Not sure which neighborhood is right for you? Deciding where to live in Greater Cincinnati can affect everything from your extracurricular activities to your commute. Take some advice from fellow transplants before making your final decision
When Sterling Wright, an operations analyst at
The Kroger Co., moved to Greater Cincinnati last year, she only had a month to find a place to live. With 52 unique neighborhoods – not to mention an abundance of suburban towns and villages to choose from – the task was daunting, to say the least.
Originally from Orangeburg, South Carolina, Wright had a cousin who lived in Hartwell, but other than that, she didn't know much about Cincinnati at all.
"It was a city I hadn't even visited before I moved here, so I was really all over the place," she says. "I just happened to find a place that was good for me."
After searching a plethora of neighborhoods for a couple of weeks, she chose an apartment in
Reading, Ohio, where she enjoys being centrally located and near but not directly a part of the high-traffic areas like Hyde Park, Downtown, and Oakley.
"It's a quiet neighborhood," Wright notes. "It's out of downtown but still close to everything."
According to the 2010 census, Greater Cincinnati experienced tremendous growth among ethnic groups. Several cities in the Tri-State now boast populations that are more than 50% minority and the suburbs are becoming more diverse, too.
"I truly like the place," says Patrick Duhaney, a program officer with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, who lives downtown with his wife, Alicia. "It has big-city amenities (e.g., cultural institutions, major league sports, nice restaurants and bars, great parks, distinct neighborhoods, etc.) yet you can still live fairly comfortably in a decent place in a cool neighborhood on an entry level salary – minus the roommates."
Others agree with that sentiment.
"Cincinnati has a big city atmosphere with all of the conveniences of small town," says Braxton Washington, an IT manager in global business services at Procter & Gamble, who lives in
Madisonville. "And my neighborhood is very walkable and equally as convenient driving to downtown or the north suburbs."
For Jaime Love, owning a home was very important after she got married. She and her husband, Will, thought long and hard about neighborhoods and school districts before selecting a house in
Batavia, Ohio.
"We've gotten comfortable here and made a good life," she says. The area is spread out enough that people can work in the city and live in the suburbs with more space and good school districts, and those who want city life can have that."
Whatever they choose, Wright recommends that newcomers carefully consider what they want out of a neighborhood before selecting one.
Want to be part of the hustle and bustle of city living? Choose a home downtown. Want the quiet suburban life? Maybe
West Chester or
Liberty Township is more your speed. For a close-knit small-town feel, head over to the west side.
"You really have to take your time and research neighborhoods," Wright adds. "It's best to find a place that fits your personality."
Your Guide to Life in Greater Cincinnati
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.