Updated November 7, 2026

The best college dorms in Ohio for 2027 combine a variety of halls, strong amenities, and a clear path from first-year housing to apartments. This list includes 25 schools, from small residential colleges like Defiance and Heidelberg to large universities like Ohio University, Kent State, and Miami University.

This guide follows the University Magazine ranking list for Ohio and uses the published University Magazine rankings methodology for institution-level context. Each section summarizes housing details from the school’s own pages so you can compare halls, room types, and requirements before you apply. For more state guides, browse our best dorm rankings and broader university rankings.

The Best College Dorms in Ohio 2027

 

1. Cedarville University

Cedarville University in Cedarville continues to expand its housing. A Cedarville news release describes the new Diehl Johnson Hall for 174 women and Murdoch Hall for 174 men, the university’s seventh housing facility in six years, with the Phipps Center as the shared common area between them. Earlier halls include Maddox, Marshall, Lawlor, Printy, Brock, McKinney, McChesney, Johnson, Harriman, and Morton, and Gromacki Hall is a townhouse built in 2013. The article puts earlier residence halls at 648 beds. Confirm room types and live-on rules with Cedarville housing.

 

2. University of Dayton

The University of Dayton in Dayton assigns housing by class year. The UD on-campus housing page lists Marycrest and Stuart Complexes for first-years, Marianist Hall, Virginia W. Kettering Hall, Garden Apartments, and Campus South for second-years, and the Student Neighborhood houses and apartments for upper-division students.

First-year halls have live-in professional staff, an RA on every floor, a 24-hour courtesy desk, a chapel, and study spaces. UD says nearly 80 percent of students live on campus all four years, and its own sworn police department supports campus safety.

 

3. Shawnee State University

Shawnee State University in Portsmouth has no residence halls. The Shawnee State housing page says all housing is apartment-style, with a kitchen, living room, dining area, bathroom, bedrooms, and on-site laundry in every unit. Options include Campus View Apartments, Tanner Place, Cedar House, and University Townhouse Apartments. Utilities and internet are included. Freshmen and sophomores must have a meal plan, and students whose parents live within 50 miles are not required to live on campus.

 

4. Ohio Dominican University

Ohio Dominican University in Columbus has four residence halls, according to its residence life page. Students can choose a suite, single, or double room, and the university says students are never more than a five-minute walk from class. Hallmark Dining runs dining services, and the page lists new-student move-in on August 15, 2026, and January 10, 2027. The page does not name the halls or detail amenities, so confirm hall names and live-on rules with the housing office.

 

5. University of Mount Union

The University of Mount Union in Alliance offers one of Ohio’s more detailed housing menus. The Mount Union types of housing page lists seven traditional halls (Cunningham, Elliott, Ketcham, King, McCready, McMaster, and Miller) and three suite-style halls (Bica-Ross, Shields, and Hoiles-Peterson).

Juniors and seniors can move into Brown Village or Hartshorn Street Village apartments and townhouses with full kitchens and individual climate control. Several buildings offer gender-inclusive housing, and Elliott and Miller offer limited singles for an added cost.

 

6. Walsh University

Walsh University in North Canton lists nine residence buildings on its residence halls page, including Ann and George Seanor Family Hall, Betzler Tower, Menard Hall, Lemmon Hall, The Commons, University Apartments, and the Wilkof and Olivieri Towers. Every room has internet ports and wireless access, laundry rooms are open 24/7, and tuition includes custodial service for every hall. First-year students may have a vehicle on campus with a permit. The page does not describe room types.

 

7. Heidelberg University

Heidelberg University in Tiffin keeps its public housing details light. A 2024 housing placement notice says each room is allowed one microwave and one mini-fridge, and that Resident Assistants help roommates write a Roommate Agreement when they arrive.

Students can qualify as commuters if they live within 35 miles of a parent or guardian’s primary residence. The notice does not name halls or room types, so confirm current residence halls and live-on rules with Heidelberg before relying on this entry.

 

8. Lourdes University

Lourdes University in Sylvania houses residents at Lourdes Commons, a residential complex established in 2010. The Lourdes housing page lists six buildings as residence halls: Ambrose, Bonaventure, Emmanuel, Justinian, Pioneer, and Rosaria. The Den, in the McCord and Brint shopping complex, serves as a gathering spot with a mail room, computer stations, televisions, and the Residence Life Office. The page does not describe room types or rules, so confirm them on the campus housing page.

 

9. Malone University

Malone University in Canton uses a mix of suites and traditional halls. The Malone residence halls page lists Blossom Hall (women) with suites, Haviland Hall with a new third-floor yoga studio, Heritage Hall for upperclassmen, and Woolman and Whittier Halls as men’s traditional-style buildings. Suites are carpeted and air-conditioned with loftable furniture and wireless internet. Woolman and Whittier have double rooms and shared bathrooms but no air conditioning. Each building offers free laundry, and Blossom Hall offers guest rooms for $40 to $100 per night.

