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Tuscaloosa, Alabama is a mid-sized city on the Black Warrior River that revolves around the University of Alabama and its tens of thousands of students. The Crimson Tide set the tempo here, and on football Saturdays the whole city tailgates. UA sits next to a walkable downtown and the famous Strip entertainment district, so class, nightlife, and the riverfront all sit close together. Named areas like Forest Lake, the Strip, downtown, and Parkwood give students different speeds. The Riverwalk runs about 4.5 miles along the Black Warrior, linking Capitol Park, the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater, and the Saturday River Market. It's a true college town where you're never far from campus, the river, or a game.
Puts you steps from campus and the busiest nightlife, perfect if you want everything at your door.
Sits near the riverfront and Riverwalk with a livelier, social feel.
A quieter residential pocket close to campus that suits students who want calm and a place to actually study.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Tuscaloosa.
The Tuscaloosa Transit Authority runs city bus routes and trolleys connecting the downtown entertainment districts with the Strip, plus game-day shuttles for Alabama football. Many students also rely on the university's own campus transit to move between parking, dorms, and class buildings. Together these cover the core areas students use most.
Tuscaloosa is walkable right around campus, the Strip, and downtown, where you can reach class, the river, and nightlife on foot. Biking works on the flatter routes and along the Riverwalk, though some main roads get busy. Close to campus, plenty of students go car-free.
Once you live farther out toward Parkwood or the edges of town, a car becomes the practical choice for groceries and getting around. A car opens up the rest of the city beyond the walkable core. Parking is usually easier in the outlying residential areas than right on the Strip.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
For a per-person room in a shared off-campus place, plan on roughly $600-$1,000/month near campus and the Strip, with private one-bedrooms running higher. Student complexes on the Strip can push $950-$1,300/month for premium per-bedroom units. Sharing a house farther out brings the per-person figure down. Confirm whether utilities are bundled.
Browse student housing near each Tuscaloosa-area university.