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Mississippi State is an unincorporated community in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, that exists primarily as the home of Mississippi State University. The community itself is essentially the university campus and the immediate surrounding area, with a permanent residential population composed largely of students, faculty, and university staff. Students looking for off-campus housing in this area will find that practical options are concentrated in the adjacent city of Starkville, located roughly three miles to the west. Starkville is a college town of approximately 25,000 residents where the bulk of apartment complexes, rental houses, restaurants, shops, and services catering to MSU students are situated. The Highway 12 corridor linking Mississippi State and Starkville is dense with purpose-built student housing developments. Together, the MSU campus community and Starkville form an interconnected student living area, and most students navigate between the two regularly. The surrounding landscape is rural, with flat to gently rolling terrain typical of the Mississippi prairie region. Students who choose to live in the MSU community area benefit from proximity to campus but will find that nearly all off-campus amenities require traveling toward Starkville.
The stretch of Highway 12 between the MSU campus and downtown Starkville is lined with large student apartment communities offering modern amenities, private bedrooms, and convenient access to both the university and Starkville's commercial strip, making it the highest-demand location for off-campus student housing in the area.
Downtown Starkville, centered on Main Street approximately three miles from campus, offers apartments above storefronts and rental housing in adjacent blocks, attracting upperclassmen who want walkable access to dining, shops, and nightlife with a short drive back to MSU.
North Starkville contains established residential neighborhoods with older rental houses and smaller apartment buildings, offering students more living space and lower per-bedroom costs compared to the newer complexes on the highway corridor, with a manageable drive to campus.
The area bordering the MSU campus on its west and southwest sides includes newer privately managed apartment communities that are within walking or biking distance of the main academic core, commanding a price premium due to their unmatched proximity to the university.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Mississippi State.
The Starkville Area Transit System provides bus service connecting the MSU campus to points in Starkville, including stops along the Highway 12 corridor where much of the student housing is concentrated. Service is available on weekdays and operates on a limited schedule, so students who rely on transit for daily commuting to class should plan routes carefully. The university also operates its own shuttle services on campus to connect buildings across the large MSU grounds.
Walking and biking are practical for students living in the apartment complexes immediately adjacent to the MSU campus, particularly those on the western and southern edges of the university grounds. The Highway 12 corridor, while well-traveled, has limited dedicated bike infrastructure, making cycling between Starkville and campus a more challenging option for less experienced riders. Students living on campus or within the immediate Mississippi State community can reach most academic buildings and campus facilities on foot.
MSU requires students to purchase a parking permit to park on campus, with different permit tiers granting access to specific lots and decks at varying costs. Parking is available in most of the off-campus apartment complexes along Highway 12 and in Starkville without additional fees, making car ownership the most practical transportation solution for the majority of off-campus students. Traffic on Highway 12 during class change periods can cause delays, and students who drive daily should allow extra time for campus parking lot access during peak hours.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Rent in the Mississippi State and Starkville area typically runs from about $500 to $750 per person per month in shared apartments, with one-bedroom units ranging from $700 to $1,000 per month depending on age, location, and amenities. Newer complexes along the Highway 12 corridor with resort-style amenities are on the higher end, while older rental houses in Starkville neighborhoods offer lower per-bedroom rates for groups sharing costs.