5.4 out of 10

Walnut Hills

Ranked 17th best neighborhood in Cincinnati
39.1247999668421 -84.4898840824779
Great for
  • Schools
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Public Transport
  • Parking
  • Neighborly Spirit
Not great for
  • Lack of Traffic
  • Nightlife
  • Shopping Options
  •  
  •  
Who lives here?
  • Retirees
  • Families with kids
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • LGBT+

Reviews

5/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 5/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 5/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Parking 5/5
  • Cost of Living 5/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 5/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 5/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 5/5
2yrs+

"Location, Location, Location"

Walnut Hills is the home of Eden Park, arguably Cincinnati's best park. The neighborhood has some of the best views in the city and many historic homes. The business district is up and coming. There are some really great places to eat in Walnut Hills (Le Bar a Boeuf, Fireside Pizza, Just Q'uin, Gomez Salsa, The Brew House). There are always lots of people out walking, running and biking and it is a very friendly neighborhood. It's 4 minutes to downtown and 12 minutes to the airport. Easy access to other East side neighborhoods too.

There is a wide array of housing, everything from high rise and courtyard condos, mansions, cottages and plenty of apartments too. Easy to get to the interstate 71, 75 or Columbia Parkway. Walnut Hills recently lost it's grocery store but its minutes away from Kroger Newport or Whole Foods in Rookwood.

There is currently a lot of new development happening and new businesses opening regularly. The development has been done in a responsible way, mostly restoring wonderful old buildings. It's one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the city.
Pros
  • Walkable to restaurants and cafes
  • River view condos
  • Variety of different types of housing
  • Beautiful properties
  • Central location
  • Rich in history
  • Eden Park is beautiful
  • Pockets of trendy business
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Tourists
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 2/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"You take the good, you take the bad and there you have Walnut Hills"

Walnut Hills is a neighborhood of extremes both good and bad. It is conveniently located near Downtown Cincinnati and within a short distance of both the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University. Walnut Hills boasts a number of historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the streets are lined with Victorian style homes, as well as homes reflecting architecture from other eras. There are also some not so nice or safe areas of Walnut Hills.

Peebles Corner, located at the intersection of Gilbert Avenue and McMillan Street is one of the Walnut Hills locations listed on the National Register. However, today it is a rundown, mainly abandoned business area that once thrived. Further down McMillan, heading towards East Walnut Hills, you will find a variety of businesses and a Kroger. This area of Walnut Hills becomes very lively during the summer months and you can find people hanging out on the street and vendors with their smokers selling fresh made BBQ.

Many of the nicer and more expensive homes in the area, including some hi-rise condo developments and townhomes are close to Eden Park. The streets of St. James Avenue and Alpine Place are particularly nice ones. From these streets, you can head down a revitalized Nassau Avenue to dine at Andy's Mediterranean Grille. Andy's features decent food and often has belly dancers performing for the diners.

Because of the nature of the neighborhood with its diverse population, there tends to be a good deal of crime in Walnut Hills. You will find more of the violent crimes in the less nice areas, with burglaries being more prevalent on the nicer streets. There are also more businesses and some light industry in the areas of Florence and Gilbert Avenues. Nearby you will find ZZ's Pizza, a small, but excellent pizza restaurant that was a neighborhood favorite for many years before closing; it has since reopened using the original recipes for its signature dishes. This used to be one of my favorite restaurants, but I haven't been to the reopened place yet.

Traffic around the Eden Park area can be quite heavy, especially on the weekends. Overall, once you are off the main thoroughfares, traffic is not that bad and on street parking is relatively easy to find. Walnut Hills has a Post Office located on Kemper Lane in one of the more residential areas. Walnut Hills also has a very active community action committee, the Walnut Hills Area Council, which meets monthly.

Overall, Walnut Hills is a diverse neighborhood that would be a good place to live if you choose the right part to live in. Stick to the streets closest to Eden Park and you can't go wrong living in this historic and conveniently located neighborhood.
Pros
  • Beautiful properties
  • Central location
  • Rich in history
  • Eden Park is beautiful
  • Pockets of trendy business
Cons
  • Not much nightlife
  • Not much shopping
  • Okay walking by day, not so much by night
  • Questionable safety
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Trendy & Stylish
Joseph Ewing
Joseph Ewing quit being politically correct. 'diverse' - Just tell it like it is why its
dangerous at times. inner city blacks make it unsafe via crime.
tell it like it is. thanks.
2yrs+
Joseph Ewing
Joseph Ewing it can be violent due to low income and middle income people of all races. i'm just stating what people have told me - my roomate is black. a lot of my friends are black - its all about low income and lack of opportunities to thwarts advancement. hopefully if the neighborhood gets a resurgence economically we can see people grab those opportunites and it'll be better for all!
2yrs+
Add a comment...
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 2/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Walnut Hills: The old and the new"

Like many of the urban neighborhoods close to the heart of Cincinanti, Walnut Hills is a mix of old and new buildings and high to low incomes. There are fabulous large historic homes, especially in the area surrounding Eden Park. On Gilbert Ave you'll find the well-preserved home of writer Harriet Beecher Stowe. There are high rises at the edge of Eden Park and small and large apartment buildings throughout the neighborhood, including a senior highrise on Park Ave. at William Howard Taft.

