USC Apartments with Pools: Six Options and How to Choose

Looking for apartments near USC with pools is a smart way to shortlist student housing in Los Angeles—but the pool should start the search, not finish it. Warm-weather study breaks, roommate hangouts, and a low-effort way to cool off after class are real benefits. Still, the apartment that photographs best at the deck may not be the one that fits your rent, commute, laundry routine, or quiet hours over a full lease.

This refreshed guide compares six live, pool-tagged communities in the UniShack USC inventory. They span a seven-minute bike ride to Tommy Trojan, a downtown loft with a pool and gym, a Wilshire building with studios and one-bedrooms, a West Adams co-living community, a Brentwood condo with a gated pool and spa, and a longer-commute West Los Angeles option. Displayed rents and trip estimates can change, so confirm current availability, what each price covers, and your door-to-door route before you apply.

How to choose an apartment near USC with a pool

Decide how often you will actually use the water. If you swim or lounge several times a week, ask about hours, seating, shade, guest rules, and how busy the deck gets after class. If the pool is a nice-to-have, prioritize a shorter commute, clearer roommate layout, or a lower total monthly cost first.

Compare the full monthly cost

Advertised rent is only one line in a student budget. Ask whether water, trash, internet, parking, amenity access, or other building charges are billed separately. A lower base rent can cost more after recurring fees, while an apartment that bundles useful services may be easier to plan around. Confirm whether the quote is for a bed, a bedroom, or the whole unit, then add deposit, application costs, lease length, and any guarantor rules.

Paying extra for a pool only makes sense if you will use it often enough to justify the tradeoff. Put a number on that before tours so a sunny courtyard does not outrank a quieter bedroom, a functional kitchen, or a commute you can sustain during midterms.

Look beyond the pool deck

A useful amenity mix usually matters more than a single feature. Students who work out regularly may want a fitness center in the same building. Roommates often care about laundry access, study lounges, outdoor seating, and package handling. Ask how shared spaces are managed and what quiet-hour policies apply. For buildings that pair housing with workout amenities, see the guide to USC apartments with fitness centers. If on-site laundry is non-negotiable, compare the USC apartments with laundry facilities guide.

During a tour, spend most of your time inside the unit. Check light, storage, water pressure, appliance condition, bedroom privacy, and mobile reception. Walk the path from the apartment to laundry, mail, parking, and the pool. A polished shared amenity cannot fix a layout that does not support studying, sleeping, and sharing space.

Test the commute at the right time

Los Angeles travel times swing with class schedules and traffic. Map the trip to the USC building you visit most, then check a typical morning and evening. Bike riders should inspect the route and ask about storage. Drivers should price parking and late returns. Transit riders should check walking time to stops and the trip home after evening labs or events.

The inventory labels below use estimated trips to Tommy Trojan. Treat them as a shortlist tool, then verify your own route. Students who want commute-first housing can also review the walkable apartments near USC guide and the near-campus vs affordable comparison.

Quick comparison of six pool options near USC

Community
Listed trip to Tommy Trojan
Displayed rent range
Pool context




The Lorenzo
7-minute bike
$1,015–$2,030
Resort-style pools in a large student community


Broadway
12-minute drive
$4,000
Downtown loft with pool and gym


Park Wilshire
15-minute drive
$1,580–$2,020
Outdoor pool plus fitness and laundry


Co/Relate West Adams
16-minute drive
$1,400–$1,550
Co-living with pool, fitness, and rooftop


11670 W Sunset Blvd
22-minute drive
$3,300
Brentwood condo with gated pool and spa


Shahnaz Beral
27-minute drive
$1,100
West L.A. condo building with pool access

Use the table to decide which two or three buildings deserve a tour. Then dig into the details below and confirm live terms on each property page.

The Lorenzo: campus-close resort-style pools

The Lorenzo remains the most campus-oriented pool option in this set. The listing shows a seven-minute bike estimate to Tommy Trojan and a displayed rent range of $1,015 to $2,030. Large student communities may price beds, rooms, or whole units differently, so confirm exactly what the quote covers and which floor plans match your lease dates.

