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The 10 Best Overall Student Apartments Near UIUC (September 2026)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign·Champaign, IL·Updated Monthly

By the FMP Data Team · Reviewed September 1, 2026

10 properties reviewed
48+ reviews analyzed
updated September 2026
independent·no pay-to-rank
the short answer

HERE Champaign leads our September 2026 ranking of the 10 Best Overall student apartments near UIUC with a 5.0/5 FMP Score, followed by The Tower at Third and The Rive Champaign. Across the 10 properties reviewed, students keep coming back to amenities & shared spaces and management & maintenance: the overall signals that move a property up this ranking. Browse all off-campus housing near University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign for every option.

  • winnerHERE Champaign
  • FMP Score range2.6–5.0 / 5
  • avg walk0 min to campus
  • rent range$799–$2290 /person
the ranking

The 10 Best Overall Student Apartments Near UIUC

Sorted by FMP Score from verified UIUC reviews, high to low. Scores reflect current UIUC reviews only.

  1. HERE Champaign
    5.0(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: HERE Champaign stands out as the top overall choice near UIUC because it nails the fundamentals that matter most to students: responsive management, pristine upkeep, and genuinely helpful staff. Residents consistently praise the quick maintenance response times and the quality of the amenities, while also highlighting how the team goes out of its way to make you feel supported. As one resident put it, "they are always quick to address any concerns or maintenance issues," and the front desk team like Ella earn real affection for their willingness to help. This is the kind of place where you feel taken care of from day one.

    $1089/person/mo
  2. The Tower at Third
    5.0(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: The Tower at Third delivers excellent value and comfort for the price, with spacious rooms in a prime location that make it a smart choice for students watching their budget. What really sets it apart, though, is the staff residents rave about specific team members who go beyond the job description, from Miss Johnson's thoughtful mediation during roommate conflicts to Maddy, whose presence alone brightens residents' days. As one student shared, "seeing Maddy always brightens my day," and that kind of genuine connection with your community makes a real difference in how you experience student housing. When your staff feels like part of your social life, you know you've found something special.

    $939/person/mo
  3. The Rive Champaign
    5.0(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: The Rive Champaign has emerged as a standout after its recent rebranding, with a fresh team that brings both professionalism and warmth to every interaction. Students highlight the front desk staff's transparency about leasing terms and units, plus maintenance that shows up fast and actually explains what went wrong not just fixes it. As one resident noted, the maintenance team "explained what was broken and how to prevent it in the future," turning a problem into a learning moment. The special attention to detail and genuine care from staff like Kylie makes this a place where you feel heard.

    $1055/person/mo
  4. 309 Green
    4.2(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: 309 Green earns its ranking through tour guides and leasing staff who treat the apartment-hunting process with real respect and patience. Students consistently praise team members like Darryl and Hunter for taking time to answer questions thoroughly without rushing, making what can be a stressful decision feel manageable and even enjoyable. As one resident reflected, Darryl "took the time to answer every question carefully and never made us feel rushed," setting a tone of professionalism and genuine care from the very first interaction. When your leasing team listens like this, you start on the right foot.

    $1079/person/mo
  5. The Suites at Third
    4.2(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: The Suites at Third earns its spot as a top overall choice near UIUC for the combination of genuine comfort and staff who actually care. Students consistently highlight the attentive management team particularly standout employees like Maddy P and Olivia who go out of their way to help with questions and concerns. The location is unbeatable too, with bus stops just a minute away and a layout that prioritizes convenience. As one resident shared, "The most helpful management and office workers I've encountered," and that kind of personal touch makes all the difference in student housing. When your building's staff treats you like they want to be there, it shows.

    $799/person/mo
  6. The Dean Campustown
    3.8(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: The Dean Campustown holds its ranking as a solid overall option, especially if you value a long track record and reasonable pricing during your early years. The building has earned praise for its amenities pool, fitness center, and club room plus staff like Deziree who genuinely shine when showing the space. One visitor noted that someone they met was "very excited to tell me how good Deziree was and she would be there forever as she was a great employee." The main trade-off is that rent creeps up noticeably year to year, so budget accordingly if you're planning to stay long-term.

    $1115/person/mo
  7. Burnham 310
    3.4(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: Burnham 310 stands out for the kind of staff who show up when it matters most. Lynette's response to a resident's crisis retrieving a wallet dropped down the trash chute with speed, efficiency, and genuine kindness speaks volumes about the building's culture. As the grateful resident put it, "She was not only fast and efficient but also incredibly kind during a very stressful situation for me." That's the kind of reliability and humanity that makes a building feel like home, not just a place to sleep.

