For the small share of students who live off campus, shared apartments often run about $400 to $800 a month per person, while private units land closer to $600 to $1,200. Most DePauw students live in university housing through senior year, so off-campus options are limited but generally gentle on the wallet for a college town.

The campus edge is the top pick since most students live in or right beside university housing. The downtown courthouse square area puts you near shops and community events, and the town's historic neighborhoods offer quieter streets a short walk away. Everything sits close together, so you really can't go far wrong.

Not for daily life. Campus, downtown, and housing are all within an easy walk or bike ride, and DePauw runs shuttle service for getting around. A car is handy for grocery trips or the roughly hour-long drive to Indianapolis, but you can manage class and town life without one.

Extremely close. Most students live on campus or on the streets right beside it, often just a few minutes' walk from class. Even the historic neighborhoods and downtown are a short stroll away, so proximity is rarely a problem in a town this compact.

Greencastle is a small, quiet town and the campus area is generally safe, with DePauw's own campus safety presence covering the university core. As always, lock your doors, watch your stuff, and use common sense walking at night. The compact, low-traffic streets tend to feel calm.

If you're among the few moving off campus, start in the fall semester before your lease year, since the limited supply of nearby units gets claimed early. Talk to your residential life office first, though, because DePauw's live-on requirement runs through senior year for most students.

Off-campus leases are typically twelve months and line up with the academic calendar. Because so few students rent privately, terms vary by landlord, so read carefully for rules on summer months and subletting. Most students simply use university housing and skip leases altogether.

For off-campus renters, expect roughly $70 to $150 a month per person for electricity, heat, water, and internet. Older homes can cost more to heat in winter, while some rentals fold a few utilities into one payment. Always confirm what's included before signing.

Yes. The student community is small and tight-knit, so word of mouth and campus groups make it easy to line up housemates or a summer subletter. With so many students leaving over the summer, sublets on the limited off-campus stock are common when they come up.

It's a genuine small college town where DePauw and the city are basically one and the same. You get a walkable historic downtown, a classic courthouse square, and a campus you can cross in minutes, all an easy drive from Indianapolis when you want a bigger night out.