Transportation, food, accessibility and cost all play a key role in where students choose to live, with some students opting to stay on campus while others find housing elsewhere.

The first semester isn’t even halfway over, and students are already looking for 2025-26 school year housing, with some students looking into on-campus housing while others search off-campus.

Several things factor into why a student chooses to stay on campus versus living off campus.

Lauren Smith, a sophomore studying athletic training, lived in Geoffrey her freshman year and enjoyed the dorm experience.

“I liked being on campus, for sure. I liked the commute and being able to walk to class,” Smith said. “I liked living in the dorm. It was a good experience just to have in life.”

Smith has since moved into an off-campus apartment because of the lack of access to her vehicle and the communal bathrooms in the dorms.

Tessa Banks, a sophomore majoring in graphic design, lived in Martin Hall her first year and enjoyed living in a suite because she had access to her own bathroom instead of using the communal ones offered in the other dorms.

Banks lives off campus this year but misses the ability to leave later for classes.

“You have to plan it out a little bit more,” Banks said. “When walking [from the dorms] I could leave in five minutes, now I gotta leave 15 mins earlier.”

Reese Cox, a senior in advertising, said that living in the dorms her freshman year allowed her to meet the people she would be friends with for the next four years. However, Cox lived in the Birch-Welch-Roberts community her freshman year and did not like that the dorms had no air conditioning and that she was often sick her freshman year while living in the dorms.

“I was sick all the time, coughing, nose running, tired, couldn’t do anything,” Cox said. “I thought it was a sinus infection, but it was from the mold. A lot of other kids got it too. We did mold tests in our dorms, and it was mold.”

Cox moved to Geoffrey in the second semester of her freshman year and, since then, has lived off campus.

Kendalyn Herlocker is a senior majoring in advertising who lives alone in an off-campus apartment. She enjoys living alone because she has her own space and can bring her pets with her.

Herlocker said that living in an apartment in addition to paying for education can add up if you don’t budget correctly.

“You get the base rent, but then you have the parking, then you have the utilities and some people have to furnish their apartment,” Herlocker said.

Cox said that having a sound budget system is important when living in an apartment, and she’s grateful to live in an apartment because it allows her to grow up quicker.

Smith said that the biggest issue she’s had to deal with while living in an apartment is maintenance, but overall, the experience has been enjoyable.

Cox said that the biggest stressor when living in an apartment is loud neighbors and people entering her apartment when the door is unlocked.

Students often look for an apartment several months in advance to get the lowest price and a good location.

Smith said she would encourage first-year students to start looking at housing now instead of at the end of the year.

“You need to figure out what you want to do in the beginning of the year, so then you’re not stressed out at the end trying to find roommates or a place to live when everything’s filled,” Smith said. “Look at multiple places and not just one, you need to have your options.”

Herlocker said it’s important to look at location when searching for an apartment because it can be hard to motivate yourself to go to class when your housing is far away.

Banks said that if she could give any advice to freshmen who are currently looking for housing, it would be to not rush into anything and keep your options open.

Cox said you have to look at several aspects when choosing where to live and do your research.

“Do a lot of research about apartments like the fees after you pay rent,” Cox said. “What are the parking fees, is there an insurance fee, do they have in-unit laundry, how far away is the apartment from campus, is there a bus, how are you going to get to class everyday, look at the reviews of people living there.”

Going from living in a dorm to an apartment is a new experience for everyone. From dealing with roommates to extra cleaning and having more freedom, it can also create a lot of costly expenses, including grocery shopping, gas, rent, utilities and education costs.

Around 31% of Iowa State students are food insecure. If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity, visit the Student Health and Wellness website for support or stop by the SHOP food pantry in Beyer Hall, room 1306.

If you or someone you know is struggling with housing insecurity, visit the Ames HOME-ARP website, the Home Allies website or the Story County Iowa Housing Resources website.