RATING the BURBS 2013
INSIDE:
45 Home prices rise in many neighborhoods 45 How the project was produced 46 Top 50 communities 48 Top public schools 50 Safest neighborhoods 52 Residents rave about Terrace Park 52 Highest-priced homes
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Terrace Park
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Indian Hill
Just before leaving Hamilton County driving east on Wooster Pike (U.S. 50), you’ll almost miss the village of Terrace Park, this year’s top suburb. Nestled in a crook of the Little Miami River, almost all of the 1.22-square-mile community is zoned residential, with fewer than 20 businesses listed on its website. Owners occupy almost 95 percent of the houses, and the median household income is $124,500, according to the census. Stellar school systems give Terrace Park a No. 2 education ranking, and zero major crimes give the village a No. 1 safety rating. Its Swim & Tennis Club, established in 1956, and the Terrace Park Country Club, incorporated across the Little Miami in 1910, afford residents with plenty of recreation.
With 5,769 residents, it is technically a city, but it still goes by the name “The Village of Indian Hill,” even in census statistics. The quiet, almost 20-square-mile community ranks high in education, and with a $930,000 median home-sale price in 2012, it’s the only suburb that approaches $1 million. More than 97 percent of homes are owneroccupied. Families enjoy the rural atmosphere; the area was settled as a farming community in 1795 but wasn’t incorporated until 1941. Its police department, the Indian Hill Rangers, dates to 1903, and helps maintain a low crime rate. The school system ranks No. 4; eight Indian Hill High School seniors were National Merit Finalists this year.
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Clearcreek Township
Clearcreek Township has become a consistent Top 10 community based on its low crime rate, good schools and strong home sales. With an owner-occupancy rate above 90 percent, it ranks fifth in the region in highest median home-sale prices at $275,450. With 44.7 square miles, Clearcreek accounts for a little less than 11 percent of the total area of Warren County. The Clearcreek Baptist Church, founded in 1797, is the oldest church in Warren County. The township is one of the fastest-growing areas in the past 12 years, with its population of almost 30,000, up 42 percent.
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Madeira
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Wyoming
No. 1 for the past three years, Madeira slips only slightly this year. A strong city school district, a small-town atmosphere and a low crime rate make it an attractive place to live. The city is conveniently accessible to Interstate 71, and although its land area is 90 percent residential, it still has a thriving business district of more than 150 enterprises. The city, which celebrated its centennial in 2010, prides itself on a large number of volunteers who oversee many civic activities. The Madeira Art Fair recently celebrated its 52nd year, and the Madeira Centennial Criterium Bike Race was so successful that it is preparing for its fourth annual race in June.
With a strong school system and stable home sales, Wyoming remains a top suburb. Not only are its city schools ranked No. 1, the system ranks in the 99th percentile across the state of Ohio. And education doesn’t stop at the secondary level: More than 67 percent of residents 25 and older have at least a bachelor’s degree. Recreation also is a high priority, and the city operates a dozen parks and fields. Wyoming officially became a village in 1874 with 600 residents, then a city in 1949 and today has a population of 8,349 in its 2.87 square miles.