Diversity in Cincinnati (Fairfield, Kent, Mason: renting, home, YMCA)

[HWilliams77]

I was in Cincinnati all last week looking for places to live (I am relocating with Fifth Third Bank, will be working Downtown at Fountain Square)...and found that Cincy is veru segregated.

My family and I (me, my husband, and 6 yr old daughter) are from Chicago. We are wondering, what are the affluent african american communities in Cincinnati...or does that exist? How comfortable or uncomfortable would we feel living in Northern Kentucky? How would my daughter be treated in school (she's in kindergarten). We went to Cracker Barrel in Florence KY and didn't feel too welcome...actually we got hate stares a lot of places we went. It seems Cincy/NKY has the "down south" mentality more so than the Chi area.

We are just trying to find a nice place to move where I can be close to work and my daughter can be in a nice school. BTW - we are renting when we first move down.

Any help is much appreciated! Thanks.

[Bigbluelandrover]

Most black professionals make Cincy a quick pass through on the way to better jobs elsewhere. Even when you get to good ol' 5/3 you will see it visibly in how most minorities are in operations or mortage processing AND the dead end call center jobs.

As for communities Forest Park is middle class and predom AA, Liberty Township is also diverse, parts of Evendale, Glendale and Wyoming (my fave) have a nice balance and are nice areas with good schools. I would NOT consider NKY-yet. Ky still has a stigma attached to it and like the experience you had--you will get those stares a lot in that area. For the life of me I really don't know why people still do that.

[jlrosen]

I would recommend Paddock Hills or North Avondale, affluent, mixed race areas

[jlrosen]

Liberty Township is 94% Caucasian, that isn't diverse

[CincyExpert]

You're best bets would be Forest Park (there are some nice parts), or anywhere you can find in the Princeton district (Evendale, Glendale, Springdale, etc.). Your child would be attending diverse schools in either district that are both predominantly African-American and solid schools too, especially Princeton's.

[HWilliams77]

Thanks all!

I am going to look into those areas...the problem is that they are not very near to downtown so I'd have a longer commute than what I wanted but that might have to be a sacrifice I have to make.

[jlrosen]

If you want a place near downtown that is diverse, how about city west? It is in the west end, right near downtown, everyone I have met there likes it, there are numerous parks and playgrounds and a rec center and a ymca all within walking distance.

[BHILLBOY37]

City West? You got to be kidding.

[jlrosen]

care to explain?

[BHILLBOY37]

Cincinnati doesn't have a large black affluent community. Most black people who make a little money move to West Chester, Mason,, Liberty Twp, Fairfield. As far as moving close to downtown. North Avondale, Paddock Hills, East Walnut Hills, Hyde Park, Kentucky isn't too bad once they see your face around a few times. Actually my cousin loves living in his newly built home in Ft. Mitchell Kentucky. He's black 33 with a wife and 2 kids and you couldn't get them to move back across the river.