Community College Housing

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 of money on rent, utilities, and even everyday

Many people who enter college become preoccupied with having an authentic college experience. They imagine late nights spent poring over textbooks, engaging classroom discussions, and even wild parties on the weekend. But the truth of the matter is that there is no one true college experience. Each college and each student is unique. But there are certain things about going to college that can enhance or detract from your experience. One of them is on-campus housing.
When you look at the price of a four-year school versus a two-year school – especially a community college – the difference is staggering. But what you may not realize is that much of that price difference isn’t related to tuition or education fees at all – 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 poll conducted by the American Association of Community Colleges, 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



- Better proximity to college resources like the library and recreation center
- Exposure to international lifestyles that comes from living near fellow students from around the globe
- The ability to fully immerse oneself in the college experience by remaining in the environment after classes are finished for the day
- Ease of meeting other students and building relationships with those in a similar season of life
- Apartments or dormitories that are often fully furnished and affordable, providing an economic housing option to cash-strapped students