My name is Mike, and I grew up in West Michigan and very close to the thriving Grand Rapids metropolis, which I have visited many times. I am your ApartmentHomeLiving.com guide to Grand Rapids, which is a growing city located in West Michigan and is getting grander in scope and scale every year. The greater Grand Rapids area is home to many terrific colleges and universities. Here are five of the best colleges and universities in Grand Rapids, and some terrific neighborhoods to consider for renting off-campus housing.

Aquinas College Offers a Great Liberal Arts Education

Aquinas College is a private Catholic school of higher education that focuses on liberal arts and was founded in 1886 by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs and is located at 1700 Fulton Street E. in southeastern Grand Rapids. Here are some of the better neighborhoods in which enrolled students can find terrific housing near Aquinas.

Eastown Includes the College Campus

There are lots of great options for off-campus housing near the college. The Eastown neighborhood provides excellent Grand Rapids apartments near Aquinas College and is just a short distance from campus. The neighborhood covers 70 blocks that include the college campus. It is very easy to commute to Aquinas via surface streets, and Wilcox Park offers terrific outdoor recreation and is a great place to study on a warm and sunny day.

Those who enjoy fishing and other aquatic recreation will love the access to Coldbrook Creek, which flows through the neighborhood, and Fisk Lake, into which it flows. Eastown was founded as a commuter neighborhood that connected downtown Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids via a streetcar service that passed through the community.

Fulton Heights Has Great Student Apartments

Fulton Heights is located directly north of Aquinas College and is bordered by Fuller Avenue Northeast to the west, Michigan Street to the north, Plymouth Avenue to the east, and Fulton Street along its boundary with Eastown to the south. About a fourth of Fulton Heights homes are rentals, including excellent apartments. Its proximity to Aquinas makes it ideal for commuters, who need only to cross Fulton Street to reach the campus. The college is located near Fulton Heights’ southeastern segment.

Baxter Makes the Commute Quick and Easy

This neighborhood is located southwest of Aquinas College and is very close to Easton, which ensures a quick commute to Aquinas College. Student apartments generally are more affordable in the Baxter neighborhood than in many other parts of Grand Rapids. It has a roughly square configuration and is about a 10-minute drive to the Aquinas College campus on surface roads. Joe Taylor Park is located in the center of the Baxter neighborhood and supports a variety of recreational activities. It’s a friendly and relatively safe community that many enjoy calling home.

East Hills is Fun and Affordable

The East Hills neighborhood is a great place to find student housing for those enrolled at Aquinas. The neighborhood is situated just southeast of downtown and is home to many businesses, restaurants, and bars that support an active nightlife. Many residents of East Hills enjoy amply walkable sidewalks among historic homes that are built in the Victorian and Colonial Revival styles.

East Hills apartments near Aquinas College provide residents with a short drive to the college campus, which is located directly east of and about 5 miles from the neighborhood. Cherry Park supports outdoor recreation and offers colorful splendor when its trees’ leaves change ahead of the coming winter. There are plenty of cafes, stores, and a brewpub in which the neighborhood’s generally younger residents often go for food and recreation.

Calvin University Excels in the Sciences and Humanities

Calvin University is a private Christian school that began in 1876 after the Christian Reformed Church founded it. The university is located at 3201 Burton Street S.E. in the very southeastern portion of Grand Rapids and offers many great undergraduate and master’s programs focused on the sciences and humanities. Those preparing to attend would do well to consider renting student apartments in one of the following nearby neighborhoods.

Breton Center Is a Stone’s Throw from Campus

It’s an easy commute to Calvin University when residing in the Breton Center neighborhood. The community is situated northwest of the university’s campus and is only a few minutes’ drive on surface streets. The Breton Center neighborhood is noted for its upscale housing and nearness to Reeds Lake and John H. Donnell Park. Calvin University’s athletic fields are situated due east of the neighborhood and make it easy to watch and support its teams.

East Grand Rapids Supports Extracurricular Fun

As its name implies, East Grand Rapids is located in the eastern part of the greater Grand Rapids area and is very close to Calvin University. It is an independent city that is surrounded by Grand Rapids and is considered to be a very walkable and safe community. It’s a short drive to Calvin University and offers ample rental options for student apartments. East Grand Rapids hosts a variety of community activities, including weekly concerts in the park and other fun events, and downtown Grand Rapids is just 4 miles away.

Ridgemoor Offers Quietude and Convenience

Those who prefer a nice and quiet Grand Rapids apartment near Calvin University might want to consider the Ridgemoor neighborhood. It is located due south of the university’s campus, which can be reached by driving north across Burton Street while traveling on Broadmoor Avenue. The drive is short and doesn’t involve traffic congestion, which makes the commute very simple and easy. Ridgemoor is an upscale locale, and it offers upscale apartments that can support two or more roommates to make it more affordable.

