A Student's Guide to Picking a Perfect Las Vegas Neighborhood for College Life
When most people think of Las Vegas, they think of gambling and the city’s partying reputation, but it is also a terrific college town. The rents are reasonable. There are plenty of places to work part-time while going to school and lots of modestly priced restaurants to eat a tasty meal.
Even though most people have a car to get around Las Vegas because it is too hot to walk very far in the summer, it is convenient to have an apartment that is only a few minutes away from your school.
This guide covers the neighborhoods with student apartments near five colleges, which are the College of Southern Nevada (Charleston and Cheyenne campuses), Nevada State College, the University of Nevada, and Roseman University of Health Sciences.
College of Southern Nevada - Charleston Campus
The College of Southern Nevada (CSN) has multiple campuses in Las Vegas. The Charleston Campus is the largest one. It is near the world-famous Las Vegas strip on the eastern side of the campus. If you go west from campus, you can visit the beautiful Red Rock Canyon to go for a hike, see the wild burros, and perhaps ride a horse if you like horseback riding.
The college offers a self-guided tour to help you learn the campus layout.
Regarding degrees and certificates, there are two-year programs to earn an Associate degree and four-year programs to earn either a Bachelor of Applied Science or a Bachelor of Science. You may also study to earn a Certificate of Achievement in technology, manufacturing, engineering, casino management, computer science, and other popular and practical fields.
This college offers programs in the arts, student clubs, and engaging social activities. There are sports programs in baseball, basketball, softball, soccer, and volleyball.
Here are the neighborhoods near CSN to consider when hunting for a place to rent or share.
Charleston Preservation
This Charleston Preservation neighborhood near CSN is north of the campus. It is a few minutes to get to the school by car, or you can take a bus down S. Torrey Oines Drive.
One-bedroom apartments in this neighborhood start from a little over $1000 with a range of rents reaching over $2000. Two bedrooms generally are around 20% per month more. Three-bedroom apartments are the most economically viable to share with roommates as student apartments. While the overall cost of 3 Bedroom apartments is higher, it is usually split among the roommates which makes the individual cost for each person quite manageable.
Canyon Gate
This neighborhood is southwest of the CSN campus with about a 50/50 split for residents renting vs owning. Apartments here start around $1000 for the cheapest one-bedroom and scale up from there all the way up to expensive luxury three-bedrooms. With a variety of bars, coffee shops, eateries and parks in the area, its easy to see why Canyon Gate is so popular among young professionals and students alike.
Speaking of parks, the Rainbow Family Park is a lovely green space in this neighborhood for local residents to enjoy. It has baseball fields, picnic tables with barbeque grills, and playgrounds. Dogs on a leash are welcome there too.
Buffalo
Buffalo is a nice area for student renters located just southeast of the CSN campus. Although it is mostly a car dependent area, there are walkable sidewalks in most of the area and many residents here stake the claim that parking is relatively easy and accessible. The area also boasts many options in nightlife, dining and shopping for student renters in the area.
The Charleston Commons is a nice shopping area with big box stores like OfficeMax, Ross Dress for Less, PetSmart, and a 99-Cents-Only store. In the shopping complex across the street, there are many smaller stores as well.
Students enjoy the all-you-can-eat Buffet@Asia (S Rainbow/W Sahara), which is near another popular eatery called Hash House A Go Go (W Sahara).
College of Southern Nevada – Cheyenne Campus
This campus of the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) is in North Las Vegas. It specializes in programs in Automotive Technology, Computing & Information Technology, Media Technologies, and Culinary Arts. Best Choice School named this college as the 7th best culinary school in America.
The college campus has a Planetarium, a Fine Arts Gallery, and the Nicholas Horn Performing Arts Center. The buildings are powered by sustainable energy from solar arrays. There is a virtual tour of the campus to explore more.
Here are the neighborhoods near CSN
Downtown North Las Vegas
Downtown North Las Vegas apartments near the CSN Cheyenne campus are available at student-friendly rental prices. You can often find some great deals on apartments in this area - even some studios under $1000 (as of 2025). If you wish to share a larger place with roommates, two-bedroom apartments start at prices that are not too much higher. Sharing a low-cost two- or three-bedroom apartment can sometimes bring your shared rent to less than $500 per month per bedroom.
Because North Las Vegas developed after Las Vegas proper, the apartment complexes are quite new and attractive. People like to live here to get away from the gambling focus of the Las Vegas Strip and enjoy a nice suburban neighborhood.
Northeast Las Vegas
Northeast Las Vegas apartments near CSN Cheyenne campus are spacious and of good value. If you don’t already know, you should seek an apartment with covered parking if you have a car. In the summer heat, a car parked outside in the sun will heat up to the temperatures of an oven—enough to melt plastic!
This area is near Nellis Air Force Base. You will be competing with military members and their families for an apartment at a low price. The student-focused apartments cost about $500-$700 per bedroom if you share the apartment. If you prefer to live alone, you will have to spend about 20% more on a one-bedroom apartment or just slightly more for a studio.
Angeline Falls
This is a nice neighborhood for students attending CSN Cheyenne campus. Good values can easily be found for students in renting shareable two and three bedrooms. The area also has some solid budget options, so be sure to shop around.
A short drive north will take you to Craig Ranch Regional Park. The park was built on a former golf course and has grass lawns kept alive by irrigation with reclaimed water, playgrounds, picnic areas, and sports fields.
