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- 23 College Towns Where Buying a Home Costs Less Than Student Room and Board</p>
<p>Gabrielle OlyaOctober 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM</p>
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<p>jacoblund / Getty Images/iStockphoto</p>
<p>Attending college has become increasingly unaffordable, but it's not just tuition that's rising — room and board costs have surged, too. A new analysis by Mortgage Research Network found that in nearly 1 in 5 college towns, it's now cheaper to buy a home than to pay for dorms or off-campus housing over a student's college career.</p>
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<p>The study compared housing costs at 121 universities nationwide, factoring in mortgage payments, property taxes, insurance, closing costs and maintenance. It also accounted for rental income and expected home appreciation. In 23 college towns, the total cost of buying a home came out lower than the cost of renting or living in a dorm.</p>
<p>Here are the college towns where buying a home could save students and families money — and potentially build equity while earning a degree.</p>
<p>Roman Babakin / Shutterstock.comTemple University: Philadelphia -</p>
<p>Average home price: $234,799</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $50,904</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $29,742</p>
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<p>Davebanner12 / Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA 3Marshall University: Huntington, West Virginia -</p>
<p>Average home price: $137,909</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $38,556</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $18,805</p>
<p>gregobagel / Getty Images/iStockphotoUniversity of Delaware: Newark, Delaware -</p>
<p>Average home price: $365,150</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $44,514</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $16,696</p>
<p>Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.comUniversity of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, Alabama -</p>
<p>Average home price: $227,250</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $44,520</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $16,353</p>
<p>Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphotoUniversity of Memphis: Memphis, Tennessee -</p>
<p>Average home price: $151,722</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $31,032</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $15,171</p>
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<p>Brad Armentor / Flickr.comLouisiana State University: Baton Rouge, Louisiana -</p>
<p>Average home price: $228,376</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $42,888</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $15,006</p>
<p>emma mason / Getty ImagesUniversity at Buffalo: Buffalo, New York -</p>
<p>Average home price: $243,408</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $50,262</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $13,803</p>
<p>©Shutterstock.comUniversity of South Carolina-Columbia: Columbia, South Carolina -</p>
<p>Average home price: $226,684</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $37,674</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $13,631</p>
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<p>Keith J Finks / Shutterstock.comKent State University: Kent, Ohio -</p>
<p>Average home price: $242,686</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $39,120</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $12,273</p>
<p>BrianEKushner / Getty Images/iStockphotoRowan University: Glassboro, New Jersey -</p>
<p>Average home price: $367,886</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $49,659</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $11,772</p>
<p>bgwalker / Getty Images/iStockphotoUniversity of Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh -</p>
<p>Average home price: $244,928</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $40,260</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $10,481</p>
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<p>Aspen Photo / Shutterstock.comWest Virginia University: Morgantown, West Virginia -</p>
<p>Average home price: $274,455</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $41,628</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $9,489</p>
<p>JHVEPhoto / Getty ImagesUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette: Lafayette, Louisiana -</p>
<p>Average home price: $222,435</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $35,964</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $8,965</p>
<p>Pete Spiro / Shutterstock.comOhio State University: Columbus, Ohio -</p>
<p>Average home price: $256,012</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $42,816</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $8,144</p>
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<p>Joe Hendrickson / Getty ImagesUniversity of Illinois Chicago: Chicago -</p>
<p>Average home price: $315,409</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $43,800</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $8,022</p>
<p>EQRoy / Shutterstock.comUniversity of Cincinnati: Cincinnati -</p>
<p>Average home price: $252,920</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $39,144</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $4,673</p>
<p>Robert Michaud / Getty ImagesUniversity of Southern Mississippi: Hattiesburg, Mississippi -</p>
<p>Average home price: $218,582</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $34,992</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $4,080</p>
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<p>Thomas R Machnitzki / Wikimedia CommonsArkansas State University: Jonesboro, Arkansas -</p>
<p>Average home price: $221,944</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $33,300</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $3,946</p>
<p>Edward Palm / Getty ImagesLiberty University: Lynchburg, Virginia -</p>
<p>Average home price: $262,020</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $38,757</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $3,067</p>
<p>youngryand / Getty ImagesUniversity of Wisconsin: Milwaukee -</p>
<p>Average home price: $222,245</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $32,940</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $2,947</p>
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<p>leightrail / Getty ImagesUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: Champaign, Illinois -</p>
<p>Average home price: $230,630</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $41,814</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $2,884</p>
<p>Patrick Tr / Shutterstock.comUniversity of South Florida: Tampa, Florida -</p>
<p>Average home price: $376,278</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $40,785</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $404</p>
<p>ErikaMitchell / Getty ImagesVermont State University: Randolph, Vermont -</p>
<p>Average home price: $346,372</p>
<p>Cost of room and board for 3 years: $38,694</p>
<p>3-year savings when buying a home: $204</p>
<p>Editor's note: Data sourced from Mortgage Research Network and accurate as of Aug. 14, 2025.</p>
<p>Editor's note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations listed in this article.</p>
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<p>This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 23 College Towns Where Buying a Home Costs Less Than Student Room and Board</p>
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