Student housing has historically proven to be a resilient and attractive real estate strategy, providing strong demand drivers, portfolio diversification benefits and steady returns amid challenging macroeconomic conditions.
At the macro level, future U.S. demographics present challenges as the college-age population is projected to decline beginning in 2026, meaning university selection will likely become more important than ever. Top-ranked institutions are expected to offset this trend with lower acceptance rates and stronger demand, best illustrated by Power 4 conference schools (Big Ten, SEC, ACC and Big 12), where occupancy and pre-leasing velocity have remained consistently high.
Enrollment continues to grow modestly, with projections showing a 7.7 percent total increase at the top 175 universities between 2019 and 2029. Despite political headwinds, the United States remains the top global destination for international students, hosting more than 1.1 million for
