Co-living has become a real option for renters who want a private space without the full cost of a solo apartment. But the term gets used loosely, so it’s worth being clear about what it actually means — and what to look for if you’re considering it in the Delmar Loop.
The Short Answer
Co-living is a housing arrangement where you have a private bedroom and bathroom, but share common spaces — kitchen, living room, and building amenities — with other residents. You’re not renting a room in someone’s house. You’re renting a defined private space inside a professionally managed building, with your own lease.
It’s different from a traditional roommate situation in a few important ways: the building handles maintenance, the common areas are properly maintained, and you’re not relying on a Craigslist stranger to pay their share of the utilities.
What You Actually Get
At LOCAL on Delmar, co-living means a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom floor plan where each resident has their own bedroom and their own full bathroom. The kitchen, dining, and living spaces are shared.
Each unit also comes furnished, which matters more than it sounds. Moving into a furnished co-living space means you’re not coordinating a couch purchase with two strangers before you even move in. Your room is ready. The common areas are set up.
Beyond the unit itself, co-living residents at LOCAL have access to the full building — rooftop pool, fitness center, wellness suite, study spaces, outdoor courtyard with fire pits and grilling stations. That’s not a typical apartment offering at this price point.
Why It Makes Financial Sense
The honest reason most people choose co-living is cost. A private bedroom in a co-living apartment at LOCAL starts around $1,100–$1,200 per month. A comparable private studio or one-bedroom in University City is significantly more.
You’re trading some square footage in the living areas for a meaningfully lower monthly cost — while still getting a private bedroom, a private bathroom, and access to amenities most apartments in this price range don’t offer.
For students finishing up at WashU, young professionals just starting out, or anyone who wants to live near the Loop without stretching their budget, the math is straightforward.
The LOCAL take: Co-living works best when you’re realistic about what shared living means. You have your own room. You have your own bathroom. The kitchen and living room are shared. If that trade-off makes sense for your budget and lifestyle, it’s a genuinely good deal in this neighborhood.
What to Ask Before You Sign
Not all co-living is the same. If you’re comparing options, here are the questions that actually matter:
- Do I have my own bathroom, or is it shared?
At LOCAL, each bedroom comes with a private bath. That’s not universal — confirm it wherever you’re looking.
- Is the unit furnished?
LOCAL co-living units come furnished. This is a significant convenience and a cost you don’t have to absorb upfront.
- How are roommates matched?
LOCAL offers roommate matching, which means you’re not going in completely blind. If you already have people you want to live with, that’s also an option.
- What’s the lease structure?
You’re signing your own lease for your bedroom — not co-signing a single lease with roommates you barely know. That’s an important distinction if someone needs to move out mid-lease.
Why the Delmar Loop Location Changes the Equation
Co-living anywhere can work. Co-living in the Delmar Loop is a specific deal worth naming.
Groceries are walkable. Coffee shops you’ll actually go back to are on your block. The Pageant and Delmar Hall are down the street, which means a last-minute concert is a reasonable Tuesday decision, not a logistical event. The MetroLink station connects you to the rest of St. Louis without touching a car.
When you’re spending less on rent, you have more room in your budget for what the Loop actually offers. That’s the full picture.
The LOCAL take: Location is part of the value calculation. A co-living apartment in a neighborhood with nothing around it is a different product than a co-living apartment at the edge of one of St. Louis’s most walkable corridors.
Is Co-Living Right for You?
Co-living at LOCAL makes the most sense if:
- You want to live near the Delmar Loop without a solo-apartment budget
- You want a private bedroom and private bathroom
- You’re open to sharing kitchen and living spaces
- You want building amenities that a solo apartment at this price point wouldn’t include
- You’re new to an area and open to meeting people through the building community
If you want complete privacy in your living space and a separate kitchen that’s entirely yours, a studio or one-bedroom is the better fit. LOCAL has those too.
Ready to See It in Person?
The best way to understand co-living at LOCAL is to walk the space. The floor plans, the private bedrooms and bathrooms, the shared areas, the building amenities — it’s easier to evaluate all of that in person than on a screen.
Contact the leasing team or take a virtual tour to get started.