The pool offering is central rather than incidental. The property highlights resort-style pools, spas, cabanas, and outdoor lounges alongside a 24-hour fitness center, study lounges, collaborative workspaces, courts, a movie theater, resident events, and a private shuttle to USC. That mix can suit students who want recreation, studying, and social energy concentrated in one place instead of splitting time across campus and a far neighborhood.

The tradeoff is scale. Ask how pool access feels at peak hours, where your unit sits relative to social areas, and how the shuttle aligns with your classes. Tour the exact unit type when possible, not only a model. The Lorenzo is a strong starting point if you expect to use several amenities and want a realistic alternative to driving every day. Browse more near-campus inventory on the walkable and bikeable apartments near USC guide.

Broadway: downtown loft living with a pool and gym

Broadway sits in Downtown Los Angeles at 849 S Broadway, with a 12-minute drive estimate to Tommy Trojan and a displayed rent of $4,000. The listing describes an open one-bedroom, two-bath loft in the historic Eastern Columbia building that can be configured more like a two-bedroom for roommates who want flexible space. Amenities include a pool and gym plus rooftop access, laundry, controlled access, and an urban location with strong transit access.

This option is for students who want a city loft lifestyle and can support a higher rent. Ask what the monthly amount includes, whether parking is available, how guest policies work around the pool deck, and how long the evening drive or transit trip feels after late classes. Because downtown living can be louder and busier than University Park, visit at the hours you would actually come and go.

Broadway pairs well with a budget vs luxury USC apartments comparison if you are weighing premium finishes against a longer list of midrange pool buildings.

Park Wilshire: pool, fitness, and smaller floor plans

Park Wilshire is listed about 2.8 miles from USC, with rents currently shown from $1,580 to $2,020 and an estimated 15-minute drive to Tommy Trojan. Studios and one-bedroom layouts may appeal to students who prefer living alone or sharing with fewer people.

The amenity mix includes an outdoor pool, fitness center, and on-site laundry. Pairing the pool and gym can reduce the need for a separate membership if you will use both regularly. Ask whether renovated and classic units differ in price or finishes, whether amenity access is the same for all residents, and how laundry payment and hours work.

Evaluate the exact route rather than mileage alone. A 15-minute drive estimate can stretch with class times and parking at both ends. Park Wilshire belongs on the shortlist for students comparing smaller floor plans and a balanced amenity package at a midrange displayed price. If parking is part of your daily plan, cross-check the apartments near USC with parking guide.

Co/Relate West Adams: co-living with pool, fitness, and rooftop

Co/Relate West Adams lists a 16-minute drive to Tommy Trojan and a displayed rent range of $1,400 to $1,550. The community markets a co-living experience with a high-end fitness center, pool, co-working lounge, and rooftop deck, plus proximity to the Culver City Arts District.

Co-living can lower the friction of meeting neighbors and sharing common areas, but it also means clearer house rules matter more. Ask how rooms are assigned, what is included in rent, how quiet hours are enforced around the pool and rooftop, and whether parking or transit is realistic for your schedule. Students comparing shared living setups may also want the roommate-ready multi-bedroom apartments near USC guide for larger traditional floor plans.

If outdoor amenity space is the theme and you also care about elevated decks, the apartments near USC with rooftops post is a useful companion—just remember this shortlist is filtered specifically for pools.

11670 W Sunset Blvd: Brentwood condo with gated pool and spa

11670 W Sunset Blvd is a furnished Brentwood Village condo with a displayed rent of $3,300 and a 22-minute drive estimate to Tommy Trojan. The listing describes spacious living and dining areas, a bedroom with large closets, a quieter unit position without shared walls, courtyard views, a designated parking spot, and resident access to a gated pool and spa.

This is a quieter, more residential feel than a large student high-rise. It can fit a graduate student, couple, or renter who wants furnished move-in readiness and a calmer pool setting—if the commute and price work. Confirm what furnishings stay, whether utilities are separate, and how guest access to the pool is handled. Explore Brentwood Village for groceries and cafes, then test the USC trip at your actual class times before you rely on the estimate.

Shahnaz Beral: longer-commute West L.A. value with building amenities

Shahnaz Beral lists a 27-minute drive to Tommy Trojan and a displayed rent of $1,100. The current description covers a room in a West Los Angeles condominium building with controlled access, elevator service, laundry facilities, garage parking, fitness access, and other building amenities. Treat this as a value and commute tradeoff rather than a campus-bubble choice.

