If you’re a young professional in Cincinnati and you’re looking for a neighborhood to live in, you’re likely looking for a place that offers plenty of restaurants, bars, breweries, gyms, and other places where you can socialize and engage in different community activities. You might also be looking for a place with low crime and relatively affordable housing.
The good news is that there are several neighborhoods around the Queen City that meet these criteria.
In this post, we share the eight best neighborhoods for young professionals to live in Cincinnati.
Map of Neighborhoods
The map below shows the location of every neighborhood mentioned in this post:
Downtown
One of the most obvious places for young professionals to live in Cincinnati is Downtown. Not only do most of the major city-wide festivals like Oktoberfest, The Flying Pig Marathon, and Taste of Cincinnati take place here, but many of the best restaurants are located Downtown and each of the city’s professional sports teams have stadiums or ballparks located along the Ohio River.
Downtown Cincinnati is also one of the most walkable areas in the entire city, which means you can get around fairly easily without a car.
The Downtown area also offers The Banks, an area with tons of bars and restaurants wedged in between the Cincinnati Reds stadium and the Cincinnati Bengals stadium. This is one of the most popular nightlife spots in the whole city and is home to a variety of festivals and events year-round.
While this area doesn’t offer much of a housing market, there are plenty of options for renting an apartment which is something that many young professionals are likely looking for when they’re just getting started early in their careers anyway and aren’t sure where they’d like to settle down.
East Walnut Hills
Located just ten minutes from Downtown, East Walnut Hills is another excellent spot for young professionals to live in. This neighborhood is known for its small but upscale downtown area that features a variety of restaurants and bars, including one of our favorite breweries in the whole city: The Woodburn Brewery.
They also have a local coffee shop in the form of Urbana Cafe and one of the most hidden bars in the city, Night Drop, which is located in the basement of the Branch restaurant.
The neighborhood itself is fairly quiet and laid back and offers an excellent location with close proximity to other hip neighborhoods.
There are several affordable housing options for young professionals looking to rent and buy in the area, which likely explains why the neighborhood tends to attract a younger crowd.
Hyde Park
Located on the east side of the city, Hyde Park is an upscale neighborhood with some of the lowest crime rates in the city. With plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops located in the area, there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat and something to drink with friends in the area.
Hyde Park is also one of the more walkable neighborhoods in the city and it’s fairly easy to get around the area either with a bike or by simply walking. The neighborhood is also home to several excellent coffee shops, including Hyde Perk, Awakenings, and Coffee Emporium.
Related: The Complete Guide to Cincinnati Coffee Shops
The neighborhood is also located just a short drive away from some of the best parks in the city including Alms Park, Ault Park, and Otto Armleder Park which offers one of the largest dog parks in the city.
Housing and apartment prices tend to be quite high in Hyde Park which could put this neighborhood out of the budget for many young people, but for those who can afford it there’s a lot to love in terms of the low crime, plethora of restaurants and shops, and convenient location.
Mount Adams
Located just five minutes from Downtown, Mount Adams is another upscale neighborhood to live in that is popular among young professionals.
There’s a lot to love about Mount Adams. It’s home to several restaurants and bars, an excellent neighborhood coffee shop, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Eden Park, The Krohn Conservatory, and The Seasongood Pavilion.
The neighborhood itself is fairly quiet during the week, but turns into a hot spot for nightlife on the weekends due to the variety of bars in the area. It’s also home to an interesting mix of older retired couples who live in million dollar homes along with young professionals who are just getting started with their careers.
Due to its location atop a large hill, the neighborhood offers incredible views of Downtown, the Ohio River, and Northern Kentucky which makes it one of the more scenic places to live in Cincinnati.
You’ll find that home prices are incredibly expensive in the area, but there are several affordable apartment complexes that offer decent rates for renters.
Mount Lookout
Located on the east side of the city, Mount Lookout is another hub for young professionals. One of the most attractive features of the area is its location.
It’s just 10-15 minutes from Downtown, its home both Alms Park and Ault Park, and it has a town square that offers the popular coffee shop Lookout Joe, two incredible sushi joints, one of the best pizza places in the city, and several bars.
Mt. Lookout also has a reputation for being one of the safest neighborhoods in the city, which isn’t much of a surprise given its upscale nature.
Home prices in Mount Lookout tend to be quite expensive, but there are plenty of options for renters that are fairly affordable.
Oakley
Located on the east side of the city, Oakley is the mecca for young professionals. As one of the fastest growing neighborhoods in all of Cincinnati, there are tons of restaurants, bars, shops, gyms, and other attractions in Oakley that make it one of the most popular places for young people to live.
Oakley is home to a variety of interesting places worth checking out including:
- Madtree – one of the most popular breweries in all of Cincinnati
- The Oak Tavern – one of the most popular bars on the east side, especially among younger crowds
- Oakley Pub & Grill – one of the best places to get wings in Cincinnati
- Deeper Roots Coffee + Redtree Art Gallery & Coffee
- Oakley Station – a restaurant and shopping center
- A variety of excellent restaurants
- Climb Time Oakley – a popular rock climbing facility
Because of the amount of attractions in the area, home and apartment prices tend to be quite expensive here, which reflects the high demand to live in the area.
Over-The-Rhine
Located just north of Downtown, Over-The-Rhine is a neighborhood that has transformed from a crime-ridden area to arguably the most lively and bustling neighborhoods in all of Cincinnati over the past decade.
Known for its high density of restaurants, bars, and breweries, OTR offers an endless amount of interesting places to grab some food and a drink. The neighborhood is also home to Washington Park, the most popular urban park in the city that offers a dog park, plenty of open green space, and several festivals and concerts year-round.
The area is also highly walkable which makes it easy to get across the neighborhood without using a car.
Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge is an up-and-coming neighborhood that is a bit of a hidden gem for young professionals. With a vibrant downtown area that features Nine Giant Brewing, several bars, coffee shops, a record store, and many restaurants, combined with low crime rates and relatively affordable housing, this neighborhood is quickly becoming one of the most popular places for young professionals to live.
Located just 15 minutes from downtown, a short drive away from French Park – one of the best places to go hiking in the city, and just five minutes from Oakley, this neighborhood has a lot to offer.
You’ll find that prices for buyers and renters alike are more reasonable in Pleasant Ridge compared to other neighborhoods like Oakley or Hyde Park. This makes the area an attractive place for young professionals to call home and it’s easy to see why the neighborhood has gained popularity in recent years.
