The best apartment near the University of Utah depends on what you’re optimizing for. If you want the shortest possible walk to class, on-campus housing or a handful of privately owned houses right up against campus in neighborhoods like Federal Heights get you there in under 10 minutes on foot. If you want your own space, a real kitchen, and a lease that isn’t tied to a meal plan, a downtown Salt Lake City apartment with a fast TRAX connection — like The Citizen — trades a few extra minutes of commute for a lot more independence and city life.
Why Your Apartment Choice Matters as a College Student
Where you live shapes more of your college experience than most students expect going in, long before move-in day ever arrives. It’s worth weighing a few factors beyond square footage and photos before you sign anything:
Your Commute:
How you get to campus, and how long it actually takes, affects how much sleep you get before an 8 a.m. class and how likely you are to skip one after a bad night. A five-minute walk sounds ideal on paper, but a 20-minute TRAX ride with a guaranteed seat can be just as livable once it’s part of your routine.
Your Social Life:
Proximity to other students, whether that’s a dorm hallway or a downtown building full of people your age, shapes how easy it is to make friends outside of class. It’s harder to build a social life from an apartment where you don’t know a single neighbor, so it’s worth asking who else tends to live in a building before you sign.
Your Monthly Budget:
Rent is only part of the number. Utilities, parking, a meal plan you may or may not use, and the cost of a car versus a transit pass all add up differently depending on where you live, so it’s worth comparing total monthly cost, not just listed rent.
Your Independence:
A five-minute walk to campus often comes with dorm-style rules, shared bathrooms, or a mandatory meal plan. A slightly longer commute can mean a private bedroom, an actual kitchen, and a lease you control instead of one set by a residence hall calendar.
Neither on-campus housing nor an off-campus apartment is universally “better” — the right call depends on what year you are, how much independence you want, and how you plan to get to campus day to day.
How Far Is The Citizen From the University of Utah Campus?
The Citizen sits about 2 miles from the University of Utah campus — roughly a 5-minute drive, a 13-to-15-minute trip by public transit, or a 21-minute bike ride.
By Bus:
Route 455 is about a 5-minute walk from the building, with an 8-minute ride to campus — the fastest door-to-door option if a bus lines up with your schedule.
By TRAX:
The Red Line is about a 9-minute walk from the building, with a 6-minute ride to campus. University of Utah students ride free either way — your UCard doubles as a transit pass covering TRAX, buses, and FrontRunner the moment you’re enrolled.
By Car or Rideshare:
About 5 minutes without traffic. Campus parking is limited and permit-based, so this works better for an early class or an occasional trip than a daily commute.
By Bike:
About 21 minutes over 2.2 miles — longer than the drive or transit ride, but still a straightforward trip along city streets for students who’d rather pedal than wait for a train.
Is Downtown Salt Lake City a Good Fit for U of U Students?
For students past their first year, downtown solves a problem dorm life doesn’t: it’s a place with its own gravity, not just a launch pad to campus. Central City puts you within walking distance of restaurants, coffee shops, and nightlife that don’t roll up their sidewalks at 9pm, plus a public library and several coworking-adjacent coffee spots when you need a change of scenery from your apartment.
It’s also a practical base for building a resume alongside a degree. Downtown Salt Lake City is home to Utah’s state and county government offices, a concentration of regional bank and law firm headquarters, and — a short TRAX ride away — the University of Utah’s health sciences campus, including University of Utah Hospital and the Huntsman Cancer Institute, both regular sources of student jobs and clinical placements. Add in everyday essentials like grocery stores and pharmacies within walking distance, and downtown works as well for day-to-day living as it does for class.
What Floor Plans Work Best for Students?
The right floor plan usually comes down to how many people are splitting the rent and how much separation you want between roommates. Here’s how the options break down:
| Floor Plan | Layout | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | Single open room, 1 bath | Students who want to live alone and keep costs to one name on the lease |
| 1-Bedroom | 1 bed, 1 bath | A couple, or a student who wants a private bedroom without splitting costs with roommates |
| 2-Bedroom | 2 bed, 2 bath | The classic roommate split — private bedroom and bathroom each, shared common space and rent |
| Townhome | Multi-level, 1–2 bed | Students who want more separation between living and sleeping space, or a small group willing to trade a bit more rent for more square footage |
Every floor plan comes with in-unit washer/dryer, walk-in closets, quartz countertops, and stainless steel appliances — the kind of practical details that matter more when you’re doing your own laundry and cooking for the first time than they might to a general renter.
How Does the Cost Compare to On-Campus Housing?
On-campus housing is usually priced per bed, bundled with a meal plan whether you use it fully or not, and billed for a 9-to-10-month academic-year term. A conventional apartment like The Citizen is priced per unit — so a 2-bedroom’s rent gets split between two people, or a townhome’s between more, and each roommate pays only their share rather than a fixed per-bed rate. Cooking your own meals instead of paying into a meal plan changes the math too, for students who’d rather control that spend themselves.
Quick take: the fair comparison isn’t “dorm rate vs. apartment rate” — it’s dorm rate plus a mandatory meal plan vs. your share of the apartment’s rent plus whatever you actually spend on groceries. For a lot of upperclassmen splitting a 2-bedroom or townhome, that comparison ends up closer than the sticker price on either option suggests.
