safe neighborhoods near UC. (Cincinnati, University Heights: apartments, rentals, crime)
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Hi all. I am starting school at UC this fall. I am living with my father right now in a suburban neighborhood about a half hour away from the city, but I will probably need to move out this April.
I am a 23 year old woman. I lived with roommates last year and after that horrible mess I decided my father's house with stepmom, 2 teenage stepsiblings and a 4 year old running around was going to be better. So, preferably I would live alone, or max 1 roommate, I could probably do 2 roommates, but I would definitively need my own room.
So, if I were to live on my own, I would need a safer neighborhood than if I had roommates.
The only neighborhood I kind of know is Hyde Park, and I really like it.
I am also living primarily on student loans, so the less it costs the better.
If anyone has any ideas I would really appreciate it!
Reporting from my experience in college drinking and partying ~2007-2009 so I may be a couple years out of date. The area immediately around UC (CUF, Clifton) is a mixed bag. I wouldn't think there's any issues in the daytime, and the area around MLK Drive/Clifton Avenue/Cincinnati Children's is OK as well. If I were a single woman, I'd stay north of McMillen Avenue, steering clear of Mt. Auburn and Over-the-Rhine. I'd be curious about the prices of housing right next to campus, what with everyone knowing it's convenient to campus (and arguably safer?).
If cost is a big priority, I wonder if it would be worth living further out, near a bus line, and then commuting to campus via the bus? Parking on UC's campus is a veritable nightmare if you drive, expect to pay $300+ per quarter for a parking pass and often not find a spot anyway. Hope the regulars and people who still live in Cincinnati can provide more help.
Thanks, yeah being the terrible driver that I am, I plan to buy a bus pass. I hate parking on campus so the bus just makes the most sense.
Would you happen to know the names of those areas?
I have heard that the areas directly around UC are not exactly the best so I figured I would be a little further out especially if I wanted to live alone...
The street names and areas I all referenced (McMillen, Clifton, CUF, etc.) are all within Cincinnati's city limits. If you're on Google Maps, its all within an area just north of downtown if that helps.
Thanks, yeah being the terrible driver that I am, I plan to buy a bus pass. I hate parking on campus so the bus just makes the most sense.
Would you happen to know the names of those areas?
I have heard that the areas directly around UC are not exactly the best so I figured I would be a little further out especially if I wanted to live alone...
There are just so many options.
Please ignore hensleay. They have no idea about the neighborhoods they are telling you to stay away from. CUF is loaded with college students. There is plenty of affordable housing south of McMillan in Clifton Heights and Fairview. The neighborhood is fine. There is a UC shuttle bus that services Warner Street. Do yourself a favor and check the area out. The area immediately around UC is fine, and improving daily. I should know, I live here with my wife and 5 year old son.
Basically, south of McMillan is Clifton Heights and Fairview. Fairview is quieter with more families, unless you go down around McMicken. What used to be a nice area has been taken over by prostitutes and johns since they were ran out of OTR. University Heights is to the west of campus. It's rowdy near Clifton Ave with all the sororities and fraternities. There is nice housing in the area. All of this area is relatively affordable. Some streets closer to campus are prone to heavy partying. So noise is your biggest drawback on some streets. Party houses are easy to spot. They look like Animal House.
Corryville is to the east of campus. It has more and more college students moving into the area. It still has some rough spots. Also, in spite of Mount Auburn getting a bad rap by people who don't know better. Uptown Rentals has several larger buildings around McMillan and Calhoun near Auburn Ave. Areas to avoid in Mount Auburn would be Vine Hill. That is along Vine Street as it descends into downtown. That area has a lot of problems and drug activity all the way up to Auburn Ave. East of Auburn Ave is a lot quieter with more working class families. There are still rough patches so those areas of Mount Auburn are less suited to college students. But to cite Mount Auburn as a no go is obviously posted by someone who has little knowledge of the area.
There are numerous resources on this site to get a feel for the CUF neighborhood. I am not trying to talk you into moving here. I just want you to have a balanced perspective of affordable options in the neighborhood. Following are links to get an idea on price for rentals around the area.
Please ignore hensleay. They have no idea about the neighborhoods they are telling you to stay away from. CUF is loaded with college students. There is plenty of affordable housing south of McMillan in Clifton Heights and Fairview. The neighborhood is fine. There is a UC shuttle bus that services Warner Street. Do yourself a favor and check the area out. The area immediately around UC is fine, and improving daily. I should know, I live here with my wife and 5 year old son.
Basically, south of McMillan is Clifton Heights and Fairview. Fairview is quieter with more families, unless you go down around McMicken. What used to be a nice area has been taken over by prostitutes and johns since they were ran out of OTR. University Heights is to the west of campus. It's rowdy near Clifton Ave with all the sororities and fraternities. There is nice housing in the area. All of this area is relatively affordable. Some streets closer to campus are prone to heavy partying. So noise is your biggest drawback on some streets. Party houses are easy to spot. They look like Animal House.
Corryville is to the east of campus. It has more and more college students moving into the area. It still has some rough spots. Also, in spite of Mount Auburn getting a bad rap by people who don't know better. Uptown Rentals has several larger buildings around McMillan and Calhoun near Auburn Ave. Areas to avoid in Mount Auburn would be Vine Hill. That is along Vine Street as it descends into downtown. That area has a lot of problems and drug activity all the way up to Auburn Ave. East of Auburn Ave is a lot quieter with more working class families. There are still rough patches so those areas of Mount Auburn are less suited to college students. But to cite Mount Auburn as a no go is obviously posted by someone who has little knowledge of the area.
