Approximately 800 W&L students live off campus, and with rents that can reach $475 per month, per person, the bills can often be daunting. During the winter months, it’s often difficult to heat the older homes within the city limits that were built at the turn of the century.

Junior Taylor Woods, who lives in a home on Tucker Street that was built in the 1880s, said, “I think we came in with a realistic set of expectations. Heating’s been a problem…the heating bills have been exceptionally high.”

Photo by Michael Fahey

Students living at a house on Randolph Street said that over the winter, in one month, their house incurred a $700 bill for natural gas usage.

For those students receiving financial aid, Washington and Lee University’s Head of Financial Aid John DeCourcy said that students can use any portion of their financial aid package remaining after tuition costs to help subsidize the costs of living off-campus.

DeCourcy said that students can go to the business office and request a tuition credit check. The students will be issued the check, and it can then be put towards rent or utilities.

The administration's stance on off-campus housing


Issues with the rising cost of off-campus housing

The city of Lexington: An interactive map of student housing

Can you handle the bills? An interactive chart on rents and bills in Lexington

Students speak out about the conditions of their off-campus housing

Read what students have to say about their experiences with off-campus housing

Catch the producer's thoughts at Open Mike Night

Watch a vlog about the issues surrounding off-campus housing in Lexington

Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.

Lead supervisor:      Prof. Claudette Artwick

Reporting supervisors:

Prof. Doug Cumming

Prof. Phylissa Mitchell

Prof. Brian Richardson

Technical supervisor:  Michael Todd