Local Expert's Guide To the Best Student Friendly Neighborhoods to Rent Near Colleges in Cincinnati
Cincinnati isn’t exactly known as a college town — still, with the city’s great variety and strong economy, it’s a great place to go to college (and maybe to stay for years to come)!
I’m Joey, your ApartmentHomeLiving.com Local Guide for Cincinnati, here with a guide to the best neighborhoods for renting a student apartment near any of the city’s top universities and colleges.
Now I’ve gotta start this guide by disclosing my priors: I moved to Cincinnati post-college, so I never had the chance to live the student life here. But look on the bright side: I don’t have a dog in this fight, so you don’t have to worry about me tilting the scale in my alma mater’s favor. I have spent time in just about all these neighborhoods, so these are real insights from someone who’s been there — but not exactly done that.
University of Cincinnati
The largest university in the region, the University of Cincinnati enrolls over 50,000 students annually across 14 colleges. It’s a respected research university and the second largest in the state, but let’s be real: these days it might be most well known as the alma mater of NFL superstars and media personalities Jason and Travis (AKA “Taylor’s boyfriend”) Kelce.
In all seriousness, UC is a respected place to study almost anything: its schools of medicine, business, engineering and applied science, law, and music are all highly regarded. And because of its size and location “up the hill” from downtown, UC feels a little like a city within a city.
The Heights
Encompassing UC’s main campus, Burnet Woods, and several blocks to the west of campus, The Heights is quintessential university living. Many of the large homes in The Heights are frat houses and sorority houses, and some campus housing extends into this neighborhood as well.
The Heights caters extensively to students, so you’ll find large apartment buildings, modern luxury apartments, historic homes, and everything in between available as student apartments.
Clifton Heights
Known variously as CUF or just (incorrectly) as Clifton, Clifton Heights sits just south of The Heights and main campus. Unsurprisingly, the neighborhood contains all sorts of student apartments for rent, especially along the streets between Warner and McMillan.
I love Clifton Heights because here you can see what I’ve mentioned elsewhere about Cincinnati feeling like different worlds: from Bellevue Cliff and other spots, you can see “down the hill” into Over the Rhine and Cincy’s downtown grid. But move just a little bit north (or go for a drive through Fairview Park) and you’d never know you were within throwing distance of high-rises.
If you want to live somewhere that has easy access to UC and downtown, Clifton Heights is worth considering!
Mt Auburn
Sitting southeast of campus and directly east of Clifton Heights, Mt Auburn is a large, diverse, and historic neighborhood that stretches east all the way to Eden Park and south to Liberty Street. In a neighborhood this large, you’d expect to find a wide range of experiences — and that’s exactly right. Single family homes are tightly packed on tree-lined streets; apartment complexes pop up on corners and along the major roads; and you’ll find a mix of larger businesses, small business, and restaurants. Some student apartments are located in the northwest corner (closest to UC), and Christ Hospital (the other “big hospital”) is right off of Auburn Avenue.
If you end up renting (or even just exploring) Mount Auburn, Eden Park is a great place to spend some time outdoors. The Cincinnati Art Museum is in the park, as is the Krohn Conservatory — one of my family’s favorite places in the entire city.
University of Cincinnati Medical Campus
Separate from the UC main campus, the UC Medical Campus (formally the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center) is a well-regarded institution with numerous medicine-related colleges. The College of Medicine is the oldest in the state, dating to 1819.
The Medical Campus sits diagonally northeast of UC’s main campus, across MLK Drive and Jefferson/Vine. So while the near edge of the two campuses are technically within walking distance of each other, they feel like (and are) distinct spaces, each leaning toward different sets of neighborhoods. UC gets The Heights, Clifton Heights, and a few others south and west, while UC Medical gets Corryville and Clifton proper.
Corryville
Cincy isn’t a college town in the same sense as many other midwest college towns; it’s a vibrant, functioning city that houses several major colleges and universities. But because of our city’s unique layout and geography, many areas feel distinct from the rest. And if it’s “college town” you’re after, much of Corryville fits the bill: I love the small tree-lined streets with tightly packed homes over businesses, eclectic restaurants and bars, and gobs of character. Housing here is a mix of densely situated single family homes, urban apartment blocks, and mixed use buildings. Several student apartment complexes are located south of campus, just across MLK Drive.
Clifton
Clifton sometimes gets used as shorthand for Clifton, University Heights, and Fairview (officially “CUF” but good luck finding a local who uses that term!), and this includes the filters on ApartmentHomeLiving unfortunately. But here we’re talking about Clifton proper: Located west of the college of medicine, Clifton is bounded by I-75 to the west and north, the campus (and zoo) to the east, and MLK Drive and Burnet Woods to the south.
Clifton has plenty of charm (check out the Gaslamp District and Ludlow Avenue), great green space in Burnet Woods, and a good number of student apartments for rent. Overall, it’s a prosperous, well-educated, and desirable neighborhood full of professionals (including some acquaintances of mine) and academics.
