Best place to retire: Short North
Pros: Super-affordable, close to the university
Cons: Not much in the way of nature around Columbus, and the downtown is still pretty sleepy
Real estate: One-bedroom condos can be found for $175,000 or so. Two-bedroom rentals can be found for $1,500.
If you want to get back to city life in Columbus, skip downtown and go straight to Short North, an up and coming arts district. High Street, the main stretch, is lined with trees, galleries, funky restaurants and 17 beautiful lighted arches.It's a hip neighborhood, but there's room for all ages. "There's more empty nesters than young hipsters moving back," says local agent Joe Peffer. One gallery even exhibits work from retired artists. Short North is a stone's throw from the courses, lectures, and legendary football games of Ohio State, the largest university in the country.
For a quieter neighborhood, Grandview Heights is just a couple miles west of downtown. It's on a river, close to OSU and has its own strip of restaurants on Grandview Avenue.
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