ID · Dorms · Off-Campus

Boise State University Off-Campus Housing Guide (2026)

Because Boise State has no live-on requirement, a large share of students move off campus early, concentrating in the Boise Avenue, University Drive and Vista Bench neighborhoods immediately south and west of campus where the per-bed communities sit within a 3-to-12-minute walk. A second cluster rents conventional per-unit apartments downtown in the River Street district.

Apartments students actually rent

Every community below is real and was checked against its own website in August 2026 — the links go straight to each property's site and floor-plan page so you can compare layouts and current rates.

CommunityDistanceUnits & sizesRentFurnished?Links
Identity Boise
Rooftop lounge and 24-hr fitness; low availability for 2026-27		3-min walk (closest)Studio-5BR; private bath on 3BR+
322-1,625 sqft		call for ratesYeswebsite · floor plans
VERVE Boise
Nearly sold out for Fall 2026 — most plans had 1-2 spots left		A few blocks from campusStudio-5BR; mostly 4x4 and 2x2
373-1,312 sqft		call for ratesYeswebsite · floor plans
Iconic Village
Shared 3BRs furnished, studios and 1BRs not; flexible 1-3 semester leases		10-min walkShared 3x1/3x2 per bed; studios and 1BR per unit
400-1,050 sqft		$605-$705/bed (3BR); studios $1,139-$1,350Bothwebsite · floor plans
The 208
One of the cheapest furnished per-bed options; roommate matching		Minutes from campus4BR/2BA
1,064 sqft		from $650/bedYeswebsite · floor plans
Riverline
Conventional market-rate building; sky deck and EV charging		8-min walk (River St.)Studio, 1x1, 2x2 BY THE UNIT
492-1,017 sqft		1x1 from $1,750/unitNowebsite · floor plans
The Malad House
Male students only; rented as a complete furnished house		1.9 mi (Vista Bench)4BR/2BA whole house$3,000/mo whole house (~$750/bed)Yeswebsite

Rates and availability change every lease season — verify everything with the property before signing.

How this compares with living on campus

Boise State's cheapest on-campus option is Chaffee Hall at $5,200/year for a double, before the meal plan. Remember that campus rates often bundle things an apartment does not — and an apartment lease usually runs 12 months instead of the academic year.

See on-campus rates & what's included

What you'll need

Bed size matters here. Standard TWIN, not Twin XL — this is the biggest packing mistake at Boise State. Chaffee and Taylor use 75x38; Keiser and University Suites use 73x37.5. Exceptions: Lincoln Townhomes is Full (80x52) and The Osprey is Full XL (79x52.5). Confirm your hall before buying sheets.

Furnished units still need bedding, kitchen basics and cleaning gear; unfurnished rentals add the big anchors — mattress, bed frame, sofa and a table. Our checklist filters by furnished vs unfurnished so you only pack what your unit is missing.

Apartment checklist   Apartment shop

Staying in the dorms instead? Head back to the Boise State dorm dimensions and dorm packing list.