What Amenities Matter for Student Life?
For a Study Break:
The rooftop pool and hot tub at The Citizen double as a social spot when you need to close the laptop for an hour without leaving the building.
What’s Nearby The Citizen
The Citizen sits in Salt Lake City’s Central City neighborhood — close enough to walk to downtown’s landmarks, and one TRAX ride from campus and the health sciences buildings.
Downtown, On Foot:
Gallivan Center, City Creek Center, and the Eccles Theater are all under a mile away, putting shopping, concerts, and downtown’s restaurant scene within easy walking distance.
Campus & Health Sciences, By TRAX:
Rice-Eccles Stadium, University of Utah Hospital, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute are all reachable via the Red Line’s Stadium, University South Campus, Fort Douglas, and University Medical Center stops.
Student Housing vs. Conventional Apartments at the U: What’s the Real Difference?
On-campus and off-campus housing both put you close to class, but the differences add up fast once you look past the commute — lease terms, cost structure, privacy, and how much control you have over your day-to-day life. For a lot of students, that’s exactly why a conventional apartment starts to look better once the first year is behind them.
| Feature | On-Campus / Student Housing | Conventional Apartment (e.g., The Citizen) |
|---|---|---|
| Commute | 0–15 minutes; typically walkable | Typically 7–25 minutes by TRAX, bike, or car |
| Lease | Academic-year term, often 9–10 months | Standard 12-month or flexible residential lease |
| Meal Plan | Frequently required | None — you cook and shop for yourself |
| Roommates | Often assigned rather than chosen | Choose your roommates or live on your own |
| Privacy | Shared bedrooms and bathrooms are common | Private bedrooms and bathrooms are more common |
| Pricing | Usually priced per bed | Usually priced per unit and split however you choose |
| Amenities | Dining halls, study lounges, and RA support | Pools, fitness centers, co-working spaces, in-unit laundry, and other residential amenities |
| Best For | First-year students and those who want a built-in campus community | Upperclassmen, graduate students, and students looking for more independence |
Amenities and Apartment Features to Look for as a Student
Once you’re outside the dorm system, the features that matter most for student life look a little different than a general apartment checklist. Worth prioritizing:
- In-unit laundry: Saves time between classes and study sessions compared to a shared laundry room or laundromat
- Reliable, fast internet: Non-negotiable for online coursework, streaming lectures, and video calls
- A quiet place to work: A co-working space, business center, or study lounge on-site beats trying to focus in a shared living room
- Easy transit access: Check the actual walk time to the nearest TRAX station or bus stop, not just the listed “distance to campus”
- Secure package and bike storage: Apartment complexes see a lot more package traffic and bike theft risk than dorms
- Flexible or manageable lease terms: Look for month-to-month options after the initial term in case your plans change
- Fitness and outdoor space: A gym and pool on-site cut down on the need for a separate gym membership
- Walkability to groceries and food: Being near a grocery store matters more once you’re cooking for yourself
Why Live at The Citizen as a Student?
For students who’ve outgrown dorm life and want a place that actually feels like their own, The Citizen offers what a lot of campus housing can’t: a private bedroom and bathroom, a full kitchen, and a lease that isn’t tied to a meal plan or an RA. The building sits in Salt Lake City’s Central City neighborhood, a short walk from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and downtown’s restaurants and coffee shops, with a rooftop deck, pool and hot tub, a fitness center with a yoga studio, and a co-working space for the days you’d rather study somewhere other than your apartment. Because University of Utah students ride TRAX free, the Library Station a short walk away turns into a reliable, no-car commute to campus — so you get downtown living without losing an easy way to get to class.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there student housing near the University of Utah?
Yes. The university operates on-campus housing including Kahlert Village, Sage Point, Chapel Glen, and Shoreline Ridge, and a smaller number of privately owned houses in neighborhoods bordering campus, like Federal Heights, are also rented to students. Beyond that, most students choose from Salt Lake City’s general apartment market.
How far is downtown Salt Lake City from the University of Utah?
About 2.5 to 3.5 miles, depending on the exact address, which typically translates to a 7-to-10-minute drive or a 15-to-25-minute commute using TRAX light rail.
Can University of Utah students ride TRAX for free?
Yes. Through a partnership between the university and the Utah Transit Authority, University of Utah students get free access to TRAX, including the Red Line that runs directly to campus.
Is it better to live on campus or off campus at the U?
It depends on the year and priorities. On-campus housing offers the shortest commute and built-in community, which tends to help first-year students. Off-campus apartments offer more privacy, more control over lease terms, and no meal plan requirement, which tends to appeal more to upperclassmen and graduate students.
What's a reasonable commute time for an apartment near the U of U?
Anything under about 25 minutes door-to-door by TRAX, bike, or car is generally considered manageable for a daily class schedule. Direct walking distance under 15 minutes is ideal but limits your options to on-campus housing or a small pool of nearby private listings.
Does The Citizen work for students who don't want to live right next to campus?
Yes — it’s built for residents who want downtown SLC living with a straightforward TRAX commute rather than a walk-to-class location. Students who’ve already done a year of dorm life and want their own kitchen, private bathroom, and building amenities tend to be the best fit.
