5 Neighborhoods to Rent in if You Attend Xavier University

Whether you are in college or in the final years of undergraduate studies, off-campus housing has become the norm. Xavier University is located in Norwood, Ohio.

Norwood is the largest city in the country completely surrounded by another city, namely Cincinnati. Xavier University is a very reasonable drive from most of the Cincinnati neighborhoods that border it. In this article, we’ll show you some of the best places to rent for off-campus housing.

1. Hyde Park

Hyde Park shares a border with Norwood. In fact, many people consider the Rookwood Pavilion Shopping Center to be part of Hyde Park when it is actually part of Norwood. Hyde Park Square, one of its central business districts, is just a five-minute drive from Xavier’s campus. It’s also a 2.1 mile bike with an estimated ride of 13 minutes. The metro bus line from Hyde Park to Xavier is a bit indirect and can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes.

To learn more about the neighborhood, read our Learn more about a Cincinnati neighborhood article on Hyde Park. Or visit our current lists to see what’s available right now at Hyde Park.

2. Oakley

Oakley shares a board of directors with Norwood and Hyde Park. Oakley Square is just 2.3 miles, or a seven-minute drive or 15-minute bike ride from Xavier. Again, due to routing issues, the public bus system can take 30-50 minutes to get from Oakley to Xavier. Oakley, like Hyde Park, has many restaurants and bars, as well as nightlife and concert venues. It is far enough from campus to provide some separation, but close enough that you can get there in under 10 minutes.

To learn more about the neighborhood, read our article Getting to know a Cincinnati neighborhood on Oakley. Or visit our current lists to see what’s available right now at Oakley.

3. North Avondale

North Avondale is perhaps the closest neighborhood to Xavier which is not in Norwood itself. While the time and distance vary from street to street, Google Maps estimates that it is 0.9 miles between North Avondale and Xavier. That puts the average bike in six minutes, three minutes by car, or 18 minutes on foot.

See our current lists in North Avondale.

4. Walnut Hills

The heart of Walnut Hills is about 2.7 km from Xavier. It’s five minutes by car, 20 minutes by bus, or 10 minutes by bike. Walnut Hills is the closest to downtown of all of the neighborhoods on this list, so if having access to the rest of the city is important, Walnut Hills might be the place for you.

See our current lists in Walnut Hills.

5. Pleasant Ridge

Further north, but still within the city limits of Cincinnati, is Pleasant Ridge. Pleasant Ridge is a little further but still about a ten minute drive from Xavier. It would be a little harder to cycle a little over 3.5 miles each way, but it has the shortest bus ride of any neighborhood on this list just 16 minutes away. If you want to live off campus but don’t have a car, Pleasant Ridge might be the place for you!

To learn more about the neighborhood, read our Learn more about a Cincinnati neighborhood article on Pleasant Ridge. Or visit our current listings to see what’s currently available in Pleasant Ridge.

Of course, you can always find quality off-campus housing in Norwood. See our Get to know a neighborhood better article about Norwood and see current lists.