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Pueblo is a city of roughly 110,000 people along the Arkansas River in southern Colorado, about 45 miles south of Colorado Springs. It has a strong working-class and industrial history rooted in steel production and today serves as a regional hub for healthcare, education, and agriculture. The city is home to Colorado State University-Pueblo, the main driver of its student population, and offers a cost of living well below Colorado's urban centers. Neighborhoods range from the historic Union Avenue district near the Riverwalk to newer development on the north side near campus, giving renters more options and lower price points than most college towns of comparable size.
The rental strip along and just off Bonforte Boulevard between the campus entrance and the Northern Avenue intersection is the top target for CSU-Pueblo students who want to minimize commute time. Units here are mostly older apartments and small duplexes, with rents that are low by Colorado standards. The campus bookstore, dining hall, and the University Center are within a short drive or bike ride, and this corridor sees the highest student renter concentration of any area in Pueblo.
Bessemer sits south of campus along Santa Fe Avenue and Union Avenue, offering a dense stock of affordable single-family rental homes that student households commonly share. The neighborhood has a historic working-class character, and the housing stock includes some well-maintained bungalows alongside older properties that show more wear. Rents per bedroom in shared Bessemer houses are typically the lowest available to CSU-Pueblo students anywhere near campus.
Midtown Pueblo along the Northern Avenue commercial strip and the surrounding side streets offers students a wider range of apartment types and sizes than the immediate campus area. The drive or bike ride to campus is manageable, and students gain access to Pueblo's main concentration of restaurants, grocery stores, and retail. This area suits students who want a fuller urban neighborhood feel and do not mind trading a few extra minutes of commute for better amenity access.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Pueblo.
Pueblo Transit operates several fixed-route bus lines covering the city, including routes that connect the CSU-Pueblo campus area to downtown Pueblo and key commercial corridors. Service frequency is modest and the network is designed primarily for local residents rather than students, so transit is most practical for students who live along one of the active routes and keep a flexible schedule. Pueblo Transit does not run late-night service, making evening trips from campus to off-campus housing dependent on other options. Most CSU-Pueblo students who live off campus rely primarily on a personal vehicle rather than public transit.
The Pueblo Riverwalk and Arkansas River Trail provide pleasant recreational cycling routes through the city, and the flat terrain makes biking an easy choice for students living within a mile or two of campus. Bonforte Boulevard is serviceable by bike for students in the closest rental corridors, though the street lacks dedicated bike infrastructure for most of its length. Walking is practical for students living immediately adjacent to campus but becomes less realistic for those in Bessemer or Northern Avenue given the distances involved. A modest investment in a decent bike pays off quickly given Pueblo's flat topography and light traffic compared to larger Colorado cities.
Pueblo is a car-friendly city with abundant free and low-cost parking throughout most neighborhoods, and parking on and near the CSU-Pueblo campus is significantly easier than at many Colorado universities. Campus parking permits are available for students and the surrounding streets generally allow unrestricted parking without time limits. Driving is by far the most common way CSU-Pueblo students get around, and the city's grid layout and light traffic make navigating straightforward. Students with cars have easy access to shopping on Northern Avenue, the Pueblo Mall, and day trips to Colorado Springs or Canon City.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Pueblo is one of the most affordable rental markets near any Colorado university. One-bedroom apartments close to campus typically run $700-$1,000 per month, and students sharing a house in the Bessemer neighborhood can bring per-person costs down to $400-$600 per month.