Living in Norwood, Ohio: homes, prices and straight answers

Is Norwood part of Cincinnati?

No. Norwood is its own city, and it is completely surrounded by the City of Cincinnati. It has its own city government, its own 2% income tax and its own school district, Norwood City Schools. Your mailing address may still say Cincinnati, so do not go by the address. Look up every house with the Hamilton County Auditor to see which city and school district it is in.

Why look at Norwood?

You get to be close to everything without paying Hyde Park prices. Norwood sits between some of Cincinnati's most popular neighborhoods, minutes from restaurants, parks and employers. The median sale this summer was about $290,000, compared with about $457,000 in Oakley and $556,000 in Hyde Park.

In the spring I wrote that Norwood looked to be leveling out as it matures, which brings stability rather than big swings. This summer the median was up about 5% from a year earlier. I included it in my 7 suburbs where buyers get more house for their money.

What kinds of homes are in Norwood?

Older homes with impressive bones: craftsman bungalows and solid brick two-stories, most built before 1940. About two-thirds of Norwood homes were built before 1940, and that character is something you simply will not find in a newer subdivision. About a quarter of homes are in two- to four-unit buildings, so two-family and other small multi-unit homes are common too.

If you are willing to do a little light renovation, prices here leave room in the budget for updates. A 90-year-old house needs a real inspection, so read Should you waive the inspection? first.

What is near Norwood?

• Rookwood Commons and Rookwood Pavilion, in Norwood, with stores like Whole Foods and TJ Maxx.
• Hyde Park and Oakley next door, with Hyde Park Square, Oakley Square and Oakley Station.
• I-71 and the Norwood Lateral, the short highway that connects I-71 and I-75 across the city, for getting around the region.

What should I know before I buy in Norwood?

Highways and rail lines run through it, so noise depends on the street. Norwood sits between I-71 and I-75 with the Norwood Lateral connecting them, and there are active train tracks. If noise matters to you, visit a house at different times of the day before you make an offer.

Compare taxes too. Norwood's income tax is 2%, a little more than Cincinnati's 1.8%, but its property tax is lower: about $1,804 a year per $100,000 of value in Norwood City Schools, against about $2,150 in most of Cincinnati. Which one comes out ahead depends on your income and the price of the house, and I am happy to run the numbers with you.

Which school district is Norwood in?

Norwood City Schools for most of the city, with a small part in Cincinnati Public Schools. Norwood City Schools has Norwood High School, Norwood Middle School, and Norwood View, Sharpsburg and Williams Avenue elementary schools, plus The Norwood Montessori School. Check the district for each address with the Hamilton County Auditor, and compare districts on the Ohio School Report Card.