Whether you’ll be new to Birmingham or a local considering a neighborhood change, navigating the housing market can be tough. But we know from experience that an inside scoop from your peers is always beneficial. For this Student Insight feature, our co-contributors reached out to a few of their classmates to learn more about their current neighborhoods and how they feel it works for their med student lifestyle.

*Shown by increasing distance from campus

View of several tall downtown city buildings and their reflections in water at Railroad Park.Downtown

Mike Wang – Living downtown has been really great, especially as an out-of-state student. The ability to walk to school has helped keep it easy to come to school, which is great since I prefer to attend lectures in person, and I can always study at school without much planning if I’m not working well at home. Downtown does tend to be more expensive, especially if you don’t plan to live with roommates, but remember that you don’t need to pay for parking or gas for commuting.

Florencia Scaglia Drusini - I currently live downtown, and I LOVE it! It is definitely on the more expensive side (I previously lived about 20 minutes away and it was half the price), but it is worthwhile for your clinical years. It is incredibly resourceful to be able to walk to the hospital and have a Publix within walking distance as well!

Nikki Panzica - The Venue. It's expensive but walking distance to UAB and probably cheap in comparison to others. I love the space, and love that it's right next to Railroad Park.

Exterior of Terrace Court Apartments in Five Points South.Southside

Javier Nishikawa – I live in Southside, just a block away from Dreamland Barbecue. I like the area because it’s quiet, safe, and a 15 minute walk to Volker. I don’t feel like I’m living in the madness of downtown, and everywhere I need to go is a short drive away. H2 Realty has a lot of good properties in this neighborhood, and the rent is very reasonable.

Brandon Edney - I live in Southside on 15th street. Rent ranges from $1000 - 2000. It’s close to campus and cheaper than living downtown; very close to 5 Points. There’s a CVS less than a block away and a Publix on the north side of town (20+ min walk). 10 min walk to campus.

Henry Paiste - Southside (Glen Iris) is an affordable (<$700), nice area to walk around, and its very close to school. I can walk to Volker in less than 25 minutes.

Highland Park & Avondale

Ben Honan - I live with a roommate in one side of a duplex in Forest Park, on the border with Avondale. It’s a 10-minute drive to campus which gives me a nice separation from school life, but I still have the benefits of being close to downtown. Forest Park is a quiet neighborhood with lots of families. Avondale has a younger crowd with several restaurants and places to hang out- you’re never far from a brewery or park. I pay $750 a month for rent.

Nikhi Singh - I live in Highland Park. It’s incredible: 7-minute drive to school but feels like I'm in a neighborhood. Historic buildings and dog friendly!

Emma Bryant - Iron City Lofts off of 4th Avenue. I love it. It's really quiet and not too far from the school. I live with a roommate and pay $740 in rent, which includes cable and internet. Electric and water bills are separate.

Homewood/Mountain Brook/Vestavia Hills"It's Awesome to Have You in Avondale" mural, created by Rob Clifton, is painted on an exterior wall at Avondale Brewing Company.

Miranda Worley - I live at the Oaks at Lakeshore. I love the area because it's safe and close to many different grocery stores like Walmart and Publix (and most importantly it's close to several coffee shops!). It's located about 15 minutes from campus without traffic, but with traffic it can take quite a bit longer. Luckily, traffic hasn't been an issue for me so far, but it can definitely be considered a con! I would say the price range is about average for the area and for the amenities that are offered.

Katie McMillan - I live in a house in West Homewood with two roommates. Our neighborhood is very family friendly and close to several grocery stores and really any kind of store you need. I like living in a neighborhood (vs. downtown) because I feel like when I come home, I am unplugged from school and the bustle of downtown. Volker is about a 10-minute drive— only two exits north on I-65. I pay $550 rent, plus ~$100 for utilities every month.

Brett Cooke - Arbors at Cahaba River, located off Highway 280, and it is around 15-20 minutes away from campus. I love it! It is located directly across the street from a Publix and a Lifetime Fitness which is great for trying to stay active. This apartment, as well as the surrounding complexes, are all very safe, and there are many young professionals in this area. You are a short drive away from the Summit, the Colonnade, and the rest of 280, so a lack of places to grocery shop or have fun is never an issue. I live in a 1,300 square foot 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment here. The rent, not including utilities, is $1,111. It isn’t downtown, but I don’t necessarily think that is a bad thing. For me, it allows me to detach from school some when I am at home.

Scott Nguyen - I live at Avenues of Lakeshore with two roommates. The things I like most about the place is how low the rent is and how convenient it is to get food and ingredients from grocery stores and restaurants on the way home from campus. Walmart and Sam’s Club are both on the way home, and there are lots and lots of quick food options. My rent is about $520 plus utilities which range from $50-$100. Avenues of Lakeshore is about a 15-minute drive, and traffic is usually a problem from 7 to 8 a.m. and 4:30 to 6 p.m. Heavy traffic adds about 10-15 minutes to my commute.

Exterior of Regions Field in Downtown Birmingham.Hoover and beyond

Bianca Godwins - Current: Chace Lake Villas. Pros: Near the mall and lots of food stores; Cons: Not gated and 18 minutes from campus. Upcoming: Retreat at Greystone. Pros: Luxury complex, quiet, gated, private; Cons: Near 280, price is $1500-2000+

Charles Gagnon - I live in a townhouse in Pelham. Pros: the location is close to lots of grocery stores; I have a small yard that I can take care of; my neighborhood is quiet and mostly young families or retired individuals; and it is nearby to the interstate. Cons: it’s about 30 minutes from school and not a lot of students live this far out from Birmingham.