Apparently I cannot rep you anymore.
I think a lot of this confusion with areas that are better or worse (around UC, Cincinnati, anywhere), is knowing where borders lie. So I pose the question, where exactly does OTR end, Vine Hill begin, and all the university area neighborhoods pick up again? Never realized that Vine Hill and OTR were separate neighborhoods.
FYI, I can vouch for the Warner St. shuttle and area around Ravine, Ada, and Warner. It is exactly like Tom said. Just don't go to the bottom of Ravine (McMicken Ave. intersection) because one, the walk up the hill would be a nightmare, two, the shuttle does not run down there, and three, the grittier crime element. I have a colleague who lives on Fairview Place and has the hands-down best view of the city. As you head north, more rentals pop up catering to the college students.
Personally, I would never live past Auburn down McMillan, but my brother (who now lives at Ada and Ravine) walked constantly between campus and Highland/McMillan and never had a problem day or night. Of course, you being a single young female, you probably would not feel as comfortable doing that walk east of campus.
Either way, the place feels safer than many of the student neighborhoods around OSU. Are there problems, of course, but keep vigilant, be smart, and you will be fine.
I think a lot of this confusion with areas that are better or worse (around UC, Cincinnati, anywhere), is knowing where borders lie. So I pose the question, where exactly does OTR end, Vine Hill begin, and all the university area neighborhoods pick up again? Never realized that Vine Hill and OTR were separate neighborhoods.
The boundary between Clifton Heights and Mount Auburn is Vine Street, and Vine being in Mount Auburn. As you know that is a hard and fast boundary because it's wooded hillside up to Ohio with only one set of stairs that goes from Vine to Ohio Ave. It's of note that parts of Mount Auburn are nice, such as Prospect Hill. Along Highland Ave is also a nicer area with working class families. The university neighborhoods pickup on West Clifton after you leave Vine. There are really no hard and fast borders for students because there are college students in (and below) Clifton View Apartments. You already mentioned Ravine Street and that does get better as you go up the hill towards Warner. McMicken Street has parts that are alright and parts that are disgusting. Unfortunately one of the disgusting parts is Ravine and McMicken and further west on McMicken. A lot of prostitutes and druggies. The closer one is to that the more likely they will deal with quality of life issues.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrightflyer
FYI, I can vouch for the Warner St. shuttle and area around Ravine, Ada, and Warner. It is exactly like Tom said. Just don't go to the bottom of Ravine (McMicken Ave. intersection) because one, the walk up the hill would be a nightmare, two, the shuttle does not run down there, and three, the grittier crime element. I have a colleague who lives on Fairview Place and has the hands-down best view of the city. As you head north, more rentals pop up catering to the college students.
Very well said, and very accurate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wrightflyer
Personally, I would never live past Auburn down McMillan, but my brother (who now lives at Ada and Ravine) walked constantly between campus and Highland/McMillan and never had a problem day or night. Of course, you being a single young female, you probably would not feel as comfortable doing that walk east of campus.
There is McMillan Manor at Highland and McMillan that rents to students.
I frequently see students walking to and from campus at various hours. I also believe they run a shuttle. Also, Uptown Rentals maintains several properties between Auburn Ave and Highland. That's not to refute what you are saying. I could see where people could feel a little more uncomfortable the further away from campus you get. My wager is though that most students who use their heads live a problem free lifestyle.
and the area aroundMLK Drive/Clifton Avenue/Cincinnati Children's is OK
For God sakes, the area around Cincinnati Children's is Avondale and that is one of the worst neighborhoods in Cincinnati. They keep Cincinnati Children's safe by running VERY tight security. But go so much as two blocks into Avondale and you are in a different world.
The area along Clifton to Mlk has nothing to do with Cincinnati Children's. To the east of Clifton is Universiy Heights until you cross part of MLK. But technically University Heights covers Burnett Woods up to Jefferson, with UC west of Clifton.
Clifton Gaslight is a very nice area that has it's share of student housing. So let me officially suggest taking a look at the gaslight since we are on the topic.
Not to nitpick the neighborhood borders, because they are difficult to track. However, the advice that living around Cincinnati Children's is OK is grossly inaccurate. Once you get past Cincinnati Zoo to the west and north of Erkenbrecker you are in a very rough area.
When it comes to differing between Clifton and Avondale then Vine Street is the border. And that's not to say there aren't rougher patches immediately east of Vine either. But to the west of Vine is Avondale.
Last edited by TomJones123; 08-05-2012 at 12:34 PM..
I will second the advice given by Tom Jones. He knows what he's talking about.
I have friends that live on Chickasaw, Stratford, Victor, and Flora, and aside from a few drunk people acting stupid on the weekends, they haven't had any serious problems. Definitely check out that area, as well as Clifton Gaslight.
I would also take a look up on McMillan and Calhoun. I know someone that lives above one of the businesses on McMillan and his place is extremely nice. This building in particular is currently under construction, and might be done by April: U Square at The Loop - Attractions/Things to Do - Cincinnati, OH | Facebook
I've lived in both Clifton Gaslight and Hyde Park. In Clifton we had our house broken into twice, and cars on the street frequently had smashed windows ("never" leave anything visible in your car in Cincinnati). In Hyde Park we had zero incidents.
I think living in Clifton Gaslight is reasonably safe and I prefer it to the other neighborhoods right around UC. However, of course, armed robberies do occur occasionally so you have to be vigilant. The surrounding neighborhoods aren't so great and that causes some problems.
Hyde Park, depending on where (eg near Oakely vs. up in the hills) is quite safe and pleasant. But if you have to take the bus, that can be annoying.
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