Neighborhood guides
Columbus Neighborhoods: A Local’s Guide to Where to Live
Columbus neighborhoods range from walkable historic districts a few minutes from Downtown to parkside and suburban settings. These guides cover six of them: Italian Village, Weinland Park, Grandview Heights, Franklinton, Quarry Trails and Marble Cliff, and New Albany. Each one explains where the neighborhood is, how to get around, where to eat and get outside, and which Thrive communities are there.
- 6neighborhoods
- 5 to 25minutes to Downtown
- 1.5 to 15miles from Downtown
Explore Columbus neighborhoods
Each guide covers location, getting around, food and drink, parks, events and the Thrive communities in the neighborhood.
-
Guide
Italian Village
Historic, walkable, urban
Restored brick homes, North Fourth Street restaurants and breweries, and the Short North a few blocks west.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 5 min (1.5 mi)
- Thrive community
- Jeffrey Park
- Foundry
- Iron Works
- Legacy
- The Patent
- The Sage
-
Guide
Weinland Park
Walkable, between the Short North and campus
Renovated historic homes and newer apartments between the Short North and The Ohio State University.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 10 min (2.3 mi)
- Thrive community
- Weinland Park communities
- 4th & 5th
- Grant Commons
- 1460 Grant
- 12 on Grant
-
Guide
Grandview Heights
Small city with a walkable main street
Grandview Avenue shops and restaurants, Grandview Yard, and a 3-acre park at Grandview Crossing.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 10 min (3.5 mi)
- Thrive community
- Grandview Crossing
- The Thomas
- The Michael
- 8 on the Park
- Midpoint East
- Midpoint West
-
Guide
Franklinton
Arts district across the river from Downtown
Just west of Downtown across the Scioto River, home to the Franklinton Arts District, COSI and Franklinton Fridays.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 5 min (1.5 mi)
- Thrive community
- Trace Quarter
- Trace Quarter
-
Guide
Quarry Trails & Marble Cliff
Parkside, on the northwest side
Built beside Quarry Trails Metro Park, with a waterfall, quarry lakes, a via ferrata and mountain biking minutes from home.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 15 min (5.9 mi)
- Thrive community
- Quarry Trails
- Tillmore
- South Bank
- Rockpointe
-
New Albany
Planned suburb northeast of Columbus
Georgian architecture, Market Square and a network of leisure trails in a planned community northeast of Columbus.
- Drive to Downtown
- About 25 min (14.7 mi)
- Thrive community
- Moore’s Edge
- Moore’s Edge
Where each neighborhood sits
Italian Village and Weinland Park are just north of Downtown, Franklinton is directly west across the Scioto River, Grandview Heights, Quarry Trails and Marble Cliff are to the northwest, and New Albany is about 13 miles northeast.
Rings mark straight-line distance from Downtown. New Albany sits beyond the map edge in the direction shown. Select a pin to jump to its neighborhood.
Compare Columbus neighborhoods
Drive times are rounded estimates from the center of each neighborhood to Downtown, outside rush hour.
| Neighborhood | Setting | Drive to Downtown | Signature spots | Thrive community |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italian Village | Historic, walkable, urban | About 5 min | Budd Dairy Food Hall, Seventh Son Brewing Co., Columbus Italian Festival | Jeffrey Park |
| Weinland Park | Walkable, between the Short North and campus | About 10 min | Weinland Park, North Fourth Street, Ohio State campus nearby | Weinland Park communities |
| Grandview Heights | Small city with a walkable main street | About 10 min | Grandview Avenue, the Grandview Hop, Grandview Yard | Grandview Crossing |
| Franklinton | Arts district across the river from Downtown | About 5 min | Franklinton Arts District, COSI, Franklinton Fridays | Trace Quarter |
| Quarry Trails & Marble Cliff | Parkside, on the northwest side | About 15 min | Quarry Trails Metro Park, Millikin Falls, the via ferrata | Quarry Trails |
| New Albany | Planned suburb northeast of Columbus | About 25 min | Market Square, Rose Run Park, leisure trails | Moore’s Edge |
Not sure which neighborhood fits?
Start with how you want to live: dinner within walking distance, a short commute or trails outside your door. Then compare floor plans, pricing and move-in dates across every Thrive community.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best neighborhoods to live in Columbus, Ohio?
The best Columbus neighborhood depends on what you want day to day. Italian Village, Weinland Park and Franklinton put restaurants, arts and Downtown within a few minutes. Grandview Heights pairs a neighborhood main street with quick access to Downtown. Quarry Trails and Marble Cliff sit beside Quarry Trails Metro Park, and New Albany offers a planned suburban setting with leisure trails.
Which Columbus neighborhoods are closest to Downtown?
Italian Village and Franklinton are the closest of the neighborhoods in these guides, each about five minutes from Downtown by car outside rush hour. Italian Village sits just north across I-670, and Franklinton sits just west across the Scioto River.
Which neighborhoods are closest to The Ohio State University?
Weinland Park sits between the Short North and the Ohio State campus, and Italian Village is just south of it. Both are a short drive, bike ride or bus trip from campus.
Where can I live near parks and trails in Columbus?
Quarry Trails is built beside Quarry Trails Metro Park, which offers paddling, rock climbing, a via ferrata and mountain biking. New Albany has an extensive network of leisure trails, and Grandview Crossing includes a 3-acre park.
Which Columbus neighborhood is the most walkable?
Among the neighborhoods in these guides, Italian Village has a Walk Score of 90 and Weinland Park has a Walk Score of 88, which Walk Score ranks fifth among Columbus neighborhoods. Grandview Heights scores 76, with the most walkable blocks near Grandview Avenue. Each guide lists the current Walk, Bike and Transit Scores.
Is New Albany part of Columbus?
No. New Albany is its own city about 15 miles northeast of Downtown, with its own government and police department. Some homes and apartment communities with a New Albany mailing address, including Thrive’s Moore’s Edge, sit within the City of Columbus.
How we build these guides
Every guide is researched from public sources, including the City of Columbus, Columbus Recreation and Parks, COTA, Walk Score and the businesses we list. Drive times use one method across every neighborhood, and most of the places listed are independent local businesses. We review each guide at least every six months.
These guides describe places, amenities and commutes. Thrive Companies follows all federal, state and local fair housing laws. Read our Fair Housing Policy.