Ask precisely what the $1,100 covers—room only versus shared spaces, which utilities are included, minimum lease length, and how residents access the pool and other shared areas. Because the trip is the longest in this set, run morning and evening timing tests and consider whether you will keep a car. Students who need cars regularly should also review parking availability and cost. If a shorter lease or temporary housing is more realistic than a full year, check USC sublets as a parallel path.

Neighborhood and commute tradeoffs

These six communities show why a pool filter should open a search instead of closing it. The Lorenzo offers the shortest listed campus trip and the broadest student-focused amenity set. Broadway trades price for downtown loft character and a pool-gym combo. Park Wilshire balances smaller floor plans with pool, fitness, and laundry. Co/Relate packages co-living with pool, fitness, and rooftop space in West Adams. The Sunset Boulevard condo emphasizes privacy and a gated pool farther west. Shahnaz Beral stretches the commute for a lower displayed rent.

Build a weekly commute estimate, not only a one-way trip. Include classes, work, groceries, libraries, clubs, and weekend plans. Then add transportation costs: fuel, parking, transit, rideshares, or bike maintenance. A farther apartment can still work if the neighborhood reduces other trips, but that math should be deliberate. For a broader scan beyond this shortlist, open the full University of Southern California apartment inventory and keep the pool as one filter among several. More themed shortlists live in the USC housing guides index.

When comparing areas, visit at the times you will actually arrive and leave. Check lighting, pedestrian activity, traffic noise, transit stops, and the walk from parking to the building. Ask how packages are handled and what access systems protect shared amenities. If you are still deciding between campus proximity and monthly cost, the near-campus vs affordable USC apartments comparison can frame the tradeoff before you tour.

FAQ

Are pools at apartments near USC open year-round?

Policies vary by property. Los Angeles weather can support a long outdoor season, but hours, heating, maintenance closures, and guest rules are building-specific. Ask for the current pool policy before signing and confirm whether access is included in rent or tied to an amenity fee.

Does a pool always make rent higher?

It can contribute to pricing or fees, but rent also reflects location, unit size, renovations, parking, and other services. Compare total monthly cost for similar layouts and decide how often you would use the pool. Frequent swimmers may accept a premium; occasional users may prefer a lower-cost place closer to campus.

What should I inspect around a pool during a tour?

Look at cleanliness, seating, shade, posted hours, access controls, and the distance from the pool to the available unit. Ask how often the area closes for maintenance and how noise rules are enforced. If you are sensitive to sound, consider a unit that does not face the pool or main courtyard.

Which featured option has the shortest listed commute to USC?

The Lorenzo has the shortest estimate in this set at seven minutes by bike to Tommy Trojan. Broadway is listed at a 12-minute drive, Park Wilshire at 15 minutes, Co/Relate West Adams at 16 minutes, 11670 W Sunset Blvd at 22 minutes, and Shahnaz Beral at 27 minutes. These are inventory estimates, not guarantees—test your exact route at class time.

How should roommates split a pool-building lease?

Confirm whether each person signs an individual lease or everyone shares responsibility for the full unit. Ask what the advertised price covers, how utilities are divided, whether bedrooms differ in size, and how parking or amenity access is allocated. Put plans for rent, guests, cleaning, and shared purchases in writing before move-in. For layout ideas beyond co-living, see the roommate-ready multi-bedroom apartments near USC guide.

Is a downtown or Westside pool apartment realistic without a car?

Sometimes, but only if transit, biking, or rideshare costs and timing work for your schedule. Downtown options like Broadway may have stronger transit access; Westside and longer-drive listings usually assume a car or a carefully tested transit plan. Map both the outbound and return trips before you rely on a listing estimate.

Make the pool one part of a smarter shortlist

A pool can improve daily life near USC, but the right apartment still has to support your budget, commute, sleep, and study habits. Compare two or three finalists side by side, request current fee and availability details, and revisit the route before committing. Start with the six live listings above, then widen the search through the USC apartments hub if none of them fit. The strongest choice is the community where you can realistically use the amenities without giving up the basics that matter every day.