April 16, 2026
Travel Housing For Nurses: How To Find The Right Place On Assignment
Every new travel nursing assignment brings a familiar challenge: finding a comfortable, convenient place to live — and stat. Whether you’r...
Every new travel nursing assignment brings a familiar challenge: finding a comfortable, convenient place to live — and stat. Whether you’re heading to a bustling metro hospital or a regional medical center in a new state, securing the right housing is just as important as landing the right contract. This guide walks you through how travel nurses find housing, the most common options available, and what to look for so every assignment feels like home.
Travel nurses take short-term assignments at healthcare facilities across the country. These assignments can be anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, with the average contract lasting 13 weeks. The temporary nature of your assignment can make it tricky to secure a place since contracts are often much shorter than a typical lease.
There are usually two main ways to get housing for traveling medical professionals: through the agency or with a stipend.
Many travel nursing agencies offer fully furnished housing as part of the contract. The agency will find housing for you, often with furniture and utilities included. The accommodations they select will also likely be close to your assignment hospital.
Agency housing is commonly seen as the easiest option because you don’t have to put the effort into finding or arranging accommodations. However, you have little to no choice in housing type, location, roommates, style, and other factors.
Instead of agency housing, you can often take a housing stipend to find your own place. Choosing the stipend requires more work on your part, but it can be worth it for the control it gives you over your housing selection.
If going the stipend route, there’s still a question of where travel nurses find housing. You usually have the option of working with a locator or doing the research online yourself.
A locator specializes in helping travel nurses and other healthcare professionals find short-term housing. They typically have existing relationships with landlords and properties that offer month-to-month or short-term leases, saving you significant research time.
If you choose to find your own housing, you can perform some searches online. Popular places to check include:
When you temporarily move for an assignment, you can actually wind up with more options for housing than if you need a long-term lease. Here are some common housing types travel nurses choose when on assignment:
Travel nurses, phlebotomists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals can still enjoy standard apartment living while on assignment. You just need to find a community that’s open to short-term leases and be prepared to spend a little more than you would with a traditional 12-month lease.
It’s also important to note that most apartments don’t come furnished. So, you want to take the time to find a community that offers furnished units, or consider furniture rental to furnish your space yourself.
Some nurses use extended stay hotels for short assignments or when starting out. Extended stay hotels are designed for longer trips with weekly and monthly rate options instead of nightly. They also offer many home-like amenities, such as a kitchen and laundry.
These hotels can be a great option for your first assignment, shorter assignments, or temporary gap housing.
To save money or make the most of your stipend, you may choose to rent out a room in someone else’s home or share housing with another travel nurse or healthcare provider. This can be a great option in high-cost cities or if you’d feel more comfortable living with other people around.
As a travel nurse, you can also likely rent out an Airbnb, VRBO, or other short-term rental for a few months. This option may be a bit pricier, but it’ll give you all the comforts of home.
Nursing is a demanding profession, and it can be even more stressful when you’re bouncing around between locations and contracts. You need a place you can come home to at the end of a shift and fully unwind. Here are some important factors to consider when looking for temporary housing:
You don’t want to waste hours of your day commuting to the hospital or clinic. Aim for housing within a reasonable distance — ideally a short drive or commute — so you can rest and recharge between shifts.
You want to be close to grocery stores, restaurants, and other essentials, especially if you moved without a car. Easy access to daily needs reduces stress during an already demanding assignment.
You want to select an area of town and a housing situation that you feel comfortable and safe in. Research the neighborhood beforehand and read reviews from other travelers who have lived there.
Ensure you have plenty of space to kick back and relax after a long shift. Even a well-appointed one-bedroom can make a big difference in your overall well-being.
Travel healthcare can get lonely. Try to find a good community where you can meet and make connections with folks while on your assignment — apartment communities with common areas or co-living setups can help.
You’re likely not lugging your furniture around with every contract. Look for furnished housing, whether it’s an apartment or a vacation home.
Your housing stipend needs to stretch to cover rent, utilities, and other expenses. Factor in the local cost of living when evaluating options, and look for month-to-month arrangements that won’t lock you into a longer commitment.
Finding furnished housing can be tricky — and the definition of “furnished” can vary widely depending on where you stay. One of the easiest ways to get furnished housing is by choosing a vacation rental or an extended stay hotel. You can also search for furnished apartments by applying filters like “furnished” and “short-term lease” on locator websites.
If you aren’t finding a furnished place you like, you can also rent furniture. Companies like CORT Furniture Rental offer move-in ready packages with everything you need to have a complete, comfortable home on assignment. Whether you just need a few rooms furnished or you want everything from kitchenware to a chaise lounge, we have what you’re looking for.
Best of all, you don’t need to do any of the lifting. Our team will coordinate delivery and take care of setting up and arranging your furniture — often before you even arrive. Then, when your contract ends and you’re ready to move again, we return to pick everything up. This flexibility is exactly what traveling healthcare professionals need, especially when juggling back-to-back assignments in different cities.
Travel assignments move quickly, and finding the right housing can take time. If you secure an apartment or home but need help creating a comfortable living space, CORT Furniture Rental offers flexible furnishing options designed for life in transition, so you can focus on your work and settling into a new community. Explore our packages online to find the perfect match for your next assignment — and the one after that.
