MOVE TO AUBURN: WHAT DOES “CLOSE TO CAMPUS” MEAN?
Move to Auburn and one of the first questions you may ask is, “How close should I live to Auburn University?”
My answer is another question:
What does “close to campus” mean to YOU?
Walking distance?
A five-minute drive?
Ten minutes?
Would you consider 15 minutes close if the house gave you more of what you wanted?
And here’s an even more important question:
Which part of Auburn University do you actually need to reach?
I’ve lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988. I’m an Auburn University alumna, and I also worked at Auburn University before my real estate career.
So when someone relocating here tells me, “I want to live close to campus,” I know we need to dig a little deeper.
Auburn University (https://www.auburn.edu/) isn’t one building or one destination. Where you’re going, how you’re getting there, where you’ll park and what you want in a home all matter.
The best location isn’t necessarily the house with the smallest number of miles between your front door and Auburn University. It’s the location that works for your actual life.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What does “close to campus” mean?
- Where on campus are you going?
- Walking distance vs. driving distance
- What changes as you move farther from campus?
- Parking and your real commute
- Downtown Auburn vs. campus access
- Auburn football and game-day considerations
- Should you consider Opelika?
- Questions to answer before you buy
- Quick Q&A
MOVE TO AUBURN: DEFINE “CLOSE TO CAMPUS” FIRST
Before we look at a single house, I want to understand what you’re really trying to accomplish.
For some buyers, “close” means:
• I want to walk to Auburn University.
• I want to be able to walk downtown.
• I want a five-minute drive to work.
• I want a convenient commute, but I don’t care whether it’s five, 10 or 15 minutes.
• I want to be close to Auburn football and game-day activity.
Those are not the same home search.
That’s why I don’t want to draw an arbitrary circle around campus and assume everything inside it works for you.
WHERE ON AUBURN UNIVERSITY’S CAMPUS ARE YOU GOING?
This is one of the most useful questions I can ask someone relocating for Auburn University.
Where will you actually work?
Auburn University‘s official campus resources show academic buildings, administrative facilities, athletic facilities, parking areas and other destinations spread across campus.
That means your specific destination matters.
Maybe you’re going to Lowder Hall.
Maybe you’re working near Haley Center.
Maybe your destination is in the engineering area.
Maybe you’re going to the College of Veterinary Medicine.
I’ve been an Auburn student and an Auburn University employee. From real-world experience, I know that saying something is “close to Auburn University” isn’t specific enough to tell you how convenient your daily routine will be.
Your commute is to your destination—not to a pin labeled Auburn University on a map.
DOES “CLOSE TO CAMPUS” MEAN YOU WANT TO WALK?
If you tell me you want to walk to Auburn University, that’s useful.
Now let’s get more specific.
How far will you realistically walk?
Where exactly are you going?
Will you make that walk every weekday?
Would you still want to make it during an Alabama summer?
That’s not a silly question.
A walk that feels wonderful on a beautiful Auburn spring morning can feel very different during July or August heat and humidity.
If walkability is a major reason you’re considering a particular property, I would rather have you think about the actual route and your actual routine before you buy.
Don’t just look at the mileage. If possible, experience the route.
MAYBE A FIVE-MINUTE DRIVE IS YOUR VERSION OF CLOSE
Plenty of buyers don’t need to walk.
They simply want a convenient commute.
That can open the home search considerably.
Instead of asking only:
“Can I walk from here?”
we can ask:
“Does this drive work for me?”
That may give you additional choices in:
• Property type
• Floor plan
• Lot size
• Age of the home
• Parking
• Neighborhood setting
• Price range
Current inventory changes, so I don’t make blanket promises about what you’ll find at a particular distance.
But expanding your acceptable commute can change the properties available for you to consider.
WHAT IF 10 OR 15 MINUTES GETS YOU MORE OF WHAT YOU WANT?
This is where the decision becomes personal.
Imagine two homes.
The first is extremely close to your Auburn University destination, but it isn’t quite the house you pictured.
The second requires a longer drive, but you prefer the house, lot and floor plan.
Which would you choose?
Neither answer is wrong.
