There’s a lot to be said about calling Athens home. It’s a quaint city with a busy downtown, a sprawling college campus, and access to lush forests and parks, among many other things. It’s a great area of Ohio to call home, and it’s an even better place to go to college in.
If you’re going to school at Ohio University, you might not initially know much about the city and the neighborhoods within it, which can make renting a student home close to Ohio University’s campus a challenge. How are you supposed to decide what neighborhood to live in when you really only know the area right around campus? After all, location and where you live is also a big part of your college experience. Thankfully, as one of the best student rental companies in the area, we’re kind of experts on all the neighborhoods that comprise Athens. Read on for a breakdown of what you can expect in the main neighborhoods around Ohio University.
Uptown Athens
It wouldn’t be a guide to Athens if we didn’t talk about the Uptown area first. Uptown is the part of Athens right outside of campus around Court Street and surrounding areas. It’s got a lot of hustle and bustle to it, and it’s home to many of the local businesses, restaurants, and bars that make up Athens. It’s the perfect area to hang around—you can study and relax between classes in coffee shops, grab some lunch from one of the food spots around, and yes, you can party it up on the weekends in this area.
If you find an Uptown apartment for rent, or maybe you have a student rental home close to Court Street, you can expect to be close to most of the amenities that Athens offers college students, and you’ll also be renting an apartment that’s only a quick walk to OU’s campus. If you’re someone who likes to be in close proximity to things, the location is great and has a lot to offer—the only downside is the noise. Being in such a prominent part of the city, Uptown can get noisy, especially on the weekend nights as people are out and about at the various bars and restaurants in the area. If you can sacrifice peace and quiet for a few nights a week, you’ll do just fine here.
If you’re thinking of renting some housing for Ohio University around here, make sure to act fast, because this is a prime location for students.
Athens’ West Side
The West Side neighborhood, as the name heavily implies, is on the west side of the city. The further down the West Side you go, the more residential the areas get. If you’re looking for a rental home with a lush backyard or any two or three-bedroom student rental units, this would be a fantastic area to scout out. As far as amenities go, you’re still close enough to walk on over to Court Street to enjoy the restaurants and bars, but the West Side has a few of their own local restaurants and bars, including the ever-popular West End Ciderhouse, an absolute must if you’re looking for a place to head out on a weekend night to with friends and want to avoid the hectic Uptown area.
All in all, the West Side is going to be a fair bit quieter than some of the busier areas in the city, which makes this an ideal area to find rental housing close to Ohio University if you’re someone who values less noisy areas, has a lot of studying to accomplish, or if you simply don’t want to walk out your front door onto a busy street.
Athens’ East Side
Nestled along the east area of the city, the East Side neighborhood is perfect for the student who is wanting a rental home with a scenic view of the Hocking River, or if being close to all of the shops along East State Street is important.
Similar to the West Side, the East Side offers plenty of residential homes and rental properties, making it a fun area to live in if you’re looking for a university rental home near East State Street or if you want to go in on a house for rent with some friends.
East State Street is easily the closest main area along this neighborhood, featuring some Athens favorites, like Kindred Market, Athens Bread Company, and the Village Bakery—plus you’re by a ton of restaurants and right down the road from the only Kroger in the city. How’s that for convenience? Like the other residential neighborhoods, the East Side offers respite from the noise and hecticness of Uptown and is a great area to find off-campus rental housing in when you like your surroundings to be quiet and filled with tree canopies.
Mill-Stewart-Palmer Neighborhood
Directly east of OU’s campus lies the Mill-Stewart-Palmer neighborhood, aptly named for the surrounding street names. This area is mostly comprised of college students wanting to rent an apartment right across from Ohio University and keep things as centralized as possible.
You’ll be able to find rental homes with a fantastic view that looks out onto the Hocking River, and you’ll also be right nearby Hocking Park, which is situated next to the river and is perfect for weekend hangs in fall and spring.
This area is great for finding a student rental after the dorms, because you get a sampling of what you can expect in the other neighborhoods in Athens—you’re close enough to Court Street and right by campus, but you’re still in more of a “traditional” neighborhood type setting.
Athens and its handful of neighborhoods make for a charming and fun college experience, and you’re sure to find one that you love during your four years at Ohio University.