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Odessa, TX is a West Texas oil city in the heart of the Permian Basin, and its student scene centers on Odessa College, with the nearby University of Texas Permian Basin adding to the college population. The two campuses anchor the local education sector while the surrounding city runs on energy work, giving Odessa a busy, working character. Students spread across the east side near the campuses and the newer communities out by the TX-191 corridor. For culture and landmarks, there's the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library, the Ellen Noel Art Museum, the full-scale UTPB Stonehenge replica, and the historic Globe Theatre. Mild winters mean the city parks stay usable most of the year. It's flat, wide, and built around the car, with a friendly feel.
The east-side blocks near Odessa College and UT Permian Basin, the natural pick for the shortest, easiest daily commute to class.
Newer communities out toward the Parks Legado area, with convenient shopping and modern apartments close at hand.
One of the more walkable stretches in town, with units handy to both campuses and the main commercial run through the city.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Odessa.
Public transit is limited in Odessa, the streets are wide and spread out, and most students will want a reliable vehicle rather than relying on the bus. What routes exist serve general errands more than quick campus hops. Plan another way to get around if you intend to skip a car. Transit is best treated as a backup rather than a main mode here.
Walkability is low across most of town, though the TX-191 corridor and the downtown blocks are more pedestrian-friendly than the rest. Biking is doable on the flat terrain but the long distances and limited bike infrastructure keep it from being a main mode for most. The flat land helps cyclists where distances allow. Close to the campuses, short trips on foot are workable.
Odessa is a car city, plain and simple, and most students will want a vehicle to get between campus, work, and home. If you land in one of the newer east-side communities near the campuses, your commute to class is short and easy by car. Plan your housing around a manageable drive and parking. A vehicle is close to essential here.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Oil-town demand keeps it higher than most Texas college towns. A one-bedroom near the campuses averages around $1,150 to $1,200 a month, and two-bedrooms can run near $1,500, so sharing with a roommate is the usual move to bring your share down.
Browse student housing near each Odessa-area university.