Navigating the search for housing as a Georgia Tech student can be overwhelming, with decisions about living off-campus, having roommates and more. At Rambler Atlanta, we understand the challenges of finding a place to live in Midtown and we recognize how important finding the right location is in this decision-making process.
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While we’re confident in Rambler Atlanta’s prime location in East Midtown, just steps from Tech Square, we’ve compiled this article to offer a thorough overview of the various areas where Georgia Tech students typically live. By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of all of your neighborhood options so you can determine the best area for you.
The Most Popular Neighborhoods for GT Students in Midtown Atlanta
The most popular areas to live off-campus near Georgia Tech are:
On-Campus
When students start college, many assume they’ll spend their entire time living on campus. At Georgia Tech, it’s certainly not the norm for students to live on campus all four years, primarily because of the limited availability of on-campus housing.
For on-campus living, there are two main options: Georgia Tech-owned residence halls and Greek housing.
Read Next: Where to Live If You Do Not Want to Live On-Campus
Residence Halls
Georgia Tech dorm, Towers Residence Hall on East Campus. Image courtesy of GT Housing and Residence Life.
Residence Halls at Georgia Tech are either dorms or apartments owned by the university. These halls are on campus, primarily located on the east side near Bobby Dodd Stadium and on the west side by the West Village Dining Commons. When selecting a dorm or apartment, students often consider their major and preferred proximity to specific buildings to decide which side of campus aligns best with their lifestyle.
Dorm-style residence halls are specifically designed to ease the transition for freshmen from living at home to college life. While it’s not mandatory for all first-years to reside in dorms, it’s highly recommended that they participate in the First-Year Experience Program.
As part of this program, freshmen live with their peers in dorms and are included in the meal plan through Georgia Tech Dining. These dorms come fully furnished, featuring community or suite-style bathrooms, laundry facilities within or near the building, lounge areas to encourage student interaction and Resident Assistants (RAs) to facilitate a smooth freshman year. Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year for first-year students open on January 18, 2024.
For students beyond their first year, Georgia Tech offers apartment-style residence halls for both undergraduate and graduate levels. These apartments are leased directly from Georgia Tech on a first-come, first-served basis. Rising second-year residents have priority, followed by current GT housing residents and then all other GT students can apply as applications open throughout late January and February. For more information on exactly when applications open for each group, see the GT Housing website.
Unlike dorms, these apartments feature private bedrooms and shared living room and kitchen spaces. Floorplans range from 4×2 to 6×3 and amenities vary depending on the specific building selected.
Greek Houses
Georgia Tech fraternities and sororities are located across East Campus. Image courtesy of Treanor HL.
Another option for on-campus housing is Greek houses that are managed and overseen by various fraternity and sorority organizations on campus.
The location of your house depends on the specific sorority or fraternity you are affiliated with. However, all houses are situated on campus, generally toward the east side. They typically offer shared bedrooms and communal baths and many are already furnished.
Several second- and third-year students choose to live in their respective Greek houses due to the more affordable rental rates and convenient on-campus location. It’s crucial to recognize that 24% of students are involved with Greek life at Georgia Tech. Among this 24%, not every fraternity or sorority has its own house and even if they do, only a fraction of their members will have the opportunity to live in the house.
East Midtown
For students seeking to live amidst Atlanta’s unique food, drink, entertainment and vibrant nightlife scene, East Midtown is an ideal neighborhood choice. By living here, you not only immerse yourself in the best of Atlanta, but also position yourself just steps away from Tech Square and east campus.
East Midtown is the area east of campus and beyond, extending across the Fifth Street Bridge and I-75/I-85. This region offers a variety of housing options, including both student apartments and traditional apartments tailored to student needs.
Student Apartments
Rambler Atlanta living room rendering, a student apartment being built just off of Tech Square.
Specially crafted for college students, student apartments are fully furnished residences featuring private bedrooms, either individual or shared bathrooms, shared living and kitchen spaces, a comprehensive suite of amenities and individual lease arrangements.
Most student apartments in East Midtown are spread out along Spring Street. Within a seven-minute walk from Tech Square, you can find almost a dozen apartment complexes, alongside amenities like the Publix shopping center, restaurants such as Amici and Twisted Kitchen and dessert spots like Tiff’s Treats and Insomnia Cookies. Spring Street stands out as a prime location for student-living in East Midtown.
Opting for student apartments means benefiting from perks like individual lease options, trendy community amenities such as yoga and spin studios, outdoor pool decks and on-site coffee shops.
Traditional Apartments
Another housing option available to students in East Midtown is leasing a traditional apartment. These complexes are scattered throughout Midtown, making it challenging to pinpoint an exact location.
Given that these apartments aren’t specifically tailored for students, they may be located farther from campus, lack furniture and offer fewer amenities. Traditional apartments also typically operate under traditional leases, potentially complicating the roommate and subleasing process.
Home Park
Many students opt to rent a house off campus in Home Park. Image courtesy of Atlanta Magazine.
North of campus, between Atlantic Station and Georgia Tech, Home Park stands as another sought-after residential area for Georgia Tech students. Offering traditional houses for rent through standard leases, Home Park provides an alternative to apartment living with potentially lower rental rates. However, it’s essential to note that many of these houses are unfurnished, the location is farther from campus and there are limited amenities available to students.
Given the absence of student-centric amenities and the distance from campus, Home Park is typically more attractive to graduate students and upperclassmen, with fewer underclassmen opting for this area.
West Midtown
Beyond the edge of West Campus, West Midtown boasts both new student apartments and traditional apartments along Northside Drive and Marietta Street. Characterized by a vibrant array of restaurants and various apartment complexes, the apartments here are slightly more dispersed compared to those on Spring Street. Consequently, students in West Midtown often find it more common to drive to restaurants and activities, in contrast to the pedestrian-friendly environment of East Midtown.
While these apartments in West Midtown are close to west campus locations like the Campus Recreational Center and Stamps, they are notably distant from the main campus and east campus.
It’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons of living in student apartments versus traditional apartments before making a leasing decision.
We hope this article has given you a comprehensive overview of the diverse living options for Georgia Tech students.
If you have any further questions or would like to learn more about leasing in East Midtown at Rambler Atlanta, please feel free to visit our website or contact our leasing staff. We are more than happy to assist you in your search for housing.
