Moving To Cincinnati Guide

Cincinnati skyline with bridge and water front

One of the most exciting metropolises in the Midwest, Cincinnati, OH, offers everything you could want in a city and more. This place has everything from gorgeous green spaces and parks, to scenic trails, the Cincinnati Art Museum, breweries, and the University of Cincinnati. Our Cincinnati Moving Guide will help you discover everything you need to know before moving here, so read on!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Relocating to Cincinnati, OH

Moving to Cincinnati could be challenging, depending on where you reside now, especially if you need to hire a moving company. To help you reduce the stress of moving to The Queen City, we offer the following list of things you need to do to prepare properly.

  • Start getting ready for your move 6 to 8 weeks ahead of time.
  • Get moving estimates from 3 or 4 movers and choose the one you like best.
  • Sell, donate, or trash anything you don’t use, need or want. (Remember, movers charge by weight.)
  • If you do the packing, get started packing right away.
  • Find storage in Cincinnati before you arrive.
  • Gather the following important documents and paperwork:
    • School transcripts
    • Professional licenses
    • Medical, dental, and vet records
    • Vehicle titles
    • Prescription medicines
  • Have all utilities in your old home scheduled to be disconnected

What are the Best Neighborhoods in Cincinnati?

row of houses

Cincinnati, Ohio, is a big city with numerous neighborhoods, many of which are beautiful, safe, and have great schools. Below are 10 of the best, but remember that there are many more. If you’re moving to Cincinnati but don’t have a new place to live, putting your things safely in a storage unit in Cincinnati is a great choice while you go search.

Downtown Cincinnati– Vibrant, filled with arts and culture, and close to the mighty Cincinnati Bengals? Yes, please!

Pleasant Ridge– A tiny community full of life and a strong sense of community pride.

Mount Lookout– Views of the Ohio River and lovely Eden park make this community a winner.

College Hill– Named for the 2 excellent colleges in the area including the University of Cincinnati.

Hyde Park– A charming community with access to many of the city’s best amenities, including the Observatory Historic District.

Mount Adams– Many trails and walking paths with spectacular Ohio River views make this a popular neighborhood.

Westwood– Cincinnati’s biggest neighborhood.

Mount Auburn– Walkable community filled with young professionals and anchored by Christ Hospital.-

Columbia Tusculum– The city’s oldest community is very highly rated.

Pros and Cons of Moving to Cincinnati

Cincinnati, or “Cincy” to the locals, has many excellent amenities, attractions, and fantastic reasons to live here. Like most U.S. cities, however, this one also has flaws. You’ll get the good and bad below in our lists of the pros and cons of moving Cincy.

Pros

A low cost of living

Very affordable housing

A strong job market

The powerful and exciting Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL

Skyline Chili

Kroger Corporate HQ (and lower grocery prices)

Cincinnati’s spectacular Music Hall

Many breweries with outstanding beer

A massive and well-run park system

Diverse neighborhoods

Gorgeous architecture

Superb summer weather

An exciting, vibrant downtown area

Cons

Long, cold winters

Traffic is terrible

Public transportation is limited for such a big city

Average public schools

High crime rates

Excessive drug usage

What is the Cost of Living in Cincinnati?

light bulb turned on in the back with various stacks of coins in front

One of the best reasons to move to Cincinnati, Ohio, is the cost of living which is quite affordable. More specifically, the cost of housing in Cincinnati is very affordable. The housing cost index in the city is 68.6 / 100,  nearly 32 points lower than the national average. The median home cost in Cincinnati is $210,800, almost $120,000 less than the national average. It’s worth noting that transportation, utilities, groceries, and healthcare are all slightly less than the national average. The only cost index higher than the national U.S. average is miscellaneous expenses at 109.1 / 100. Below are all the city’s major cost indices for comparison purposes. Please remember that the national average is 100, so anything above that number is higher than the national average and vice versa.

Overall. 86.8

Housing. 68.6

Healthcare. 89.4

Transportation. 93.6

Groceries. 97.6

Utilities. 98

Miscellaneous expenses. 109.1

What is Cincinnati Known For?

It’s highly likely you already know that Cincinnati is known for it’s beer! The reason why that is, in the mid to late 1800s, thousands of Germans immigrated to Cincinnati, specifically to Over-the-Rhine, and started brewing their delicious beer in copious amounts. They brewed so much beer that Cincinnati soon was known as the “Beer Capital of the World.” Today the beer brewing industry in the city is still going strong, and there are over 50 breweries located in and around Cincinnati.

Take Care of Your Storage Needs with iStorage

If you’re on your way or just arrived and need storage in Cincinnati, look no further than iStorage. iStorage has 8 clean, safe, and secure self-storage facilities in Cincinnati and Norwood, Cleves, Mason, and Loveland, Ohio. We also offer several different storage options, including climate-controlled storage for fragile items, car storage for your car, boat, or RV, and storage organization tools. If you need to store all of your valuables in Cincinnati, Ohio safely, iStorage has everything you need!