As the most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 909,748 (according to 2020 census data), Columbus is continuing to grow at a rapid pace. With rapid growth, comes a growing need for more housing throughout the city districts and the surrounding residential areas. The Greater Columbus Area is made up of many named districts that are ranked at the top of areas in Ohio in several categories including Best Places for Young Professionals, Most Diverse Places to Live, and Best Places to Raise a Family. We broke down these areas into sections based on their locations around Columbus:
Near East Side – Old Town East, King-Lincoln, Bronzeville
Although these areas don’t always have strict boundaries, each has its own unique history, character, and amenities that make Columbus a fun and exciting place to move. Of course, location isn’t the only factor to consider when deciding where you should live, but how do you choose which area is the best for you or your family? We asked our team which neighborhoods were their favorite based on these characteristics:
Accessibility – how easily can you get from where you live to where you work/shop/play/etc.?
Area Amenities – what types of business are in this area? Restaurants/Bars/Parks/Offices/etc.
Available Transportation – is there adequate/safe/clean public transportation in the area?
Area Liveliness – are there events/festivals/celebrations in this area? Do you chat with your neighbors or get involved in community activities?
Walkability – can I easily walk to neighborhood amenities?
Safety – is it safe for residents in this area? What are the crime rates here?
It’s hard to value any one of these characteristics over the other, so we’ve distilled our rankings into 3 of our favorite neighborhoods to live in Columbus. Check out our top three below!
Just minutes outside of downtown, Grandview is a beautiful and lively area full of both single-family homes, as well as multi-family units. Historically, Grandview began with the unification of the area between the Olentangy and Scioto Rivers to the East and South/West, and King Avenue to the North in the early 1900s. The historic downtown features a number of retail shops, restaurants, breweries, salons, and parks that are all walkable from almost anywhere within the Grandview area. The addition of Grandview Yard and Giant Eagle Marketplace along Third Avenue greatly improved apartment and office-space offerings, as well as easy/quick access to healthy and affordable food. Additionally, with the new Columbus Crew Lower.com Field just across the river, new multi-family and mixed-use developments are popping up along the Southeast corner of this area, providing new housing options for any renter as well as easy access to Arena District and other downtown amenities. Home to both young professionals looking for a lively and fun area to start their careers, as well as families looking for safe parks and school systems, Grandview caters to a number of differing demographics. Our team specifically pointed to safety and walkability as some of the best features in Grandview, which only continue to improve and evolve as development continues.
Located north of downtown, Worthington is situated at the intersection of US State Route 23 and State Route 161 – one of the largest and busiest crossroads in Ohio. This intersection allows Worthington residents to quickly move throughout the Central Ohio area with easy access to Ohio State Route 315, as well as Interstates 270 and 71. Our team again looked to safety as a main feature of Worthington, along with accessibility and safety. Founded in 1803, this area is one of the first planned communities with a walkable and lively historic district full of shops, restaurants, parks, and celebrations throughout the year. One of the most popular events being the Worthington Farmer’s Market, showcasing a vast number of local vendors. This area boasts some of the best schools and libraries in the Columbus Area, attracting families with young children to the majorly single-family homes located throughout Worthington.
The area just north of the University District has gone through vast changes since its establishment in the early 1800s. Clintonville once began as an area for Revolutionary War veterans to start businesses and build homes North of downtown Columbus. This spirit has continued into a bustling neighborhood filled with both single and multi-family housing options, as well as a lively strip of shops, restaurants, bars, breweries, and more along High Street, one of the most popular streets in several Columbus neighborhoods. With several close grocery stores and access to major highways, this area connects to both downtown amenities as well as suburban conveniences. Due to these amenities, Clintonville has become a popular spot for young professionals to purchase their first homes. Because of the area's liveliness, accessibility, and safety, our team ranked Clintonville as one of our favorites.
No matter where you decide to put down roots in Columbus, there are so many great places to choose from! Columbus is home to over 100 corporate headquarters, thousands of original restaurants, hundreds of events/shows/festivals, and more than 400,000 housing units, making it the perfect place to find exactly what you’re looking for in a place to live.
Where will you choose to live in Columbus?