Living in Cleveland

We are located in University Circle, one of America's highest concentrations of cultural attractions and performing arts venues. Cleveland was named 15th best place to live in the U.S. in 2016 based on affordability, cultural offerings, safety and green space.

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The average monthly rent for an apartment in Cleveland is significantly less than the cost of an apartment in other major cities; this makes the real cost of attending our school lower than many comparable schools.

Cleveland Chicago D.C. N.Y.C.
$775 $1,281 $2,080 $2,711

Neighborhoods Near the Law School

view of uptown at case western reserve university, with Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland on left and Toby's Plaza in foreground
Uptown

Just a five-minute walk from the law school are the 200 modern Uptown apartments, situated within a thriving retail, dining and cultural development.

street view of cleveland heights coventry and cedar-fairmount area in cleveland ohio
Cleveland Heights (Coventry & Cedar Fairmount)

Many of our students live in the neighborhoods of Coventry, North Coventry and Cedar-Fairmount in the city of Cleveland Heights. These areas have grocery stores, restaurants, pubs and are a 15- to 25-minute walk to the law school.

street view of people outside historic shaker square area, with shaker square cinemas and zanzibar restaurant
Shaker Square

Historic Shaker Square is a collection of apartments, restaurants, shops, a grocery store and a theater. A 10-minute drive from the law school, this is another area popular living area for our students. A city bus runs from Shaker Square to University Circle, while the RTA has train options that run between Shaker Square and downtown.

How—and When—to Get Housing Information

May through June is a good time to start looking for housing for occupancy in August. The annual Entering Student Day in June (for admitted applicants) provides a good opportunity for entering students to get to know other incoming 1Ls who may also be looking for a roommate and to take a look at the notices posted on the bulletin boards around the law school by people looking for someone to share an apartment or house. Also, the university's most recent Off-Campus Housing List is available at this program.

University Housing's Off-Campus Housing section provides students with information about rental housing. In addition to online links and resources, the office also provides valuable tips and information about where to find rental units close to the university.

view of track on DiSanto field, with Village at 115 housing complex in background

Assistant Residential Community Director Positions

Some upper-level law students choose to live and work as residence hall mentors or coordinators. The university has some beautiful residence halls within a short walk of the law school, including one that surrounds the football field.

For more information about this option, visit the Graduate Positions page of the Residence Life website.

Getting To and From Campus—and Around Cleveland

Cleveland’s public transportation system is known as the RTA. The system combines bus routes and rapid transit lines that can connect you to campus or around the city, depending on where you choose to live.

The RTA at Little Italy is a direct 30-minute train ride to downtown and a 45-minute ride to the airport. In addition, the RTA Healthline connects the University with downtown using double buses that automatically trigger lights, making it the quickest way to get from University Circle to PlayhouseSquare, East Fourth Street, and Public Square.

To learn more about public transit options, visit the RTA website.