Affordability led by a clear margin
Price and affordability was selected by 48% of respondents, twice the share that selected quality of the property.
Which factor matters most when you are choosing a place to live?
Price and affordability was the clear leading answer at 48%, followed by the quality of the property at 24%. Distance to university and who you are living with were tied at 14% each.
48%
Price and affordability mattered most
Ten of the 21 respondents said price and affordability was the most important factor when choosing a place to live.
How did students answer?
Respondents selected one option from four. Percentages are calculated from 21 responses and rounded to whole numbers.
-
Price and affordability 10 responses 48%
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Quality of the property 5 responses 24%
-
Distance to university 3 responses 14%
-
Who you are living with 3 responses 14%
Base: 21 responses, raw counts shown
Collected through Unifresher Instagram Stories · 17 August 2026
What does this result suggest?
Within this indicative sample, affordability was the strongest single priority when respondents thought about where to live. Property quality came second, while distance and housemates were selected less often.
Property quality was the second priority
Five respondents selected quality of the property. Distance to university and who you are living with each received three responses.
62%
Nearly two thirds chose price or distance
Thirteen of 21 respondents selected either price and affordability or distance to university. This is an editorial calculation combining two answer options, not a separate question.
How was this poll collected?
This was a quick audience poll designed to provide an indicative view from respondents reached through Unifresher.
- Exact question
- Which factor matters most when you are choosing a place to live?
- Answer options
- Price and affordability, Distance to university, Quality of the property, Who you are living with
- Responses
- 21 total responses. Raw counts are shown alongside every percentage.
- Fieldwork date
- Monday 17 August 2026
- Audience
- People who viewed and responded to the poll through the Unifresher Instagram audience.
- Collection method
- Unifresher Instagram Stories. Respondents selected one of four fixed answer options.
- Calculation
- Percentages were calculated directly from the supplied raw response totals and rounded to whole numbers. No weighting or adjustment was applied.
- Verification
- The four supplied response counts were checked against the stated total of 21 responses before publication.
- Representation
- Indicative audience poll. The result reflects respondents to this Unifresher poll and is not statistically representative of all UK university students.
- Editorial independence
- No commercial partner directed or influenced the question, answer options, analysis or interpretation shown on this page.
Reviewed by Connor Steele. Data totals, calculations, methodology wording and editorial interpretation reviewed for Unifresher on 18 August 2026.
Read the full Unifresher research methodologyCite this poll
Keep the sample size, fieldwork date and indicative poll description with the finding.
48% of respondents said price and affordability was the factor that mattered most when choosing a place to live. Source: Unifresher Student Accommodation Priorities Poll, 2026. 21 responses via Instagram Stories, collected 17 August 2026. Indicative poll. unifresher.co.uk/data-hub
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