 

10. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green requires students to live on campus for their first two years. The BGSU Falcon Heights page says the Board of Trustees enforces that requirement unless an exemption or approved appeal applies, and first-year students must enroll in a meal plan. Falcon Heights houses nearly 650 returning students in air-conditioned four-person suites with single or double rooms, a first-floor kitchen, a computer lab, free laundry, and a 24-hour desk. Each student gets an adjustable loft bed, desk, dresser, and wardrobe.

 

11. Mount St. Joseph University

Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati centers housing in Seton Residence Hall. The Seton Residence Hall page says it houses over 500 students in singles, doubles, and suites for two, three, or four residents. Private suites have two bedrooms, a private bathroom, a shared living area, storage, individual heating and cooling controls, cable, and WiFi. Full-time freshmen and sophomores must live on campus and join the contracted meal plan, unless they are married, 21 or older, or commute from within 35 miles.

 

12. Mount Vernon Nazarene University

Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Mount Vernon has four residence halls. The MVNU facilities catalog lists Pioneer Hall (1968), Oakwood Hall (1969), Galloway Hall (1972), and Redwood Hall (1998), each with a central common-area lobby. Eight apartment complexes house upper-division students, including Cedar, Maplewood, Elmwood, Birch, Spruce, Rosewood, and Cypress. Each unit has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchenette, and a living room, and can house six students or a married couple. Facilities accommodate 1,116 students.

 

13. The Ohio State University – Newark

The Ohio State University at Newark in Newark offers a small residential community. The Ohio State Newark housing page lists McConnell Hall, a traditional dormitory with 120 beds, multiple lounges, a kitchen, a 300-person event space, and 180 apartment-style suites.

Apartments come as two-person efficiencies, two-bedroom four-person suites, and three-bedroom six-person suites. Every building is air-conditioned with laundry, and spaces are assigned by lottery. In-state students eligible for the Tuition Guarantee keep the same housing rates for four years.

 

14. Marietta College

Marietta College in Marietta separates first-year and upperclass housing. The Marietta housing page lists the First-Year Complex of Russell, Elsie Newton, Dorothy Webster, and Mary Beach Halls, with double and triple rooms and community bathrooms. Upperclass options include Harrison Hall (suites and apartments), McCoy Hall, Fayerweather Hall, and Barbara Diggs Lyles House. Halls have no curfews, are secured 24/7 with card access, and offer gender-inclusive housing in Dorothy Webster and McCoy Halls.

 

15. Franklin University

Franklin University in Columbus does not offer campus housing. The U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator profile lists campus housing as No, and estimates off-campus food and housing at $16,740 for 2024 to 2025. Franklin serves mostly adult and online learners, so students arrange their own housing in Columbus. Readers who want dorm life should look at the residential schools elsewhere on this list.

 

16. Miami University

Miami University in Oxford organizes its residence halls into quads. The Miami residence halls page lists Academic, Central, East, North, and South Quads, Heritage Commons, and Western Campus, plus Hawks Landing and The Commons as leased off-campus apartments. Examples include Bishop and Stoddard in the Academic Quad, Maplestreet Station in the Central Quad, and Stanton in the South Quad. Each hall has washers and dryers, and students pay through the CSC GO app using a MUlaa account. The page does not describe room types.

 

17. Tiffin University

Tiffin University in Tiffin expects students to live on campus for their first three years, according to its living-on-campus page. First-year halls include the newest, Clay St. Hall, with up to 102 students, plus Craycraft, Friedley, Huggins, Kirk, and Zahn. Miami Street Apartments offer five-room suite-style units with two private bathrooms, and about 40 university-owned TU Houses serve older students. Laundry requires no quarters or swipe cards, and students may bring a car all four years.

 

18. Kent State University

Kent State University in Kent groups its halls into neighborhoods. The Kent State guide to living on campus lists the Eastway halls (Allyn, Clark, Manchester, and Fletcher), Tri-Towers, Korb, Centennial Courts, New Front, the Quad, Twin Towers, and Van Campen. Centennial Courts has glass lounges, kitchens, and a fireplace; Honors College students live in Stopher and Johnson Halls with private bathrooms. Most rooms include twin extra-long beds, loftable furniture, microfridges, carpet, and air conditioning, and many halls host living-learning communities.

 

19. Muskingum University

Muskingum University in New Concord separates first-year and upperclass halls. The Muskingum residence life page lists Memorial Hall for men, Moore Hall for women, and Thomas Hall alternating by floor as first-year halls, with typical rooms around 12 feet by 13 feet. Upperclass options include Stadium Heights, Patton, Kelley, and Finney Halls, plus Lakeside Houses and Townhouses for groups of friends. Most Greek organizations have housing for sophomores and older. The page does not describe amenities or live-on rules.

