A banner hangs outside of the StateHouse apartments on Lane Ave. Credit: Reegan Davis | Lantern Reporter
With more than 40 residence halls on Ohio State’s main campus, incoming and current students have plenty of options when it comes to their living space.
In The Lantern’s 2025 Best of OSU polling, students chose StateHouse Columbus as the best off-campus housing with 365 votes.
According to their website, StateHouse Columbus offers apartment-styled living designed for students, with amenities and locations tailored to meet the living needs of students while allowing them to remain close to campus.
StateHouse Columbus was previously their own brand of apartments, separate from the university, before signing a master lease agreement with Ohio State. This partnership turned the company’s Norwich and Lane Ave. apartments into residence halls for students, according to WOSU.
Students said that having their own, independent space is one of the perks of living in StateHouse apartments.
“I would say the main factor was having our own living space and kitchen,” Reese Rigney, a second-year in accounting and resident at StateHouse’s Norwich apartments, said. “I know there are a couple of dorms on campus that do allow for a kitchen and living space, but I know out of all of the options we saw, we felt that this was the best option.”
Sadie Howarth, a second-year in psychology, said StateHouse has more open space than the other residence halls, despite living with six people — which is more than the apartment is intended to house.
“Even having more people than it’s supposed to, it’s still so much more spacious than Taylor Tower,” Howarth said. “I lived in a quad [last year], so it was very cramped and very crowded. You can tell [the building has] been kept up with. It’s just a lot more of a home-y feeling, whereas the tower almost feels like a classroom type thing, with the floors and the walls.”
CJ Beeman, a second-year in finance and accounting, said living in StateHouse made it easier to see his friends throughout the school year.
“Last year, if I wanted to have my friends over I’d have to ask my roommate or just be in really tight quarters,” Beeman said. “This year, [living at StateHouse means] you’re able to see your friends a lot more because you guys can all hang out in the common area. It’s just a lot more of a regular lifestyle than living in a box in the [other] dorms.”
Howarth said she was apprehensive at first about selecting StateHouse Norwich because the location seemed far off campus, but she soon realized it was worth it.
“I feel like, especially for second-years, it’s a great in-between where you can get used to what living off-campus is going to be like because it’s basically an apartment,” Howarth said. “But you still have an RA and you still feel a lot more connected to campus … it’s a great transition stage.”
For more information on StateHouse Columbus’ off-campus residence halls, visit the Ohio State Housing website. For information on StateHouse’s other housing locations in the area, visit their website.
