, are usually not included and should be factored into any budget.
Browse student housing near each Edinboro-area university.