Corvallis has a difficult housing market (98-99% occupancy rate). Rental housing is harder to find when students are looking (start of fall term, late in spring term).

Advice from current mathematics graduate students

“Deciding where to live in this area is a little easier when you focus on what matters to you. Do you want to be close to campus and save time? Try Corvallis. Do you want to save money but still live close enough to bike to campus? Try Philomath. Do you want a lower rent and don’t mind a ten/fifteen minute commute? Try Albany. Free buses for OSU students run to multiple locations around Corvallis, Philomath, and Albany, so you don’t have to have a car even if you decide to live outside of Corvallis. Just don’t worry too much about choosing the wrong place. See if it works the first year and if it doesn’t, try a different place the next year. Or, find a place with month-to-month rent or a 6-month lease, and that way you can move if you decide you don’t like it.”
- 2nd year Mathematics graduate student

“Living in the city of Corvallis can be more expensive than living in neighboring towns, but in my opinion the travel time I save is very worth it. Note that if you don't have a car, it is important to find an apartment or house with on-site laundry services.”
- 1st year Mathematics graduate student

“I would suggest, if you don't mind a small commute, to live in Albany. It is quieter, more square footage per dollar, and usually cheaper rent. I live in a one bedroom apartment that is ~25 minutes from getting in the car to parking on campus for $710 a month. However, if you do not mind living with roommates it can be cheaper to live in Corvallis. But for someone that is kind of a clean freak and doesn't like sharing a kitchen and bathroom, Albany would work best.”
- 1st year Mathematics graduate student

“Corvallis can have expensive housing options, but the nearby towns of Philomath and Albany have much more affordable housing. There is a free bus (the Philomath Connection) that runs from Philomath to Corvallis. If you want housing in Corvallis, the housing options get cheaper the farther away you move from the university. The transit system in Corvallis is fareless, so you can save money on gas and on university parking if you take the bus. There is a Winco and a Bi-Mart in town which have great deals on food and hardware, respectively.”
- 3rd year Mathematics graduate student

“Housing in Corvallis is tough to find. When I came to Corvallis my first year, I looked up some rental property management places, and I saw that they had some apartments available. They were able to accommodate the fact that I was not going to be in Corvallis to sign papers and tour the apartment. I liked the fact that I lived pretty close to campus (about 15 min walk to the Math building from my house), though it was a bit pricey (roughly $750/month). I figured my first year would be a little tight financially, and then the next year I would room with a new friend. That's exactly what I did (in fact, I'm currently rooming with a fellow math grad), and I liked that a lot.”
- 3rd year Mathematics graduate student

“The Gem in Corvallis is an easy (but somewhat expensive) place to get into and is nice because of its location (a really short walk to the Math building) and lack of roommates.”
- 1st year Mathematics graduate student

“Be cautious about rooming with undergraduates. According to OSU's graduate orientation, if you live in a property that sees any underage drinking or drug use, your funding could be suspended. Living on the main roads or by the frat houses in Corvallis can also be noisy. If noise bothers you, try to look for apartments toward the west/northwest section of town.”
- 1st year Mathematics graduate student