Travel Clinician Housing Guide
How to Find the Perfect Home Away from Home During Your Assignment
Contact a recruiterYou secured your dream travel healthcare assignment! Now it’s time to figure out where you’re going to live. Below is our quick‑start guide to walk you through choosing travel nurse housing, travel allied housing or travel clinician housing options.
Because after a twelve‑hour shift, you deserve a space that helps you recharge, feel safe, and explore your new city.
Know Before You Go: Choose Flexibility
Before diving into the steps below, here’s our top-line advice: Don’t lock into long-term housing before you arrive. Start with a hotel or short-term rental without a long-term contract. It gives you time to scope out the area, get a feel for the neighborhoods, and avoid potential costs if your assignment changes. Flexibility first—then find your perfect fit.
When it comes to housing, there are essentially two types to choose from: Corporate Housing and Tax-Exempt Housing (also known as the Full Stipend Pay Package). Let’s see what housing option is best for you.
Best Platforms for Travel Nurse Housing
- Furnished Finder – Built for health‑care travelers; filter by stipend amount.
- Airbnb & VRBO – Month‑to‑month discounts, easy remote tours.
- Extended‑Stay Hotels – such as Extended Stay America, or Residence Inn by Marriott with Utilities, Wi‑Fi, and housekeeping bundled.
- Landing & Blueground – Furnished corporate apartments in larger metros.
- Facebook housing groups – Peer reviews and off‑platform deals.
Start browsing as soon as you sign your contract; good listings near teaching hospitals disappear fast!
Finding the right spot comes down to your priorities. Do you care more about walkability or peace and quiet? A short commute or great local eats? Know what matters most to you—then use the list below to gut-check the vibe before you commit.
- Walkability: Plug the address into WalkScore for errands‑on‑foot potential.
- Safety: Check neighborhood stats on the CityProtect Crime Map and chat with clinicians already on site.
- Transit & Parking: Verify shift‑friendly bus schedules or secure, well‑lit parking if you’re on off‑hour call.
- Local life: Look for parks, gyms, and grocery stores within a 10‑minute radius to make settling in easier.
- Essentials:
- In‑unit laundry
- Reliable Wi‑Fi
- Well-lit parking garage
- Dedicated workspace
- In‑unit laundry
- Pet‑Friendly Perks:
- Ground‑floor unit
- On‑site dog park
- Nearby trails
- For more, check out our Pet-Travel Guide
- Ground‑floor unit
Modality‑Specific Amenity Tips:
- Respiratory therapists: Request top‑floor or quiet buildings for post‑ICU recovery sleep.
- Imaging techs: Secure, bright parking for late‑night call backs..
- PT/OTs: Proximity to parks or gyms doubles as patient demo space..
- Lab techs: Short commute + blackout curtains for pre‑dawn shifts..
Your housing budget may vary widely based on the location of your assignment and the amenities most important to you. Here’s an example budget to get you started:
Taxes are complicated, but here’s the gist:
- A housing stipend is tax-exempt only if you keep a qualifying tax home.
- Meet at least two of three IRS criteria: keep a hometown job, pay significant costs to maintain that home, or return there regularly.
- If you don’t, the stipend is treated as taxable wages and your paycheck shrinks.
For a deeper dive, skim IRS Publication 463 or check out our Tax Home 101 Guide.
Still unsure? We’re happy to connect you with our trusted partner TravelTax, which specializes in taxes specifically for travel clinicians.
- Pack a favorite throw blanket or instant‑photo string lights.
- Bring blackout curtains to get better sleep for those overnight shifts.
- Bring a portable essential‑oil diffuser for scent cues.
- Map out local coffee shops and grocery stores within 48 hours of arrival.
- Join a clinician Facebook group for neighborhood intel.
- Cross‑check our ultimate packing checklist before you hit the road, or read our ready-made guide – How to pack for your assignment
Lean on Your FlexCare Recruiter
When it comes to housing, we’ve seen it all. Whether you’re a FlexCare clinician or not, we can help:
- Share real-world insights on what works (and what to avoid) when booking short-term housing.
- Talk through stipend vs. agency-provided options so you can make the best decision for your situation.
- Offer practical tips for navigating the housing search—from timing your booking to spotting red flags in listings.
- Point you to trusted resources and platforms that other travelers have successfully used.
