The Urban Context of Rental Housing Development near Major U.S. Universities

Abstract

Residential developers have found footholds in university-adjacent neighborhoods, though the extent of this trend is unclear. We examine rental construction near 168 major U.S. universities with neighborhood data covering 2000 to 2018. We find that more rental units were built near larger universities with growing enrollments and limited dormitory capacity. University-adjacent rental development varied widely across urban contexts, and was most common in low-mid-rent neighborhoods with similar precedents. More large-scale rental housing was built in medium-sized cities with higher housing prices yet slower rising rents. Findings suggest the importance of municipal and university roles in residential development, including local regulations and dormitory investments.