What WashU off-campus housing actually costs
There's no single number, but here's the honest range. WashU Law budgets up to $13,617 for nine months of housing, about $1,500 a month with utilities. Zillow's typical asking rent runs from $1,284 in Skinker-DeBaliviere to $1,653 in Clayton. Sharing a 2 or 3 bedroom cuts each person's share well below that.
Nobody publishes a clear answer to what WashU (Washington University in St. Louis) housing costs, so here it is with sources. There are two layers: the government benchmark for each neighborhood, and the premium student buildings charge on top of it.
The benchmark is HUD's Fair Market Rent, a federal figure set per ZIP code per bedroom count with utilities included. It represents the 40th percentile of an entire ZIP, drawn from census survey data, so places near campus usually list above it. That's why we also show Zillow's typical asking rent and WashU Law's own housing budget, which sit closer to what students actually pay. The numbers below are the FY2026 figures for the neighborhoods WashU students live in.
What students actually ask
What does each neighborhood cost?
HUD FY2026 fair market rent for a 1 bedroom, utilities included: Skinker-DeBaliviere (63112) $930, University City, MO (63130) $1,110, Clayton (63105) $1,410, Central West End (63108) $1,480. For a 2 bedroom, whole unit: $1,140, $1,360, $1,730, and $1,810 respectively. Source: HUD. Zillow's typical asking rent, all unit sizes, runs higher: $1,284 in Skinker-DeBaliviere, $1,484 in University City, MO, $1,566 in the Central West End and $1,653 in Clayton, as of August 2026. Expect places near campus to list above HUD's figures.
How does per-person cost work in a shared apartment?
Divide the whole-unit rent by the number of bedrooms, then add your share of any utilities that aren't included. A $1,900 two bedroom works out to $950 per person before extras. That's why sharing is the standard WashU move, and why per-person math beats sticker price when you're comparing places.
Is off-campus housing cheaper than WashU dorms?
Yes, it usually is, especially if you do share with someone it can even be cheaper to get a 12-month lease than paying 9 months on campus accumulated. The comparison does depend on your dorm tier, what happens to your meal plan, utilities, and furniture, so do run your own numbers with our budget guide. And of course if you are around in summer or you sublet the apartment at that time, you can recover that part of the extra months.
What costs surprise students beyond rent?
Utilities where they aren't included, since electric and gas bills swing hard with St. Louis summers and winters. There is usually a one-time setup like deposits and application fees, furniture for unfurnished places, parking fees in bigger buildings, and renters insurance. Students on r/washu regularly report surprise fees at move-out, which is the kind of thing the reviews on each listing warn you about.
Are rents near WashU going up?
Gradually. Zillow's rent index as of August 2026 shows University City, MO (63130) up 4.7% year over year and Skinker-DeBaliviere (63112) up 3.9%, against 3.9% for the St. Louis metro. Signing earlier in the fall cycle generally beats waiting for a deal that isn't coming or getting the best valued apartment.
Keep looking
Your perfect WashU housing, found for you.
Answer a few quick questions and our housing agent finds the apartment that fits you best, completely free.
Find my apartmentSources: HUD Fair Market Rents (FY2026) · Zillow Research rent data · WashU Law cost of living estimate
Figures on this page cite HUD FY2026 Small Area Fair Market Rents (whole unit, utilities included), Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI) ZIP-level data as of August 2026, and WashU Law's 2026-27 cost of living estimate (housing, nine months, a maximum budget). Proximity does not publish averages computed from its own listings.