Off-Campus Housing Near West Chester University: A Renter’s Guide

Choosing where to live off campus is one of the bigger decisions of your time at West Chester University. Here is what we tell every student and parent who calls us, based on more than ten years of renting houses in West Chester Borough.

1. Measure distance in blocks, not miles

West Chester is a walking town. Our student rentals range from 1 block (13 Sharpless St) to 5 blocks (19 W Barnard St) from campus — roughly a 5 to 10 minute walk. Think about the walk you will make every day to class, and how close you want to be to downtown restaurants and shops on High and Gay Streets.

2. Know exactly what the rent covers

“Utilities included” means different things at different houses. Across our own properties you will find three patterns:

• All utilities included, sometimes with Wi-Fi and a TV — for example 300 W Barnard St.
• Water, sewer and trash included, with electricity and other services in the tenants’ names — for example the apartments at 303 S High St.
• Tenant-paid utilities — for example 530 S Matlack St.

When you compare houses, compare rent plus the utilities you will pay yourselves.

3. Sort out parking before you sign

Off-street spaces are limited and usually first-come, first-served. Some houses have several (530 S Matlack St has four; 13 Sharpless St fits up to six cars), while others rely on street parking. For street parking you will need a West Chester Borough residential permit, which depends on the street your house is on — check current rules with the Borough before you bring a car.

4. Line up a co-signer and your paperwork

Our application asks for a copy of your photo ID, previous landlord and employment information, and a parent or guardian co-signer with their contact, employer and income details. Having this ready speeds things up when several groups want the same house. See How to Apply for the forms.

5. Check the lease dates

Student leases are one-year leases; on our 2026 application they run from June 1 to May 16. If you only need housing for the academic year, plan for subletting or ask about shorter terms before signing — breaking a lease early means finding a replacement tenant or paying a penalty.

6. Be a good neighbor

Most off-campus houses are on residential streets next to long-time Borough residents. Agree on quiet hours with your housemates. Under our leases, two consecutive noise warnings from the authorities lead to eviction, so this one matters.

7. Ask who fixes things

Find out who you call when the heat stops or a pipe leaks, and how fast they respond. At JC Housing the owners manage the houses directly with a local maintenance team, and every property has outdoor security cameras that tenants can review.

Ready to start looking? Browse our student housing or call 610-273-8888.