Loading listings
Florida A&M University crowns one of Tallahassee's seven hills with about 9,184 Rattlers, a historic HBCU whose pride runs loud through homecoming and the legendary Marching 100. Set in Florida's capital, campus sits minutes from the state Capitol and shares a leafy, hilly city with another big university nearby. Just north, the All Saints district and Railroad Square anchor the arts scene with galleries and a walkable feel, while Frenchtown and Midtown give students more neighborhoods to settle into. Green space is everywhere, from Cascades Park and its downtown amphitheater to the steady walking loop around Lake Ella. Between the canopy roads and a campus built on tradition, Tallahassee gives FAMU students a college town that's also a real city.
Florida A&M requires freshmen to live on campus, specifically first-time-in-college students and those with fewer than 30 credit hours who graduated from a high school more than 35 miles from campus. The main exemption covers students who graduated within 35 miles and will live with a parent or legal guardian inside that radius. Other accommodations need a request form with documentation.
Most students move off after their first year, into the apartments and houses around campus and across Tallahassee. The rental process is standard, with an application, credit check, and a guarantor if you don't have income. Because Tallahassee is a two-university town, the student rental market is large but competitive, and purpose-built complexes lease up early.
Confirm whether a place is by-the-bed or a joint lease, since joint leases make you liable for roommates who leave. On older houses near campus, read the utility, lawn, and occupancy clauses before signing. Checking the full term up front keeps you from inheriting costs you didn't expect.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University before signing a lease.
Tallahassee runs an early, competitive leasing cycle because two big universities pull from the same housing pool. Purpose-built student complexes open renewals and new leases in the fall for the next year, and the closest, newest spots fill through winter. Tour in January and February. Aim to sign by early spring for anything walkable to FAMU.
Spring is peak as freshmen plan their move off campus. Classes start in late August, so what's open by midsummer skews farther out or into older stock. The most competitive units go to students who line up roommates and sign early. Locking in before spring finals keeps you ahead of the crowd.
If you're searching late, widen toward Midtown, the southside, and complexes a short drive from campus. Watch for December openings when fall-semester leases turn over. Summer subleases exist, helped by the city's size and turnover, but they lean short, so use one as a backup rather than your plan. Flexibility on location keeps more options open.
The artsy, walkable district just off Gaines Street with galleries and studios, within reach of campus and a student favorite. It anchors the local arts scene.
Frenchtown is a historic neighborhood close to campus, central and well-located. South of campus holds closer-in apartments and houses oriented toward students, easiest for walking or a quick bus.
A livelier area north of downtown with apartments and an active scene, a short drive from FAMU. Wider Tallahassee holds houses for groups who want more room and a car commute.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A room in a by-the-bed student complex near FAMU usually runs $550-$900/month per person. Older apartments and shared houses split among roommates land lower, while newer complexes and the All Saints area sit higher. Plan on another $40-$130/month for utilities, especially on older houses where summer AC isn't capped.
Other universities in Tallahassee share a similar off-campus housing market.
Florida State University packs about 43,569 students into Tallahassee, Florida's capital and a city of rolling hills, live oaks, and Spanish moss that feels more Old South than beach Florida. The heart of campus is the brick Westcott Building and its fountain, with Landis Green serving as the big shared lawn where…
View housing near FSUTallahassee State College is a Florida state college offering associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and workforce certificates, serving roughly 12,000 to 15,000 students in Tallahassee. Formerly known as Tallahassee Community College, the institution operates as an open-admissions commuter school with no on-campus…
View housing near Tallahassee State College