Study: 27% of UW-Madison students share bedroom to save on rent

MADISON, Wis. -- Over a quarter of UW-Madison students share a bedroom in order to to save money on rent, a newly-released study found.

The study , conducted by Chicago-based consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (JLL) looked at Madison's student housing market including students' off-campus housing experiences.

Madison Alder Juliana Bennett came up with the idea for the study, and UW-Madison leaders said they will use the findings to inform future policy decisions. The student survey was given to 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students and had 4,401 respondents with 3,599 completing all questions.

The study found that average rent near campus is $1,273 per moth, but students reported paying less than $1,000 per month by living in older properties and sharing rooms. The study found 27% of students share a room in order to save money. Typically only about 10% of students at similarly-sized schools share a bedroom.

JLL found that UW residence halls have consistently housed more students than designed, with an average occupancy rate of 104% between 2010 and 2023. When data from 2020, a year heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, is excluded the average occupancy rate jumps to 114%.

Additionally, rental properties near campus, be it new, renovated or old, have an average occupancy rate of 98%.

The study also found that average rent decreases the further the property is from campus. Average rent within a mile radius from campus was $1,746 while the average within a three-mile radius was $1,452 and withing a five-mile radius was $1,384. Only about 31% of surveyed units had a price tag below $1,000 per bed.

JLL found that students consider a rent of $978 per month "affordable" however that rate can only be found at properties that are 20 years old or older unless students share a room.

The authors of the study recommended that UW-Madison "consider significant investments" to boost on-campus housing and work with private developers to build off-campus properties geared towards students.

JLL also recommended that the City of Madison give tax incentives and other financial supports to developers who designate a portion of their buildings for affordable housing units.

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