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The University of North Alabama sits in the heart of Florence, a Tennessee River town in the Shoals region that USA Today named its best small college town. About 8,100 students walk a pedestrian-friendly campus that flows into Florence's historic downtown, where painted purple lion paw prints lead from Main Street to the quad. UNA keeps the nation's only live lion mascots, Leo and Una, on campus. Spring brings Step Sing, a musical competition that packs the auditorium, and every summer the city throws the W.C. Handy Music Festival, named for the local-born father of the blues. The river anchors outdoor life: River Heritage Park and McFarland Park offer a riverwalk, trails, and water minutes from class. Most students walk or bike campus and downtown.
The University of North Alabama requires first-time, full-time freshmen to live on campus through their first fall and spring semesters. You can request an exemption through the Housing Portal if you'll live with a parent or guardian, turn 20 before classes start, have a child, are a veteran or active military, or have a documented medical need. Forms are due by June 1 for fall and November 1 for spring.
Skip the requirement without an approved exemption and the university bills you anyway, at the rate of its lowest double room plus a meal plan, so handle the paperwork early. After freshman year, most students move into apartments and houses around Florence. The local rental process is straightforward, with an application, a credit and background check, and often a guarantor for full-time students.
Florence is a smaller market, so the better units near campus and downtown go quickly. Read any house lease for occupancy limits and confirm who handles yard upkeep and utilities. Most leases run a full year, so match the term to your plans before you sign.
Housing policies change frequently. Always verify current requirements directly with University of North Alabama before signing a lease.
Florence is a smaller market than a big state-school town, so the leasing rhythm is a little gentler but still rewards moving early. The strongest spots, meaning the apartments walkable to campus and the houses in the historic downtown grid, start getting claimed in late winter and spring for the next fall. If you want to be within walking distance of class, start touring in January and February. Sign by spring to secure the best units.
Classes begin in mid to late August, and most leases run a full year. The walkable spots near campus and downtown see the strongest demand through spring. Because the student population isn't huge, the crunch is milder than in bigger towns, but the best units still move first. Locking in by spring keeps you ahead of the rush.
Because the student population isn't huge, you can often still find something over the summer if you're searching late, though your choices shrink and you may end up driving in. Summer sublets exist but are less common here than in bigger college towns, so don't count on one. If you're arriving in spring, look right after the fall semester starts, when some leases turn over and roommates graduate or transfer out. Widening your radius opens up more options.
Steps from Main Street and a short walk to campus, with older homes and a walkable, festival-friendly feel. Painted purple lion paw prints lead from Main Street to the quad.
The streets immediately around campus hold student-heavy rentals and the shortest commutes. Out toward Cox Creek Parkway you'll find newer apartment complexes and more parking, better if you have a car.
The Sweetwater and riverfront areas near McFarland Park trade walkability for quiet and green space along the Tennessee River. Muscle Shoals, just across the river, is a calmer option for students who don't mind a short drive.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Florence is one of the more reasonable college markets in the region. A room in a shared house or a spot in a smaller apartment near campus usually runs about $400-$700/month per person. Newer complexes out toward Cox Creek Parkway sit higher, while older downtown houses split among roommates land at the bottom. Plan on another $40-$100/month for utilities.