Living with people you actually connect with can make all the difference at Penn State. It shapes your social circle, your mental health, even your motivation to get out of bed on hard days.
Here’s the problem…
Most roommate searches focus on logistics — not life.
You can find someone who pays rent on time but doesn’t share your rhythm, your respect, or your sense of community.
At co.space, we’ve learned that the people you live with can become the community that helps you grow.
So here’s a guide to help you find — or create — that kind of home in State College.
Step 1:
Start With What “Meaningful” Means to You
Before diving into roommate apps or Facebook groups, pause for a moment of reflection.
Ask yourself:
- What kind of home do I want to walk into at the end of the day?
- Do I want quiet and focus — or conversation and laughter?
- How important are shared meals, cleanliness, or values?
✅ Pro Tip: At the co.space, every resident starts the year on a House Retreat, where they co-create a Roommate Contract — not about chores or rules, but about how they want to live together. It covers things like communication, boundaries, and what “support” looks like for each person.
This exercise has saved countless headaches (and friendships). You can do it too — even if you’re not living here. Keep reading below to download the PDF we use with our residents.
Step 2:
Explore Your Roommate-Finding Options
There are plenty of ways to meet potential roommates in State College — but some lead to better experiences than others. Here’s what we’ve seen work best:
Penn State’s Off-Campus Housing Portal + Roommate Match
Penn State’s off-campus housing platform lets students connect based on majors, interests, and lifestyle preferences. You can register to create a profile and connect with prospectiuve students who are considering living on or off campus.
➡️ Visit Penn State Off-Campus Housing
Online Communities & Social Media
Search Facebook groups or Reddit threads like “Penn State Housing”. These change pretty regularly and there are LOTS of different groups, so you may need to post on multiple.
These can be hit or miss — so make sure to meet virtually first and discuss expectations clearly before committing. We have seen that too often, students commit to a potential roommate out of necessity because they are worried about trying to find a place to live, and end up regretting later on once they start living together because of a poor match.
✅ Pro tip: Ask potential roommates to describe their “ideal Sunday.” You’ll learn more from that one question than from a dozen yes/no ones.
Attend a Student Org
If you aren’t plugged in with a student org yet, this is a good opportunity to put yourself out there. One of the perks of attending Penn State is that there are hundreds of clubs to pick from. Scroll through the list online, attend one of their meetings, and ask a member if anyone is looking for housing. This is a great way to find like-minded individuals who care about similar interests as you.
➡️ Discover Penn State Student Organizations
Living-Learning Communities (LLCs)
Penn State has some amazing LLCs. If you’ve been lucky to be part of one while living on-campus, you may have already experienced how living with like-minded peers changes everything.
Even after moving off-campus, many students look for similar energy — shared purpose, curiosity, and collaboration.
➡️ Visit Penn State Living Learning Communities
Community-Based Living: The co.space
If you’re seeking something deeper than traditional housing, the co.space offers an intentional coliving experience near right downtown.
Residents share weekly meals, attend retreats, and have a house full of custom tools, like card deck to spark honest conversations about how to live well together. When we started the home in 2013, we designed it first and foremost to help people find better roommate matches and as a result, create a housing experience that helps you truly grow and thrive!
Step 3:
Ask Better Questions When Meeting Potential Roommates
Most people ask: “Are you clean?” or “What time do you go to bed?”
Sure, those matter, but they’re not what make a great match.
Try these instead:
- How do you like to recharge after a long day?
- What kind of energy do you want your home to have?
- What’s your go-to way to handle conflict or stress?
- How do you show appreciation for the people you live with?
✅ Pro Tip: If you want to go deeper, there are some great card decks designed specifically to help you have more honest conversations. We love the deck Roommates Are Human Too (in fact, we have a deck on hand for all of our tenants to use at the co.space). Our founder, Spud Marshall, also created a deck called Curiosity which we use regularly on our house retreats every year.
Step 4:
Create a Mini Roommate Contract
You’ve found a potential roommate – congrats!
But don’t sit back and wait for problems to arise.
After you’ve chosen roommates, grab a coffee together and write down a few simple agreements:
- How you’ll communicate (text group, sticky notes, weekly check-in)
- How you’ll divide chores
- What boundaries matter (quiet hours, guests, shared spaces)
- How you’ll celebrate wins or reset when tensions rise
If you are looking for additional questions, you can download our free Roommate Contract — the same one we use with residents during our House Retreats to make sure everyone is aligned on expectations and goals for the year.
Step 5:
Don’t Settle for “Fine”
If your current living situation feels just okay — it might be time to find something better.
You deserve to live in a space that inspires you, not one that drains you.
College is one of the few times in life when you can experiment with how you want to live. If you find yourself frustrated with a current roommate situation, be proactive and find something better that fits your needs.
Not All Roommate Searches Are the Same
Finding the right roommate often depends on where you are in your Penn State journey. If any of the situations below sound familiar, one of these guides may be especially helpful:
- New to Penn State or transferring from another campus?
→ Read our guide to transfer student housing near Penn State - Coming to State College from another country?
→ Explore international student housing near Penn State and what to expect - In graduate school and looking for intentional, mature community?
→ Learn more about graduate student housing near Penn State
Each guide goes deeper into housing options, timelines, and community dynamics specific to that experience.
The co.space: A Different Kind of Roommate Experience
Choose roommates who help you thrive, not just survive.
Located just blocks from Penn State’s campus, the co.space is home to a community of 21 changemakers, creators, and curious minds.
Our residents cook together, host guests, explore projects, and learn collaboration as a life skill.
We’ll be honest – it’s not for everyone. Some students are looking for a traditional apartment complex in a giant high-rise or a private studio all to themselves. We don’t fault them for that.
But for the right students, the co.space is unforgettable.
If you are seeking meaningful relationships and friendships that will stay with you for years to come, we would love to have you check the home out!
Know someone searching for roommates in State College?
Share this page — it might save them weeks of stress and help them find their people sooner.
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co.space Management, LLC
244 East Nittany Avenue
State College, PA 16801
(301) 466-6719
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Equal Housing Opportunity