River Falls, WI

16 Apartments for Rent

The word "Kinnickinnic," which names the river running through River Falls, comes from the Ojibwe and means "it is mixed" to refer to the combination of tobacco and native plants. Locals often refer to this mouthful of a waterway as The Kinni.

Why live in River Falls, just 32 miles southeast of Minneapolis? A major Wisconsin university infuses the small city with youthful exuberance and intellectual activity. All those collegians have to eat, shop and live somewhere so you'll have lots of options for spending. You can also get away from it all by fishing in a world-class trout river or losing yourself among miles of farmland.

Moving to River Falls

If you're planning to move to River Falls, you should prepare to submit a rental application! Seems ahead of the game, of course, to prepare to apply for an apartment you haven't seen yet, but in case you do find a home you love, you'll want to apply right away. Some things to gather for your application are bank statements, tax returns, proof of income and copies of your ID. If you come prepared with all of these documents, you'll be able to take your dream home off the market ASAP! Also, you'll have to make a deposit to claim your River Falls rental place as yours, so be sure to save money before your move.

Neighborhoods

Which of the four neighborhoods you should choose depends on what turns you on in life.

City Center: If educational curiosity and intellectual exploration are what drive you, look for rental housing here. Because the University of Wisconsin - River Falls occupies the southwest corner, most of the residents here are also renters, with over half attending the college. After school, they let off steam in the bars, eateries, and stores of Main Street. Not really college-bound? The western half of this area is taken up by agriculture and the 18-hole River Falls Golf Club.

Western River Falls (S. Main St and Foster St): Handling some of the shopping and living spillover from the university, this neighborhood consists of small-to-medium single-family homes and apartment complexes, with over half built from 1970 to 1999. Nature is the watchword here because the area includes Lake Louise, Lake George, the Junction Falls Dam and the South Fork of the The Kinni. St. Croix Riviera Airport is also here.

Northern River Falls (E Division St / N Main St): Because part of the Kinni flows here, you'd expect a complex like Riverside Apartments to be right on the water, so you can fish for trout from your window. In fact, these apartment homes in River Falls are several hundred feet from the shore and it's doubtful you'll catch glimpses of the water through the thick trees. Perhaps their having one to three bedrooms, allowing pets, and offering garages can make up for your disappointment. Otherwise, this neighborhood contains the greens of Hoffman Park and Greenwood Cemetery and is near the junction of State Road 35, N Main Street and Wisconsin Highway 65 for quick commutes.

Southern River Falls (Martell / Beldenville): If tranquility, wide open spaces and lack of traffic are high on your list of must-haves, then this neighborhood satisfies. It's many times larger than the other neighborhoods combined and consists mostly of rural farmland scattered with owner-occupied housing. You're more likely to score a single-family rental here that was built from 1970 to 1999.

Recreation in River Falls

It won't be necessary to go over the obvious pluses of living near a university that can enlighten and entertain with lectures, concerts, exhibits and theatrical performances. What isn't so obvious is that the 22 miles of The Kinni boasts almost 8,000 trout per mile in some spouts, making it a popular fishing destination. The city's other outdoor offerings center on almost two dozen parks. As an example, at Hoffman Park you can go camping, play disc golf, shred at the skate park, pitch at the softball field or cook a mean steak at a grill.