 

20. Franciscan University of Steubenville

Franciscan University of Steubenville in Steubenville has 16 residence halls. The Franciscan residence life page lists women’s halls such as St. Thomas More, Marian, and St. Clare, and men’s halls such as St. Junipero Serra, Trinity, and St. Francis. Standard rooms are about 10 feet by 14 feet, and triples are only available in St. Junipero Serra Hall. Full-time undergraduates must live on campus while enrolled, with rare exceptions. Each hall has a chapel, and the university prohibits candles, pets, and most cooking appliances.

 

21. University of Findlay

The University of Findlay in Findlay has eight residence halls. The Findlay residence halls page lists Bare, Deming, Fox, and Lovett for first-year and sophomore students; Morey and Myers for upperclassmen, with mostly single rooms; and Haven and Village with half baths. Each hall has laundry facilities and social lobbies, a Resident Assistant lives on each floor, and a Resident Director oversees each building. Deming and Lovett sit near the hammock park and Henderson Dining Hall.

 

22. Defiance College

Defiance College in Defiance offers traditional halls and apartments. The Defiance residence hall page describes McReynolds Hall, which houses about 240 first-year students in double rooms, and Whitney Hall, which houses about 215 upperclass students and features a lobby fireplace, patio, and piano. Upperclassmen can choose Jacket Suites with a kitchenette and private bath, or Grand Avenue Apartments with a washer and dryer. Residence hall rooms have no air conditioning, though students may bring one 5,000 BTU window unit.

 

23. Xavier University

Xavier University in Cincinnati lists five residence halls and four apartment options. The Xavier residences page names Brockman, Buenger, Husman, Justice, and Kuhlman Halls, plus 1019 Dana, Commons Apartments, Manor House, and Village Apartments. Residence hall students must keep the Musketeer Unlimited meal plan, while apartment residents keep the Flex 140 plan. The public page does not describe room types or live-on rules, so confirm them in the individual building pages.

 

24. Ohio University

Ohio University in Athens lists 37 residence halls grouped into three Greens: East, South, and West. The Ohio University hall index also lists 31 S. Court St. Apartments and an Apartments Extension, and offers a hall configuration chart for room type, nearby laundry and elevators. Services include laundry, resident mail, Bobcat Cash, bed lofting, and healthy living resources. The index links to housing requirements, exemptions, and contract terms but doesn’t state them, so verify live-in rules before publishing.

 

25. University of Northwestern Ohio

The University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) in Lima offers four on-campus housing communities: College Park, Northwestern Park, Sherwood Park, and Racers Village. Students can enjoy apartment-style accommodations with shared living spaces, laundry facilities, utilities, and convenient access to campus amenities. Housing rates for 2026–2027 start at $590 per session, depending on the residence community and academic program. Visit the official UNOH Housing website for current rates and availability.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best college dorms in Ohio for 2027?

Cedarville University, the University of Dayton, and Shawnee State University lead this University Magazine list for 2027, followed by Ohio Dominican, Mount Union, and Walsh. All 25 schools are ranked below with housing details from official sources.

Which Ohio colleges require students to live on campus?

At The Ohio State University, most first- and second-year students must live on campus, while Ohio University requires eligible students to live in university housing and participate in a meal plan during their first two years. Kenyon College requires students to live in college housing and enroll in a dining plan throughout their studies, while Denison University requires all residential students to have a meal plan. These policies are subject to approved exemptions.

Which Ohio school guarantees four years of housing?

Kenyon College is a strong example of an Ohio college that offers on-campus housing for all four undergraduate years.

Which Ohio dorms have the best views?

Ohio college dorms offer a variety of scenic views, from tree-lined campuses and historic architecture to lakes and green spaces. At Ohio University, residence halls overlooking Athens’ rolling hills and the Hocking River Valley offer a picturesque setting.

Kent State University offers residence halls with views of landscaped courtyards and surrounding greenery, while Miami University in Oxford is known for its beautiful red-brick buildings, shaded walkways, and scenic campus quads. Students looking for attractive surroundings should consider residence halls near open green spaces, elevated areas, and central campus landmarks.

Top 25 Best College Dorms in Ohio 2027: Ranked List

1. Cedarville University
2. University of Dayton
3. Shawnee State University
4. Ohio Dominican University
5. University of Mount Union
6. Walsh University
7. Heidelberg University
8. Lourdes University
9. Malone University
10. Bowling Green State University
11. Mount St. Joseph University
12. Mount Vernon Nazarene University
13. The Ohio State University – Newark
14. Marietta College
15. Franklin University
16. Miami University
17. Tiffin University
18. Kent State University
19. Muskingum University
20. Franciscan University of Steubenville
21. University of Findlay
22. Defiance College
23. Xavier University
24. Ohio University
25. University of Northwestern Ohio

 

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