Community College Housing

The Pros and Cons of On-Campus Housing for Community College (Updated 2025)

As more community colleges explore expanding or improving on-campus housing in 2025, students, parents, and educators need a clear understanding of what living in college-operated housing truly means. For many nontraditional and traditional students alike, the decision to live on campus involves trade-offs. This article updates the pros and cons using current trends, policy changes, costs, and examples to help inform that choice.

How Common Is On-Campus Housing at Community Colleges?

Recent data show the presence of on-campus housing in community colleges is slowly growing:

• About 26.6% of U.S. public two-year (community) colleges now offer college-operated, on-campus housing. That’s up from ~22.8% in 2010. Community College Daily

• In many states, there are very few community colleges with dorms; some states have none. But 38 states have at least one public two-year college with housing. Community College Daily

• California provides a useful example: as of 2025, a report from the California Community Colleges system shows that 16 colleges are offering student housing, accommodating over 3,800 students. cccco.edu

So while community college housing is still not the norm, it is becoming more common and more visible as part of broader student support strategies.

Pros of On-Campus Housing for Community College

College is expensive, there’s no doubt about it. Because tuition prices are constantly on the rise, many graduating high school seniors choose to attend community college. Community college is a convenient and affordable way to obtain a 2-year degree or to complete some prerequisites before transferring to a 4-year college. But you still have to consider the cost of living.

Many community college students choose to live at home while studying to compound the money-saving benefits of attending community college. If you’re going to a school a little further from home, however, or if you’re looking for a more authentic college experience, you might be looking into other options. Whether you choose to live on campus or off, consider living with a roommate to save money.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of living with a roommate and talk about the pros and cons of living on campus versus off-campus living. We’ll also provide you with some simple tips for keeping the peace while living with a roommate while attending community college.

What Are the Benefits of Living with Roommates?

Everyone who’s ever lived with another person has horror stories about awkward or frustrating interactions. The truth is that sharing a space with another person is likely to bring up a few challenges. But what are the benefits of living with a roommate?

Here are a few of the good things to consider:

• Having a roommate to split costs can save you a lot

Many people who enter college become preoccupied with having an authentic college experience. They imagine late nights spent poring over textbooks, engaging in classroom discussions, and even wild parties on the weekend. But the truth is that there is no one true college experience. Each college and each student is unique. However, certain things about college can enhance or detract from your experience. One of them is on-campus housing.

The price differential between a four-year school versus a two-year school is staggering. But you may not realize that much of that price difference isn’t related to tuition or education fees. It is for housing. For many colleges, room and board is just as expensive (or more so) than tuition costs and fees. Going to a community college can save you a lot of money, but do you have to forgo the opportunity to live in on-campus housing? Maybe not.

How Many Community Colleges Offer Housing?

According to a recent American Association of Community Colleges poll, about 25% of community colleges in the United States offer their students on-campus housing. This number has risen dramatically since 2000, and it continues to rise. Among the latest community colleges to open on-campus residence halls for students are Jefferson Community College in New York, Rose State College in Oklahoma, and Northampton Community College in Pennsylvania, to name a few.

Below, you will find a list of other community

Campus housing has traditionally been seen as a privilege reserved for students of four-year colleges and universities. However, as the demand for affordable postsecondary education continues to rise, so does the availability of campus housing on community college campuses nationwide. While the number of community colleges offering on-campus living is still relatively small, the number is steadily growing. Why the sudden interest in dorm living from community college students? There appear to be many reasons for this rising trend.

The Demand for On-Campus Housing

A recent report from Community College Week highlights the increasing demand for on-campus housing many community colleges are now facing. According to the report, around 80 community colleges currently offer residence halls or dormitories, which is a relatively small percentage of the more than 1,200 community colleges across the country. However, more schools are announcing plans for building housing on campus, as community colleges are working to increase their presence as a viable postsecondary alternative to more expensive four-year schools.

Many community colleges are now recruiting student-athletes and boasting specialized programs that draw students from outside their immediate area. Without the ability to commute, these students are now on the hunt for affordable housing around the community college campus. On-campus dormitories and apartments have become the best solution for many schools today. As other schools see the popularity of campus housing, they are also implementing plans to construct their own housing to remain competitive in the community college market.

An increase

In an effort to provide a more complete college experience to students, many community colleges are adding student housing to the campus map. College dormitories have been a mainstay at four-year colleges and universities throughout their history, but housing at community colleges – home of the adult college student – is a relatively new idea. Are community college dormitories a good idea? Many schools and students are responding to that question with a resounding “yes.”

Community colleges are responding to a desire from students for more campus housing. The report in Diverse Issues in Higher Education stated that in 2000, 225 community colleges across the country offered dormitories on their campuses. By 2010, that number had increased to 260 schools. Just two years later, in 2012, that number had risen sharply to 391 two-year institutions. If the numbers are any indication, demand for campus housing at community colleges is on the rise.

Community Colleges Weigh Campus Housing Benefits

Although the addition of dormitories is growing at community colleges nationwide, the total number of campuses boasting student housing is still too few to collect good evidence on whether these dorms will pay off for schools. However, a report at the Glens Falls Post-Star found that many community colleges think the addition of dormitories is a positive one for two-year schools. Of the 30 community colleges in the state of New York, 15 now offer some type of on-campus housing to students.

According to