Here’s a simple way to think about it:
| Your Priority | What to Consider |
|---|---|
| Walking to Auburn University | Actual route, destination and realistic walking routine |
| Very short commute | Drive time to your specific campus destination |
| More housing choices | Whether you’re comfortable expanding the search area |
| Downtown Auburn access | Whether lifestyle access matters as much as work access |
| Particular home style or lot | What you’re willing to trade for proximity |
| Easy daily routine | Work, shopping, appointments and other regular destinations |
The goal isn’t to convince you to live closer or farther away.
The goal is to figure out which tradeoffs matter to you before you buy.
DON’T FORGET AUBURN UNIVERSITY PARKING
This is one of those details that can make a theoretical commute very different from the real one.
Auburn University Parking Services provides current parking-zone information, an interactive campus map and real-time parking resources.
Auburn University employees and students don’t simply choose any convenient space beside their destination. Parking rules and assigned zones matter.
You can review current information directly through Auburn University Parking Services (https://www.auburn.edu/administration/parking/).
So if you’re driving to campus, don’t think of your commute as:
Home → Auburn University
Think of it as:
Home → campus → parking → actual destination
That is your real commute.
DO YOU MEAN CLOSE TO CAMPUS—or CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN AUBURN?
Sometimes buyers tell me they want to be close to campus, but as we talk, I realize they’re describing something else.
They want the downtown Auburn lifestyle.
They want convenient access to restaurants.
They want to be near Toomer’s Corner.
They like being able to get downtown easily.
That’s different from someone who says:
“I don’t care whether I can walk downtown. I just want a convenient drive to my Auburn University department.”
I’ve been here since 1988, and understanding that distinction is important.
Campus convenience and downtown lifestyle overlap, but they aren’t exactly the same priority.
WHAT ABOUT AUBURN FOOTBALL?
You can’t talk about living near Auburn University without at least considering football Saturdays.
Jordan-Hare Stadium (https://auburntigers.com/jordan-hare-stadium) is right on campus, and home football weekends create a very different traffic and activity pattern from an ordinary weekday.
If you want to be close because you love the idea of walking to Auburn football, Tiger Walk, tailgating and downtown activity, tell me.
That’s part of your lifestyle decision.
But if your priority is your normal Monday-through-Friday commute, tell me that too.
I’ve lived here through decades of Auburn football seasons.
A home-game Saturday and an ordinary Tuesday are two very different Auburn experiences.
You should understand how a location works for both.
MY ORDINARY-TUESDAY TEST
This is one of the practical ways I like to think about location.
Forget football Saturday.
Forget graduation.
Forget a beautiful Sunday afternoon downtown.
Picture Tuesday.
You wake up.
Go to work.
Park.
Work all day.
Come home.
Maybe stop for groceries.
Maybe go to dinner.
Maybe run an errand.
Maybe you don’t leave the house again.
How does the location work?
That’s the routine your home needs to support most often.
A house isn’t just where you sleep. Its location becomes part of your everyday schedule.
WHAT CHANGES AS YOU MOVE AWAY FROM CAMPUS?
Potentially quite a bit.
Depending on current inventory, expanding the search may expose you to different combinations of:
• Condos
• Townhomes
• Detached homes
• Older homes
• Newer homes
• Smaller lots
• Larger lots
• Different parking arrangements
• Different neighborhood settings
You can explore different areas through my Auburn subdivisions (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/auburn-al-subdivisons/) page.
Price can vary too, but I would rather compare actual current properties than make a blanket statement that a certain distance automatically means a certain price.
Location, property type, condition, lot, age and current competition all work together.
WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?
Your Auburn University commute matters.
It isn’t the only trip you’ll make.
Where will you buy groceries?
Where do you go for medical appointments?
Where will you shop?
Where do you go to church?
Do you want easy access to downtown Auburn?
How often do you expect to use Interstate 85?
Auburn Mall (https://www.shopauburnalabama.com/) is one familiar shopping destination, while other everyday conveniences are spread throughout Auburn and Opelika.
If school information is relevant to your search, use Auburn City Schools (https://www.auburnschools.org/) for current official information rather than relying on assumptions or third-party descriptions.
