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Elon, NC is a small town of around 12,000 on the west side of Burlington, roughly 18 miles east of Greensboro, built around Elon University, the well-known private school whose leafy, manicured campus defines the community. This is a classic small college town, where students make up a sizable share of the population and campus life spills into the surrounding streets, giving the area an energetic, walkable feel. Because the university is the town's anchor, the rhythm follows the academic calendar, and the compact downtown sits right alongside campus. Elon's spot in the North Carolina Piedmont puts it within easy reach of Greensboro to the west and the Research Triangle to the east, while keeping the day-to-day scale intimate.
Right alongside campus, this is the prime walk-to-class choice, with student houses and apartments steps from the academic buildings and the small downtown cluster.
The areas just off campus served by the BioBus loops are hugely popular, since complexes on the shuttle routes let you skip the parking hassle.
The larger city Elon sits beside opens up a wider selection of apartment complexes and connects back to town by the regional bus line.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Elon.
Elon University runs the BioBus, a free shuttle open to students, faculty, staff, and the community, with several routes that loop the campus and nearby apartment complexes every ten minutes or so and track live on an app. One route connects to nearby commercial areas. The regional Blue Line connects the town of Elon to Gibsonville and downtown Burlington on weekdays. Together these give students solid car-free access to class and nearby errands.
Walkability is strong right around campus and downtown, where many student houses and apartments sit within an easy walk of class. Elon is a small, walkable town, so a lot of students get by on foot. Biking works well given the flat Piedmont terrain and the compact scale. The tree-lined streets near campus make for pleasant, low-stress rides.
Many students keep a car for trips beyond town, internships, and weekend runs to Greensboro or the Triangle. Within Elon itself you can often skip driving thanks to the walkable core and the BioBus. Parking is generally easier here than in a big city. Check permit and parking rules with your complex or the university before move-in.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
For a small college town, expect a range. A room in a shared student house near campus often runs around $500 to $800 a month, while a whole house can land roughly $1,800 to $2,200 a month split among roommates, and apartments fall in between. Looking to neighboring Burlington usually opens up larger complexes for less per person, especially if you're on the bus line.
Browse student housing near each Elon-area university.