By Emily Schoch | Staff writer
As Baylor students start to get settled into off-campus housing, the rent in Waco slowly climbs.
As of this year, the rent at University Parks apartment ranges between $1,074 and $1,253 for a year lease. At U Pointe on Speight, rent ranges from $779 to $1,699. Similarly, The Outpost ranges from $754 to $2,415 for a year-long lease.
Not only college do students have to afford rent they also have to afford groceries as well. Groceries can cost anywhere from $100 to $150 for one person a week. A student living off campus will spend an average of $1,600 A month on rent and groceries.
Colleyville sophomore Audrey Jarrett said she found it very alarming to see inflation causing rent in Waco to rise. Jarrett expressed that since this is her first year living off-campus, she is having to buy groceries and pay rent for the first time. Due to rising prices, Jarrett said she is going to be forced to get creative with how she spends her money.
“Now we not only have to pay an extremely high rent, but we have groceries and gas to think about as well. It has forced me to be more mindful about how I spend money and where I spend money since the majority of my budget is having to be spent on rent.” Jarrett said.
In 2014 the average rent in Waco was $600-$750 and the cost of groceries was $40-$70 per person every week, which means students living off campus would spend around $1,050 on groceries and rent a month. These numbers have only risen since then.
“Having to choose between focusing on my studies or managing to work enough should not be the reality of having to afford all the expenses in college.” Jarrett said.
On average, the difference in rent and grocery cost between the year 2014 and the year 2024 is about $550. For college students, this can be an extremely stressful situation. Some students have to pay for their own tuition, living and groceries. The increase in rent in Waco alongside the inflation causing grocery prices to rise has created a difficult situation for students, who sometimes have to choose between focusing on their studies or managing to work enough to be able to afford all the expenses that go into college.
Houston sophomore Mia Crawford said the rent in Waco is dependent on proximity to Baylor. The closer you are to campus. the higher your rent is. For students, this can be a tough battle. The trade-off is often that proximity to campus negates the need for a costly parking pass.
“Rent in college towns is definitely crazy, especially the closer you get to campus because you’re paying for proximity,” Crawford said. “When I was deciding where to live, I definitely thought about the possibility of not being able to get a parking spot on campus and how far of a walk my commute would be. I ended up paying more to be closer to campus so that I could walk to my classes.”
