Where students live
Richmond is a small town and the rental market reflects it. The Eastern Bypass runs along the edge of campus and holds the closest apartments, including Katelyn Court. Barnes Mill Road is where Grand Campus sits, four-tenths of a mile out — and EKU leases that entire complex itself, so it is billed as on-campus housing rather than a private lease. Past that the market spreads two to three miles along Big Hill Avenue, Mount Rushmore Drive, Ty Lane and Jason Drive, and further out to Duckhorn Drive and Coachman Drive. The structural thing to understand: Richmond has no by-the-bed student housing at all. Every conventional community here leases per unit on a standard twelve-month residential lease, so a group of roommates signs one lease together and carries joint liability. The Big E Transit shuttle runs six routes during fall and spring, including an evening route to just before 1am.
Heads up — this school breaks the usual rules
- Telford Hall has regular Twin beds, not Twin XL — and EKU confirms it twice. The hall page says "Twin," and the what-to-bring page says "for Telford, you may use standard twin sheets." Telford also publishes an 11-inch bed height, the lowest on campus.
- Martin and North Super Suites are Full XL — a genuinely rare dorm size. Full XL sheets are not stocked in most back-to-school displays and do not interchange with Twin XL, Full or Queen.
- Grand Campus publishes a bed size of "71.5 x 48" — which matches no mattress sold anywhere. It is 8.5 inches shorter than a Twin XL and 10 inches wider. It is probably a frame measurement, but EKU never says so. Call 859-622-1515 before buying bedding for Grand Campus.
- Bed risers and lofts are both banned — "bed lofts are no longer authorized" and risers appear on the prohibited list — while the housing page simultaneously advertises that Mattox beds "can be raised." The two pages contradict each other.
- Room dividers and screens are banned, and so are Ring and Blink doorbell cameras by name, adhesive lights, and flushable wipes. Only straight pins and thumb tacks may go into walls — no Command strips, no LED strips.
- The fridge cap is "less than 4.5 cubic feet" and microwaves "less than 700 watts" — note the wording is less-than, not up-to, so a 4.5 cu ft unit is non-compliant as written. Old fridges using ether refrigerant are banned outright.
- Halls close for roughly six weeks at winter break, and staying costs $600. Spring break is $100. Grand Campus residents are exempt from the charge but must still sign up.
- Non-compliance with the live-on rule is billed, not just disciplined — you are charged "the lowest-price residence hall fee and board fees," about $5,580 a semester, on top of whatever rent you are already paying.
Buying the standard college checklist here will waste money — check your building first, especially if you are in Telford or a Super Suite.
Apartments & rentals students actually use
| Community | Distance | Units & rates | Furnished? | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Campus (at Yorick Place) The only per-bed option in Richmond — and EKU leases the whole complex, so it is billed as on-campus housing. Single bedroom, private bath, full kitchen, washer/dryer. Restricted to students with 60+ credit hours or aged 21+ | 205 Barnes Mill Rd · 0.38 mi, 12-min walk | Single bedroom in a shared apartment $5,050/semester per bed · bedroom 12'5" x 10'5" | Furnished | liveherehousing.com |
| Shawnee Trail Apartments The best value for a group of three — the 3-bedroom splits to roughly $347 a bed, the lowest effective rate in Richmond. Unfurnished and utilities are extra, so budget beyond the headline rent | 200 Mount Rushmore Dr · 2.6 mi, ~6 min drive | 1/1, 2/1, 3/2 $741 · $886 · $1,042 per unit · 525–1,108 sq ft | Unfurnished | shawneetrailapt.com |
| Vines at Saddlebrook The cheapest three-bedroom in town at $935, which works out near $312 a bed — though renovated units run $860 to $1,150, so confirm which tier you are being quoted | 633 Big Hill Ave · 2.3 mi, ~4 min drive | 1/1, 2/1, 3/1 $781 · $855 · $935 per unit · 600–951 sq ft | Unfurnished | vinesatsaddlebrook.com |
| Katelyn Court Apartments The cheapest way to live alone near campus and the closest conventional building — the listing says only "walk to campus," so confirm the distance before signing | 807 Eastern Bypass · walk to campus | 1BR/1BA $695 per unit · 550 sq ft | Not stated | homes.com |
| Spring House Village The only published per-bed rate outside Grand Campus — a single room at $750 a month. But the listing shows no current availability, does not state utilities or furnishing, and two pages disagree on the distance (2.4 vs 3.5 miles) | 1020 Duckhorn Dr · 2.4–3.5 mi | 1–2BR apartments; also a room-for-rent listing From $950 per unit · $750 per room · 755–1,087 sq ft | Not stated | thespringhousevillage.com |
| Ty Lane Apartments Three separate one-bedroom floor plans, which is unusual in a market this small — useful if you want your own place and care about layout rather than price | 2009–2079 Ty Ln · 2.9 mi, ~7 min drive | 1/1 (three plans), 2/1, 2/2 $800–$915 (1BR) per unit · 2BR call for rent · 600–1,200 sq ft | Unfurnished | livetylane.com |
| East Ridge Apartments The largest square footage per dollar in Richmond — a 1,200 sq ft two-bedroom at the top of a $725 to $1,050 range | 410 Jason Dr · 2.5 mi, ~4 min drive | 1/1, 2/2 $725–$1,050 per unit · 900–1,200 sq ft | Not stated | apartments.com |
| The Resort Apartments A step up in finish from the Big Hill Avenue stock, and priced accordingly — worth it only if you are splitting the two-bedroom | 743 Benson Dr · 3.3 mi, ~5 min drive | 1/1, 2/2 $1,045 · $1,345 per unit · 712–1,100 sq ft | Unfurnished | apartments.com |
| Carriage Place Apartments Built in 2025 and the only building here that bundles utilities — water, trash, sewer, cable and internet are all included, plus in-unit washer/dryer. At $1,450 for a 1,350 sq ft two-bedroom that is competitive once you count what is included | 996 Coachman Dr · 2.7 mi, ~5 min drive | 1/1, 2/2 $1,200 · $1,450 per unit · 1,150–1,350 sq ft | Not stated | carriageplacerichmond.com |
Details compiled from public listings and property sites, August 2026. Rates and availability change every lease season — verify everything with the property.
How it compares to a dorm
The cheapest EKU double is $3,220 a semester, and first-years under 21 with fewer than 60 hours must also buy a meal plan starting at $2,360 — so the real floor is $5,580 a semester, about $11,160 for the year. Grand Campus, the nicest option, is $5,050 a semester for a private bedroom and bath. Off campus a three-bedroom at Shawnee Trail or Vines splits to roughly $312 to $347 a bed plus utilities — less than half the dorm rate per month. The catch is a twelve-month lease against a nine-month year, no furniture, and the two-year live-on rule, which means none of this is available until you have 60 credit hours or turn 21.
What you'll need
Richmond is an unfurnished, per-unit market, so this is a full first-apartment build: bed and mattress, seating, a table, kitchenware, and everything the dorm supplied. Two EKU-specific notes. If you are moving out of Telford those were regular Twin beds, and out of a Martin or North Super Suite they were Full XL — neither transfers to a standard apartment mattress, so buy to the bed you actually get. And the appliance rules relax completely off campus: the banned bed risers, room dividers, adhesive lights, Ring cameras, air fryers, pressure cookers and toaster ovens are all fine in an apartment, and you can finally put something on the wall with more than a thumb tack.
Apartment checklist Apartment shop