Nevada State College / UNLV - Shadow Lane Campus
The main campus of Nevada State College (NSC) is in the nearby city of Henderson, which is south of Las Vegas. Some classes can be taken at the University of Las Vegas (UNLV) – Shadow Lane campus, which is near downtown Las Vegas and the Clark County Government Center.
Here are some neighborhoods in this area.
Medical District
The Medical District is a popular area for students at Nevada State College to find a great place to live. One of the highlights in this neighborhood is the Discovery Children’s Museum, which has interesting and fun interactive exhibits for the kiddos. The Medical District is also near the Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center. Another feature of this area is the World Market Center, which is for fashion, furniture, and design.
Parkway Center
This area is a bit more expensive by comparison to the rest of Vegas. The best bet for Las Vegas area students renting here would be to get a student-friendly two-bedroom apartment to share if you have a roommate willing to chip in and split the cost with you. With plenty to get out of the apartment and do from shopping to nightlife, this is a conveniently located area in the center of all the action.
If you are looking for a place more on the Parkway The nicest apartments are in high-rise buildings. If you can afford the luxury prices, there are fully furnished studio apartments that might be a little more expensive, but can give renters the luxury living experience they might be looking for.
Symphony Park
The best choices in the Symphony Park area near the college campus are the three-bedroom apartments in low-rise apartment complexes that often have large outdoor swimming pools to enjoy when you are not in class. If you want to meet lots of fun people, apartments in this area are popular with students and young singles.
The rents are on par with the rest of the area, and like the other areas for students, value can be found by sharing a place with roommates.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is the largest public college in the area. Enrollment is close to 33,000 students. It is an accredited research university that offers bachelor's programs, master's, and doctorate degrees. It is in the top five schools for diversity. It is in the top 100 for graduate and professional programs.
Many fine performances, musical concerts, and sports events can be seen at the Thomas Mack Center. You can cheer for the home-team UNLV Rebels at the sports events.
Here are the nearby neighborhoods.
Midtown Las Vegas
Located just south of Downtown Las Vegas near the Las Vegas Country Club, this area is in the heart of the action, offering a mix of cheap student apartments, homes and condo options for rentals near UNLV along with a plethora of restaurants and shopping in the area to enjoy while living there. Students living in Midtown can enjoy a fantastic variety of culinary tastes here including Asian, Greek, Italian, great pizza, fast food, and various other gourmet foods from around the globe.
Las Vegas Country Club
This is one of the first well-established gated communities in Las Vegas. Living here is like being in a pleasantly landscaped private area in the center of the busy metropolis. A golfer’s paradise, Las Vegas Country Club is a historic area that surrounds one of Vegas' first private Golf courses.
Rents have a wide range from moderately priced Studios to lavish, high-dollar luxury 3 bedrooms, so shopping around to find the deal that best fits you is the key here. You will find plenty of apartment options in the area, but be sure to take a look at some of the homes and condos for rent in Las Vegas Country Club as an option too!
Paradise Palms
Apartments in Paradise Palms are next to UNLV and the University District. You can find one very close to the campus and then walk or bicycle to school. Students keep the In-N-Out Burger restaurant constantly busy.
This area is close to McCarran Airport, making it convenient for students to fly home when school is not in session or for holidays.
Roseman University of Health Sciences
The Roseman University of Health Sciences is a non-profit private university that specializes in training healthcare professionals. The main campus is in Henderson, Nevada. It is near the Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden.
Here are some neighborhoods to consider.
Whitney
The Whitney area near the Roseman University of Health Sciences is minutes from Henderson and a good location for students in Vegas who want to find a home away from the lights, sounds and energy closer to Vegas proper and the Strip. In this quiet area three student roommates could easily share a three-bedroom apartment and pay around $400-$500 each per month leaving you more money to hit the Strip when the studying is done.
There are are a wide variety of new or nearly new apartment rentals as well as larger homes and condos in Whitney that can make the perfect place to live. Whether an apartment, home or condo though, most rentals here are spacious with some having lovely high ceilings, fresh new paint and carpet.
East Las Vegas
This area of East Las Vegas is worth considering if you are on a limited budget. Rentals in this area generally are a little more affordable than some of the other Vegas areas.
The Sunset Station Hotel and Casino is in Henderson, near the school. You can find it in a complex with a Walmart, a Home Depot, and a Costco.
Whitney Ranch
For our review of apartments near colleges in Las Vegas, we wanted to end with a bang with an area that is home the most luxurious apartment options. Whitney Ranch is a pricier area for sure, but there are so many comfy and nice options for those seeking a little more upscale living experience.
The prices are likely a bit higher in Whitney Ranch because the area does have a big focus on single-family homes and a smaller volume of rentals available, which creates a higher demand for renters who choose to live here. If you are willing to pay such high prices, you might want to consider renting a home or a duplex in the area as well to geta little more square footage for a similar price.
Enjoy Studying In Las Vegas
Finding an apartment in Las Vegas is super easy because there are so many to consider. As a student, you can save money by sharing a larger apartment with roommates. Be sure to discuss the rules about having roommates with a potential landlord. Be sure that the apartment is allowed to be shared and that you can replace a roommate with another person if someone has to move out.
Be careful signing a lease that makes you obligated for the entire rent if one of your roommates does not pay their share. If you must sign a lease that makes you fully responsible, you need to manage your roommates carefully and get a hefty security deposit when they move in.
Enjoy your hunt to find your new apartment and have a good experience going to a college in Las Vegas.
