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The University of New Mexico packs about 22,311 students into its 800-acre main campus in central Albuquerque, a mile east of downtown and right under the Sandia Mountains. UNM is the state's flagship, and the adobe-style campus runs on its Duck Pond, the Student Union Building, and shaded plazas. The blocks south and west of campus are dense with students, and the Nob Hill district to the east mixes vintage shops, galleries, and an easygoing arts scene. When the Lobos play, The Pit roars from 37 feet below street level, one of the loudest arenas anywhere. Homecoming, Lobo Day, and Red Rally mark the fall, while the Rio Grande bosque and the 16-mile Paseo del Bosque Trail keep weekends outdoors, with the Sandia foothills minutes away.
UNM's Freshman Residency Requirement applies to full-time, first-time freshmen under 20 who live more than 30 miles from main campus, meaning they must spend their first year in university housing. The rule anchors out-of-area freshmen in the dorms during their first year.
Students whose home zip code falls within 30 miles, or who turn 20 before classes start, are automatically exempt, so a lot of local students skip the dorms entirely. After the first year, students are free to move off campus, and most do, with the areas south and west of campus serving as the classic student zones. The rental process is standard: applications, credit and income screening, security deposits, and usually 12-month leases, and larger complexes near campus often lease by the bed, which simplifies splitting things with roommates.
Watch for whether a unit bundles utilities or caps them, and confirm parking and permit rules. Read the sublet and early-termination clauses before you commit.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with University of New Mexico-Main Campus before signing a lease.
Albuquerque has a steady, year-round rental market, but the spots closest to campus move on a college calendar. By-the-bed complexes near UNM start preleasing for fall in late winter and spring, and the best units and prime floor plans go first. Aim to have a lease signed by early summer for the best selection. Lining up roommates ahead of time lets you grab a multi-bed unit as soon as preleasing opens.
Independent houses and apartments in the student neighborhoods south and west of campus turn over heavily in summer as leases end, so May through July is busy and competitive. Classes start in mid-August, so the weeks before are the tightest. Demand concentrates on the by-the-bed complexes and the student zones south and west of campus. Most students at UNM who want a good unit aim to sign by early summer before the rush.
If you're searching late, you'll still find options, just expect to widen your radius or take what's left near campus. Spring semester move-ins and sublets pop up regularly thanks to graduations, study-abroad terms, and students shuffling roommates, so a mid-year search is workable here. The Nob Hill district and University Boulevard corridor are worth checking for openings. Pushing east toward the Sandia foothills trades a longer commute for more space when close-in units are gone.
Nob Hill sits just east of campus, a walkable district with vintage shops, galleries, and an arts-scene vibe that draws a lot of students.
The University Boulevard corridor runs right up to the main gates, dense with apartments and the shortest walk to class.
Girard Boulevard feels more residential and quiet while staying within walking distance of campus.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
A shared room or by-the-bed spot near UNM usually runs $600-$900/month per person. Older houses south and west of campus land at the lower end, while newer complexes and Nob Hill apartments sit higher. Plan on another $40-$120/month for utilities, depending on whether they're capped or fully separate.