    $920/person/mo
  8. Lancaster Apartments
    2.8(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: Lancaster Apartments earns recognition for its walkable location near Greek Row and genuinely affordable rates that appeal to budget-conscious students. Staff like Emma are known for stepping up when residents reach out. However, the management side has real issues that deserve attention: students report unexplained monthly fees, trash services that don't actually happen, and utility bills that spike without clear explanation. One resident summed it up bluntly: "Nice because nobody was ever there, but management sucks." If you choose Lancaster, go in with eyes open about the administrative friction and keep detailed records.

    $905/person/mo
  9. Pacifica on Green
    2.6(5 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: Pacifica on Green stands out as a newer complex with solid bones and genuinely dedicated maintenance staff who keep things running smoothly. Students consistently praise the helpful student workers and the leasing team's responsiveness one resident noted that Abby was "so incredibly helpful in helping us walk through the leasing process over the phone without being there in person." That said, management consistency has been a sticking point, with some residents finding the front desk experience varies wildly depending on who's working. If you're looking for a modern space with reliable upkeep, this place delivers; just manage expectations around the management experience.

    $869/person/mo
  10. The Peer
    3.0(3 reviews)FMP Score

    why it ranked: The Peer's location is genuinely convenient for campus life, but serious infrastructure and management issues have overshadowed that advantage. The main entrance has sat broken for months, creating a security nightmare where packages go missing and the management refuses accountability. Beyond that, residents report aggressive deposit deductions on move-out with questionable justifications. As one frustrated resident put it, "The whole experience feels dishonest and very frustrating." Until these foundational problems get fixed, the location alone isn't enough to make this a solid choice.

    $995/person/mo

The Full Ranking, One Table

Click any column to sort. The rank stays with the property.
The full ranking of every listed apartment, sortable by any column.
1HERE Champaign5.0/55–$1089/mo
2The Tower at Third5.0/55–$939/mo
3The Rive Champaign5.0/55–$1055/mo
4309 Green4.2/55–$1079/mo
5The Suites at Third4.2/55–$799/mo
6The Dean Campustown3.8/55–$1115/mo
7Burnham 3103.4/55–$920/mo
8Lancaster Apartments2.8/55–$905/mo
9Pacifica on Green2.6/55–$869/mo
10The Peer3.0/53–$995/mo

Walk times are door-to-door to UIUC campus. Rent is per person, per month.

FMP award criteria

How We Ranked These Apartments

1

Ranked by the FMP Score

FMP Score, high to low. That’s the whole ranking. It’s our overall measure of a property, combining verified review scores with signals reviews miss, like how current the listing is kept and how responsive management is. Ties go to the property with more verified reviews.

2

Who Makes the List

Every property near UIUC can appear, but it takes a minimum number of verified reviews before we score and rank it. Properties under that bar sit below every ranked property and move up automatically as reviews come in.

3

How We Calculate the FMP Score

The FMP Score blends the social, management, and quality scores from verified reviews with signals that a place is actively and well run, like how up to date its listing is kept and how consistently management responds to residents. It’s built to surface genuinely well-run properties, not just the highest raw review average.

by the numbers

What Makes an Apartment ‘well-rounded’ Near UIUC

We ran every verified overall review for UIUC-area apartments through theme analysis. These are the themes students bring up most when a place feels well-rounded, by share of the reviews that mention them.

staff responsiveness
16%
amenities and location
13%
poor management practices
11%

Based on AI analysis of verified UIUC overall reviews, refreshed monthly. Percentages show the share of reviews that mention each theme; most reviews mention more than one. See our complete UIUC review data →

faqs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best overall student apartment near UIUC?

HERE Champaign leads our September 2026 ranking of the 10 Best Overall student apartments near UIUC with a 5.0/5 FMP Score, followed by The Tower at Third and The Rive Champaign.

How is this ranking calculated?

This list is ranked by one number: each property's overall score from verified reviews. Students rate a property's overall 1 to 5, and we average those scores, counting recent reviews more heavily than older ones. No self-reported data from landlords.

What makes an apartment the best overall?

The best overall apartments score highly across everything students rate (social scene, management, and unit quality), not just one. This ranking uses each property's overall rating from verified reviews.

How often is this ranking updated?

Monthly. We re-pull verified reviews and re-score every property at the start of each month, so the order reflects the most recent 24 months of student feedback. The “updated” date at the top of the page shows the latest refresh.

How many reviews does a property need to be included?

There's a minimum number of verified reviews to rank by score, and we don't publish the exact bar so it can't be gamed. Properties under it still appear, below every qualified property and ordered by review count, so a 5.0 from one review never outranks a 4.5 from thirty. Once a property collects enough reviews, it moves into the scored ranking automatically.

Is this ranking independent, or can properties pay to rank higher?

It's fully independent. There's no pay-to-rank. Position is set by verified reviews alone. Property managers can't buy placement, remove reviews, or influence the score.

for property managers

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Find My Place Award2026
11st place

Best Overall

student apartments near UIUC

Verified & independentUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · Champaign, IL
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