Yardi Matrix expects fall student housing occupancy to finish below 2025 as new supply grows

Preliminary September occupancy across 200 university markets tracked by Yardi Matrix was 94.5%, level with a year earlier, but fall occupancy is projected to finish below 2025, Building Design + Construction reported. More than 31,000 off-campus bedrooms were delivered in 2026, up 20% from 2025, and properties delivered this year averaged 84.1% occupancy in September. Average advertised rent was $928 per bedroom, up 1.6% year over year, while the 10 markets with the most new supply saw occupancy fall 300 basis points to 92.8% and rents decline 1.2%.