Cornerstone University Offers a Faith-Centered Education

Cornerstone is another private university in Grand Rapids and bills itself as a “bold, Christ-centered, influential” school. The university provides undergraduate and master’s programs in business and innovation; health, science, and technology; education and human services; ministry, media, and the arts; and theological seminary. Cornerstone is located very near the I-96 and I-196 interchange in eastern Grand Rapids, which makes it easy to access for commuters. Here are some great neighborhoods to consider.

Michigan Oaks has Great Student Apartments

Michigan Oaks is a fantastic neighborhood in which to find Grand Rapids apartments near Cornerstone University. The neighborhood is located southwest of the campus and across the I-96 and I-196 interchange. Commuters have the option of using surface streets or the interstate to make the very short drive of five or 10 minutes from Michigan Oaks to Cornerstone University.

Michigan Oaks is one of the safest communities in the greater Grand Rapids area and offers residents a mix of urban and suburban living. A trio of ponds in the neighborhood’s southeast corner supports kayaking, canoeing, and fishing for those who have access. Michigan Oaks apartments near Cornerstone University are affordable and ideally located for those who are enrolled in classes at the university.

Northeast Neighborhood Supports Quick Commutes

The Northeast neighborhood is situated directly west of Cornerstone University and I-96 and north of I-196. The interstate separates the neighborhood from the university and makes it quick and easy to access it by car. It also is a short drive to downtown Grand Rapids, and several stores, brewpubs, and restaurants are located nearby. The Northeast neighborhood is very close to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which is situated directly south of Cornerstone and is a great place to see live music in addition to touring the gardens and the many great sculptures that they contain.

Auburn Hills Arose During the Civil Rights Era

The Auburn Hills neighborhood is located northwest of Cornerstone University and abuts the Northeast neighborhood to the south. The Auburn Hills community is very friendly and has a mix of older stately homes and great apartments that are ideal for local college students. The neighborhood has a mix of single-level ranch homes, two-story homes, and tri-level homes that some owners have converted into apartments.

Auburn Hills also has a history of racial tolerance and inclusion due to its founding during the Civil Rights Era in the mid-1960s. The neighborhood was started by investors who established a neighborhood that was welcoming to Blacks and others and would not be subject to race-based policies that spurred the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Grand Rapids Community College is Located in the Heart of the City

Like many growing cities, Grand Rapids has a dedicated community college that is located in the heart of the downtown area. The commuter college is a terrific place in which to learn trades, obtain certifications in several professions, and prepare for studies at four-year colleges and universities upon earning an associate’s degree. The college is about a mile south of the I-196 spur that connects downtown Grand Rapids with the I-96 interstate, and the Grand River is about a mile to the west. Those attending the college would do well to consider finding student apartments in the following neighborhoods.

Belknap Lookout is Ideal for Enjoying City Life

Belknap Lookout is a very popular neighborhood that is very close to downtown Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Community College. The Belknap Lookout neighborhood is directly north of downtown and is very close to popular live-performance venues, restaurants, brew pubs, bars, and other popular destinations. It also is very close to the Grand River and its terrific salmon and steelhead runs, and five parks are located close by to support outdoor activities.

Locals commonly drop “Lookout” from the neighborhood’s name and often refer to is at “Belknap.” The neighborhood is about a 5-minute drive to the community college during non-peak traffic hours and between 10 and 15 minutes when roads are more congested during the morning and late-afternoon rush hours. Most apartments are in modern buildings, and many offer great views of the city and neighborhood.

Heritage Hill Provides Stately Rentals for Students

Heritage Hill apartments near Grand Rapids Community College are located southeast of the campus and just a short drive away. The neighborhood has many stately and historic homes that feature Victorian style and are often converted into apartment buildings. Those who love historic buildings could find many great options in the Heritage Hill neighborhood. It’s very close to downtown and all of the fun activities that it supports, and the neighborhood is a mostly open and friendly place in which to live while attending school.

East Hills Has Great Restaurants and Nightlife

East Hills is a fun and very walkable neighborhood that is situated a couple of miles southeast of the Grand Rapids Community College Campus. The East Hills neighborhood is a very friendly local area that offers some great local restaurants, brewpubs, coffee bars, and much more that generally appeal to the college-age crowd. Many local rentals are available for use as East Hills apartments near Grand Rapids Community College, and students can walk, bike, or drive there quickly and safely.

Find Grand Rapids Student Apartments Today

The greater Grand Rapids area is growing fast, and so are its colleges and universities. Many students can get a quality education and find employment locally among the many great job providers and others that have chosen to set up shop in one of Michigan’s most vibrant cities. Some careful consideration will enable students to find relatively affordable student apartments that offer easy access to campus and a short drive to the many great entertainment venues, brewpubs, stores, lakes, and other local attractions in Grand Rapids.