The right home location should make sense for more than one destination.
SHOULD YOU CONSIDER OPELIKA IF YOU WORK AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY?
Absolutely worth discussing.
Working at Auburn University doesn’t automatically mean you need an Auburn address.
Some buyers strongly prefer to stay in Auburn.
Others are open to comparing Opelika if the commute works and they find a property that better fits their priorities.
That’s why I work with buyers across Auburn and Opelika.
The two cities connect closely in everyday life, but they offer different neighborhoods, housing styles and locations.
Don’t eliminate a property because of the city name before you’ve considered the actual commute and the home itself.
A REALISTIC AUBURN RELOCATION EXAMPLE
Here’s a common type of conversation—not a specific client story, but a realistic example of how priorities can change.
A buyer relocating for an Auburn University position starts by saying:
“I want to be within five minutes of campus.”
Then we talk.
They don’t actually need to walk.
They don’t expect to go home during the workday.
They want a detached home.
They would like more outdoor space.
And they care more about the house than they realized.
Now the question changes.
Instead of asking:
“How close can I get?”
we ask:
“How much commute time am I comfortable trading for a home that gives me more of what I want?”
That’s a much better real estate question.
7 QUESTIONS TO ANSWER BEFORE YOU CHOOSE A LOCATION
1. Where exactly on campus do you need to go?
Be specific.
2. Do you truly want to walk?
If yes, evaluate the actual route.
3. If you’re driving, how many minutes feel comfortable?
Five, 10 and 15 minutes can create very different searches.
4. How important is downtown Auburn access?
Work convenience and lifestyle convenience aren’t always the same thing.
5. What kind of property do you want?
Condo, townhome or detached home?
6. What would you trade for a better location?
Lot size? Square footage? Age? Property type?
7. Would you consider Opelika?
If the commute works, it may give you additional properties to compare.
QUICK Q&A: MOVING CLOSE TO AUBURN UNIVERSITY
How close should I live to Auburn University?
There is no universal answer. Your specific campus destination, transportation preference, commute tolerance, budget and housing priorities should guide the decision.
What does walking distance to Auburn University mean?
It depends on your destination and what you personally consider a reasonable walk. Look at the actual route rather than relying only on a mileage number.
Does my Auburn University department matter when choosing where to live?
Yes. Different campus destinations can create different commuting and parking routines.
Should I check Auburn University parking before buying a home?
If your commute involves driving to campus, understanding current Auburn University parking rules and your likely parking arrangement can help you evaluate the real commute.
Is living near downtown Auburn the same as living close to campus?
Not exactly. The two areas are closely connected, but someone prioritizing downtown lifestyle access may evaluate locations differently from someone focused on reaching a specific university building.
Should I consider Opelika if I work at Auburn University?
Yes, if you’re open to it. Compare the actual commute and available homes rather than eliminating an area based only on the city name.
Can you help me compare homes near Auburn University?
Yes. Tell me where you need to go, how you want to get there and what you want in a home. Then we can evaluate properties based on your actual priorities.
RELATED AUBURN REAL ESTATE TOPICS
If you’re planning a move, you may also want to explore:
• Auburn subdivisions and neighborhood options
• Auburn condos and townhomes
• Auburn University–area relocation
• Auburn vs. Opelika living
• Downtown Auburn and campus-area housing
• Auburn home-buying considerations
• Commute and everyday convenience when choosing a home
You can find more Auburn and Opelika real estate information at AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/).
READY TO MOVE TO AUBURN?
“Close to campus” isn’t really a number.
It’s a question about your life.
Where are you going?
How are you getting there?
How often will you make the trip?
And what do you want waiting for you when you come home?
Those answers can help us find a location that works much better than simply drawing a circle around Auburn University.
Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years. She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate, the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.
If you’re planning to move to Auburn, including relocating for an Auburn University faculty or staff position, I’d love to help you compare homes, locations and commute considerations.
Call or text Laura Sellers: 334-332-7263
AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com (https://auburnopelikaalrealestate.com/)
Homes, y’all!
