Students make up a huge percentage of renters throughout Canada and the U.S. And, while renting an apartment is more common, students can also consider renting a house. Indeed, there are plenty of good reasons to do so.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at 8 reasons why renting a house rather than an apartment or living in dorms, can be a fantastic choice for students.
Space is becoming a non-negotiable for today’s renters, and three-bedroom homes are leading the way. As more people outgrow apartment living, single-family rentals offer a sweet spot: the privacy and comfort of a house, without the long-term commitment or upkeep. That’s why three-bedroom rentals are quickly becoming the go-to choice for families, remote workers, and anyone craving a little breathing room.
Once a smaller share of the market, three-bedroom homes have steadily gained ground. After surpassing other floor plans in 2021, they’ve held strong at around 40% of new build-to-rent completions. And, in 2025, they make up more than half of all build-to-rent homes under construction. It’s a clear sign that renters are looking for more space to live, work, and unwind, without giving up the freedom that renting provides.
But it’s not just families or empty nesters who would benefit from the extra space and better amenities: students who choose a three-bedroom rental might just strike the perfect balance between affordability, privacy and roominess.
1. Ideal for Sharing
Houses tend to offer more rooms than apartments, making it a great choice for groups of students who’d like to share their own pad. Everyone gets their own room, while common areas, such as the kitchen and lounge will generally be more spacious than in an apartment.
Students who are in a relationship may find that renting a house is especially appealing. It can help take the relationship to the next level and prepare you for life after college. Renting a house is also a great option for groups of friends looking for greater privacy and a more affordable option than living alone.
2. Splitting the Cost Makes It Affordable
One of the best things about sharing a house rental is that you can gain a lot while keeping things affordable. While the rent may be higher than an apartment at first glance, it’s worth crunching the numbers. With a few housemates, the cost per person can soon become extremely affordable, especially considering all the benefits you gain, such as more space and privacy.
With rent and utilities being shared, you all take responsibility for the finances. Not only will teach you invaluable lessons about money management, but you’ll also learn about keeping the costs down via sensible utility usage.
3. Much More Spacious
Since houses are usually much more spacious than apartments and dorm rooms, students who rent one will benefit from a truckload of extra room. This makes it much easier to create quiet zones when you need to get your head down and study, without everyone else having to keep quiet.
Houses are also fantastic for those who have a lot of bulky items that need to be stored somewhere. From sports gear to lab equipment, or even just piles of books, with a house, you’ll have a lot more space to stash your belongings.
4. Greater Potential to Indulge in Hobbies
Another great thing about having more space when renting a house is that it gives you a greater opportunity to indulge in your hobbies. From painting or homebrewing to woodworking or growing and tending to houseplants, whatever your passion, it helps to have a bit of space to store your supplies and equipment.
If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room in your rental house, you can transform it into your hobby area, or perhaps a study room. A spare bedroom can soon become anything from a lab to a library, or maybe even an art studio. The options are endless.
5. More Privacy
Naturally, with more space comes a greater sense of privacy, especially in comparison to dorm rooms. Students who rent a house will usually have their own bedroom, which can be a huge breath of fresh air after sharing a dorm room. Your room can become a sanctuary from the worlds of school and work and a little slice of the world that’s yours alone. And for couples, this increased privacy can help their relationship grow.
Increased privacy extends to other areas of the home too. No more do you have to worry about your food disappearing from a communal fridge. Indeed, with your own kitchen, you can experiment a lot more with different recipes, cooking the food that works for you rather than the microwave meals that saw you through the dorms.
In the lounge, you’ll have furniture that’s just for you and your housemates, so you don’t need to worry about what’s happened to it while you’ve been gone, and you can leave your laptop and other belongings wherever it’s convenient for you.
6. Access to Outdoor Space
One of the best things about renting a house is that you’ll often have direct access to a garden or yard. This is something you’ll rarely have in an apartment, and it can be a great place for relaxing and socializing alike.
When the weather is fine, you might enjoy reading or studying in the sunshine. Or perhaps it’s the ideal spot for a BBQ with friends.
Access to outdoor space also helps with privacy, ensuring you always have a place to escape to if you need a bit of fresh air. And for green-fingered students, it could be a great place to grow fruit, veg, or flowers.
7. No Need to Rely on a Laundromat
While living in dorms, you’re likely to be reliant on a communal laundromat for washing your clothes. This isn’t always convenient and can soon become an unappealing chore. However, when you rent a house, it’s likely to have its own washing machine and possibly even a drier. Even if there’s no drier, you’ll probably have an outdoor area to hang things to dry or space for an indoor clothes hanger.
Besides the convenience of being able to do your laundry whenever you want or need to, there’s also less chance of your clothes being misplaced.
8. Easier to Keep Clean
When you have your own house, it’s much easier to stay on top of cleaning and ensuring that the place is cleaned to your standard. You’ll be responsible for cleaning, meaning that you can easily stay on top of things. So, no more worrying about keeping your food in a fridge that turns your stomach!
Renting a house can be a fantastic choice for students, especially couples or groups of friends who can rent together to keep the costs low. Besides enjoying the additional space and privacy, renting a house can enable students to grow in various ways, from strengthening relationships to pursuing hobbies and passions that will prepare them for the future.
Image credit: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A, Lysenko Andrii