Walnut Hills has a few problems with crime, but Good Guys Loitering holds sit-ins along McMillan to let criminals know their presence won't be tolerated. The Walnut Hills Area Council (walnuthills.us) is also a positive presence in the neighborhood.

Shopping and Eating
The main strip that stretches beyond Peeple's corner and down McMillan Ave used to be a thriving shopping district. Kroger, CVS and US Bank are still there. There's a Wendy's on William Howard Taft, Andy's Mediterranean Grill on Nassau and a scattering of small stores still holding their own along McMillan.

The empty storefronts you'll see are solid, brick, historic buildings. When I pass them, I get the impression they're waiting for a rebirth. That's a reasonable assumption given the renewal that's already taken place further down the street.

Brew House (www.brewhouse.com) hasn't left the corner of Park in over 34 years. In that same strip, Kurelis Interiors, Simply Stitches Upholstery and Walker Funeral Homes recently opened their doors in formerly empty buildings. Across the street, Parkside Cafe serves breakfast and lunch out of the old Frisch's spot. Down the road McDonalds, Skyline and my favorite Taco Casa handle my fast food cravings.

Recreation and other activities
Bush Recreation Center, 2640 Kemper Lane has a pool, fitness center, game room and more
The Cincinnati Public Library on Kemper Lane has summer reading programs for children
Eden Park is at the South Edge of Walnut Hills. They've got wonderful overlooks, a kid's play area and Khron Conservatory.

Cincinnati Public Schools
Walnut Hills High School 3250 Victory Parkway (It's actually in Evanston)
Frederick Douglas School Pre-8, 2627 Park Ave. (douglass.cps-k12.org )

Walnut Hills is 5 minutes away from several hospitals.
Pros
  • Pockets of trendy business
  • Eden Park is beautiful
  • Everything I need is within walking distance
  • Beautiful properties
  • Central location
  • Rich in history
Cons
  • Okay walking by day, not so much by night
  • Not much nightlife
  • Not much shopping
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 2/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Gym & Fitness 2/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 5/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Walnut Hills: A Rich Mix of History and Redevelopment"

Walnut Hills is a neighborhood rich in history. The most obvious remnant of its exceptional past are the beautiful houses -- mansions, really -- strewn throughout some of its nicer streets. You can find million-dollar properties, most notably as you approach the border to East Walnut Hills (EWH). That isn’t to say that all of Walnut Hills is HGTV-worthy, however...

Much of the neighborhood, which, in the early 19th century, was only one portion of a large farm, is not as nice as neighboring EWH. In fact, its situation next to Avondale and some other dicey neighborhoods has notably increased its crime rate in the last twenty or thirty years. Much of the neighborhood is safe for a central Cincinnati location, but nighttime walks alone are not recommended. At the same time, the socioeconomic diversity of Walnut Hills is part of its charm.

While Walnut Hills is definitely considered an ‘urban neighborhood,’ this means it’s full of recreational and entertainment possibilities. Some notable examples include gorgeous Eden Park, the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, and the Krohn Conservatory.

Perhaps more important are the nearby schools. While Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati are both about a five minute drive away, Walnut Hills is also home to Walnut Hills High School, ranked 36th best public school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in 2008.

Apart from downtown, it’s hard to find many neighborhoods more centrally located than Walnut Hills. A few minutes’ drive from downtown, Hyde Park, Clifton, and Mt. Adams, the neighborhood is truly at the heart of Cincinnati. Much of the city is easily accessible by car, and, as with most central Cincinnati locations, a number of nationally-ranked hospitals are minutes away.

All in all, Walnut Hills is a redeveloping neighborhood getting closer to achieving its former glory every year. Its 200-year-old history and bustling atmosphere give it a distinct urban charm, as does the diverse mix of people who are proud to call it home.
Pros
  • Beautiful properties
  • Rich in history
  • Central location
Cons
  • Questionable safety
  • Not much nightlife
  • Not much shopping
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • Students

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Unranked Streets in Walnut Hills

Alms Pl

1/5
39.131415569058 -84.4839748847302
39.1299369136219 -84.4820642146169
39.1335372141356 -84.4898254356191

Chapel St

2/5
"A short historic street"
39.131094417112 -84.4816269758321

Gilbert Ave

2.5/5
39.126188957415 -84.4902158589166

Madison Rd

2.5/5
39.1300541202869 -84.4795295851874

Victory Pkwy

4.5/5
"Beautiful parkway through Eden Park"
39.1292946616566 -84.4822599326747

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