Which Community Is Right For You?
University Commons and 44 North both offer 1, 2, and 4-bedroom apartments a short walk from UMN. This guide walks through how each one is actually set up, so you can figure out which fits how you want to live.
If you've been apartment hunting near UMN, chances are University Commons and 44 North have both shown up on your list. Both offer the same three bed-count categories, 1, 2, and 4-bedroom, both lease by the person with roommate matching, and both come fully furnished. From there, the two communities make some genuinely different choices about unit variety, fees, and what's bundled into the rent. Here's what each one actually offers, sourced from what each community publishes about itself, so you can weigh them against what matters most to you.
Where you live shapes your everyday routine: how early you have to leave for a 9am, whether you can run home between classes, and how you get around the rest of the city.
Sits directly at the edge of the East Bank campus at 609 SE Huron Blvd, close enough that residents typically reach class on foot in just a few minutes. The Green Line's Stadium Village stop and several Metro Transit bus lines are a short walk away, with I-35W, Augsburg University, and Dunwoody College all close by.
Located at 2701 4th Street SE, which 44 North's own site describes as about 4 minutes from the University of Minnesota and within walking distance of campus.
Bed count and square footage decide how much privacy you get and how the cost splits with roommates, so it's worth comparing both before you sign.
Five floor plans across 1, 2, and 4-bedroom layouts, each with published square footage:
| 1 Bed / 1 Bath | 501 sq ft |
| 2 Bed / 2 Bath | 727 or 905 sq ft |
| 4 Bed / 2 Bath | 1,111 sq ft |
| 4 Bed / 4 Bath | 1,205 sq ft |
The same three bed-count categories as University Commons, 1, 2, and 4-bedroom, but spread across nine distinct floor plan codes, including double-occupancy, semi-private, private-study, and XL layouts. Square footage isn't published on 44 North's own site; the leasing office would need to confirm exact dimensions for a given layout.
Furniture, utilities, and fees are some of the easiest costs to overlook when comparing rent between two properties, so it's worth checking exactly what's bundled in and what's billed separately.
Internet is included in every apartment, and each home has a full-sized in-unit washer and dryer. Every 1, 2, and 4-bedroom apartment is fully furnished as standard, with a living room package and a bedroom package for every bedroom, and furniture is included in the rent with no separate charge.
Rent includes in-unit laundry, high-speed Wi-Fi, and community amenities, plus a flat $6-per-installment utility billing fee per the property's published rate terms. An annual administrative fee of $550 (or $150 with an approved guarantor) applies on top of rent. Apartments are fully furnished with granite counters and stainless-steel appliances, and leasing is per person with roommate matching.
Shared spaces are where a lot of student life actually happens outside of class, so it's worth knowing what each community offers beyond the apartment itself.
- 24-hour fitness center with strength, cardio & free weights
- 24-hour resident lounge with billiards and a foosball table
- 24-hour Academic Success Center with free printing
- Enhanced-privacy floor plans set aside for studying
- Multimedia area and outdoor grilling station
- Oversized hot tub
- On-site surface, carport, and garage parking
- Pet friendly; contact the leasing office for current pet fee, breed, and weight details
- 24-hour fitness center
- Clubhouse and lounge with resident social events
- Business center with private study rooms
- Grilling stations
- Secure bike parking and on-site parking
- Patios and balconies in select apartments
- Pet friendly
What Matters Most To You?
Use whichever list below matches your priorities as a starting point, then tour both in person to see the space for yourself.
University Commons Wins If You Want:
- Exact published square footage for every floor plan before you tour
- An oversized hot tub
- A 24-hour resident lounge with billiards & foosball
- Furniture included standard, with no separate administrative fee
44 North Wins If You Want:
- The widest variety of unit configurations within the same 1, 2, and 4-bedroom range
- A clubhouse with regular resident social events
- A patio or balcony, available in select apartments
- Secure bike parking
Check Out Both If You Want:
- In-unit laundry, standard at both
- Internet included, standard at both
- A fully furnished apartment with individual, per-person leasing and roommate matching
- A pet-friendly community, each with its own fee structure
University Commons is an Equal Housing Opportunity community, professionally managed by Coastal Ridge Real Estate.
Details for 44 North reflect that community's own published materials as of August 2026 and are provided for informational comparison only. Pricing, availability, square footage, and policies are subject to change; confirm current terms directly with each leasing office before signing.