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Area Guide

Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL

Stay loyal and true to the Panthers in your gray and blue

EIU Eastern Panthers

Eastern Illinois University, founded in 1895, offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in addition to ten certificate programs. Students at Eastern are prepared to accomplish their life goals through a combination of quality academics and personal relationships while learning the methods and results of free and rigorous inquiry. The EIU faculty is known for excellence in teaching, research, creative activity, and service. Located on a 320-acre campus in Charleston, EIU is convenient to a wide variety of apartments, townhomes, and houses available for rent. Access to the intersection of Routes 16 and 130 as well as Panther bus shuttle service makes getting around from the EIU campus simple. More than 170 student organizations, 30 fraternities and sororities, a range of annual programs and events, and NCAA Division I Panther athletics contribute to a vibrant campus atmosphere at Eastern. An array of historic sites, museums, and unique shops and restaurants in downtown square are just a short drive from EIU in addition to Fox Ridge State Park. Several larger cities within a four-hour drive of campus include Saint Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville, Chicago, and Milwaukee.

Rent Trends

As of May 2026, the average apartment rent in Charleston, IL is $494 for a studio, $653 for one bedroom, $917 for two bedrooms, and $1,047 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Charleston has increased by 0.8% in the past year.

  • Studio

  • 453 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $494/month

    Average Rent

  • 1 BR

  • 602 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $653/month

    Average Rent

  • 2 BR

  • 781 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $917/month

    Average Rent

  • 3 BR

  • 948 sq ft

    Average Sq Ft

  • $1,047/month

    Average Rent

Getting Around

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

40 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

100 / 100

Moderately Bikeable

Bikeability

70 / 100

Daily Essentials

Supermarket Within a 20 Minute Walk

Groceries

40 / 100

Fair Restaurant Variety Nearby

Restaurants

40 / 100

Fair Café Variety Nearby

Cafes

50 / 100

Fair Variety of Shops Nearby

Shopping

40 / 100

Local Vibe

Mostly Calm Atmosphere

Vibrancy

20 / 100

Limited Nightlife Variety Nearby

Nightlife

30 / 100

Not Noisy

Quiet Score

90 / 100

Schools

Carl Sandburg Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

551 Students

Jefferson Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

565 Students

Mark Twain Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

218 Students

Charleston Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

386 Students

Charleston High School

Public

Grades 9-12

758 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Eastern Illinois University Observatory
  • Fox Ridge State Park
  • Douglas-Hart Nature Center

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.