Area Guide
Northwestern is internationally renowned as one of America’s elite universities, with particularly high accolades often bestowed upon its programs dedicated to law, medicine, journalism, and art. The university serves nearly twice as many postgraduate students as undergraduates, and its undergrad acceptance rate is among the most selective in the nation. The lakefront campus is thirty minutes north of Chicago in the suburban community of Evanston; folks at Northwestern enjoy the benefits of both a college-town atmosphere and close proximity to one of America’s most exciting and culturally-rich cities. Downtown Evanston is right outside the southwest corner of campus, making it easy to walk to the numerous restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, as well as the Transit service that can take you all the way to Chicago. Apartments, condos, and rental houses are plentiful around the university, and numerous affordable options provide easy walking access to both the main campus and the downtown area. Folks who plan to spend a lot of time in the science and athletics facilities would be best served finding living arrangements near the north campus, while those frequenting the humanities buildings would be better off closer to the south campus.
As of July 2026, the average apartment rent in Evanston, IL is $1,725 for a studio, $1,908 for one bedroom, $2,568 for two bedrooms, and $3,531 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Evanston has increased by 2.7% in the past year.
Studio
426 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,725/month
Average Rent
1 BR
675 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,908/month
Average Rent
2 BR
952 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$2,568/month
Average Rent
3 BR
1,106 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$3,531/month
Average Rent
How to Find Off-Campus Housing Near Northwestern University
Discover the best ways to find off-campus housing near Northwestern University. Get tips on locations, pricing, and amenities in our comprehensive guide.
The Ultimate Apartment Cleaning Checklist for a Fresh Start
This room-by-room cleaning checklist covers the spots most people skip for a truly fresh start.
Apartment Checklist: What to Bring to Your New Apartment
From first aid kits to cookware, this room-by-room checklist covers every apartment must-have.
Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Northwestern University Evanston Campus - Evanston, IL (University) is for everyday living.
Moderately Walkable
Walkability
Some Public Transit
Transit
Moderately Drivable
Drivability
Very Bikeable
Bikeability
Northwestern University Evanston Campus - Evanston, IL (University) offers all daily essentials, but they’re limited to a few main areas.
Supermarket Within a 15 Minute Walk
Groceries
Fair Restaurant Variety Nearby
Restaurants
Fair Café Variety Nearby
Cafes
Fair Variety of Shops Nearby
Shopping
Northwestern University Evanston Campus - Evanston, IL (University) provides green space and wellness resources in certain areas.
Large Amount of Park Space Nearby
Parks
Fair Wellness Amenity Variety Nearby
Wellness
Get a sense of what it’s like to live in Northwestern University Evanston Campus - Evanston, IL (University) from everyday activity to noise and nightlife.
Vibrant Atmosphere at Times
Vibrancy
Limited Nightlife Variety Nearby
Nightlife
Not Noisy
Quiet Score
Public
Grades K-5
224 Students
Public
Grades K-5
318 Students
Public
Grades K-5
296 Students
Public
Grades K-5
407 Students
Public
Grades K-5
407 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
612 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
566 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
566 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
647 Students
M L King Jr Lab Experimental School
Public
Grades K-8
421 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
3,457 Students
Public
Grades K-12
Public
Grades 9-12
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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† 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 June 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.