Avondale
Avondale is a varied community just north of the UC Medical campus: you’ll find single family homes on narrow lots, apartment complexes of various sizes and styles, numerous satellite medical facilities, and— oh yeah, a personal favorite: the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden!
There are plenty of homes and apartments for rent in Avondale, and medical students can’t beat the location, but the area doesn’t specifically cater to student housing. That said, if you’re comfortable with a more traditional rent arrangement (as most residents would be), there’s plenty to love here.
Xavier University
Private Jesuit liberal arts institution Xavier University is located 5 miles north-northeast from Cincinnati’s downtown core, well within the city’s inner orbit. Some on-campus housing is available, but many Xavier students live in the neighborhoods surrounding the beautiful historic campus. As a liberal arts institution, Xavier requires students to complete required courses in a wide range of disciplines besides those customary for a degree program; and as a Roman Catholic school, these required courses include studies in theology.
Norwood
The City of Norwood borders the campus’s eastern edge. Head northeast along US 22 up through the Norwood Lateral Parkway, and you’ll see a diverse neighborhood with a little bit of everything, including tightly packed suburban grid streets, retail, industrial, parks, and more.
The city of Norwood has a wide range of student housing options, including multifamily properties, rooms for rent in homes, traditional apartment blocks, and modern luxury student apartments.
North Avondale
Directly west of Xavier’s campus lies North Avondale, a Cincinnati neighborhood with several options for student housing. About 3,400 residents call North Avondale home, and the community boasts numerous parks and green spaces, including the Avon Woods Preserve. Primarily residential, most of the businesses in the neighborhood are along Reading Road.
North Avondale has many larger old homes, some of which rent space to college students. More conventional older suburban homes can be found throughout the neighborhood as well.
Corryville
Closer to UC College of Medicine than to Xavier, Corryville remains the next best option for Xavier student apartments as it has numerous properties to offer and is still fairly close to the smaller private school. Just 2 to 2.5 miles west of Xavier, Corryville feels a world away, boasting that quintessential “college town” vibe. If you want to experience city living while attending decidedly-more-suburban Xavier, then Corryville is an excellent choice for Cincinnati apartments near Xavier University.
Northern Kentucky University
Fun fact about Cincinnati: something like a quarter of the metropolitan area isn’t even in Ohio. If you’re flying into CVG for the first time, “welcome to Kentucky” might be more than a bit alarming, but don’t worry— you’re in the right place.
The cities and towns just across the river in northern Kentucky (NKY) are solidly considered a part of the Cincy metro, despite the state line dividing us. (There are even a few Indianans who technically live in the metro!) This shared metro extends southeast to Highland Heights, home to Northern Kentucky University (NKU). With an enrollment of roughly 15,000, NKU is a substantial institution in the metro. Some on-campus housing is available, but the majority of students live off campus and commute from neighborhoods in Northern Kentucky or across the river in Cincinnati.
Highland Heights
Situated south of 275 and along both sides of US 27 (Alexandria Pike) where it turns into 471, Highland Heights is home to NKU, so it’s no surprise the town is full of student housing. Aside from the campus, several developments full of student apartments, and a few restaurants and stores, Highland Heights is almost completely suburban.
Newport
Student apartments near Northern Kentucky University are relatively sparse outside of Heights, primarily due to NKU’s large commuting population (including local students still living with their parents). You’ll find some student options in sprawling Newport to the north, however.
Newport borders 471 heading north all the way to the riverfront. Inland is a mix of mid century suburban homes, then density tightens as you head toward the riverfront, where you’ll find a tightly packed grid of historic homes interspersed with some stellar restaurants, coffee shops, and bars. Legend has it, Newport used to be run by the mob, but all I see is great fried chicken and history around every corner.
New developments along the riverfront (Newport on the Levee, Riverfront Commons) include some luxury student housing serving campuses on both sides of the river.
Taylor Mill
Just about the definition of a bedroom community, Taylor Mill is a primarily suburban, wooded, low-density home-rule city along 275, two exits west of NKU. Taylor Mill Road/Pride Parkway bisects the community on either side of the interstate. One fairly sizable traditional apartment complex, The Farm at Taylor Mill, offers student housing.
If you swing through Taylor Mill, don’t miss Knuk-N-Futz: it’s, well, a regional destination for wings and drinks. I haven’t made it out there yet myself, but it’s a bit of a local legend.
Bonus: Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Not a university, but still home to around 10,000 students, Cincinnati State Technical and Community College’s main campus is nestled in the crook of I-75, on the western edge of Clifton. If you’re relocating to attend here or perhaps moving out while a student, there are plenty of student apartments nearby. Look for apartments in Clifton (described earlier), nearby Northside, or perhaps a little further out west in Cheviot.
