OSU's Growth and Columbus Neighborhoods
How is Ohio State University's growth affecting Columbus real estate?
Ohio State University is executing one of the largest campus expansion programs in its history, with more than $3 billion in capital projects underway or planned across its Columbus campus. That investment is reshaping nearby neighborhoods, driving new housing development, attracting employers, and pulling buyer and investor interest into areas that were overlooked just a few years ago. If you own a home near campus, are considering buying in Columbus, or are watching the market from the suburbs, OSU's growth is a factor worth understanding.
What OSU Is Actually Building, and Why It Matters for Housing
OSU's Framework 3.0 campus master plan is the university's roadmap for the next 50 years of Columbus campus development, with near- to mid-term projects spanning the next 5 to 15 years. It's not a vague vision document. It identifies specific priorities: the Carmenton innovation district, expanded Wexner Medical Center facilities, new academic and lab buildings, additional and renovated residence halls in the North Residential District, and athletics projects including a new ice arena and expansion of the Woody Hayes Athletic Complex.
According to a November 2024 Columbus Business First report, OSU has financed more than $3 billion in major capital projects on its main Columbus campus and across Central Ohio. Buildings described in an April 2025 OSU Alumni Magazine guide were coming online in spring 2025 and January 2026, meaning this isn't future speculation, it's construction that's actively reshaping the campus footprint right now.
The Cannon Drive Relocation Phase 2 project, which reached a facility opening milestone in January 2025, adds 500-year flood protection for the campus, opens land for future medical and research expansion, and improves connections between campus and the Columbus riverfront. Infrastructure like this sets the table for the next decade of development, and for the neighborhoods that sit alongside it.
Carmenton and the Innovation District Effect
Carmenton is OSU's planned mixed-use innovation district, positioned to bring research institutions, tech employers, and startup activity to the northwest edge of campus. When a major employment hub like this matures, it doesn't just attract students, it attracts faculty, medical professionals, researchers, and knowledge-economy workers who want to live close to where they work.
That's why I'm watching areas like Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington, Olentangy West, and Clintonville closely. These neighborhoods offer commute-friendly access to campus without the density and turnover of student-heavy streets. As Carmenton builds out, demand for owner-occupied housing in these corridors is likely to grow alongside it.
New Housing Supply: OSU East
The most concrete near-term signal came in August 2026, when construction broke ground on the first phase of OSU East, a planned 35-building multifamily community near the Ohio State University Airport on Columbus' Northwest Side. According to The Columbus Dispatch, the project will add nearly 500 residences, 336 rental units in 11 three-story buildings, plus 138 for-sale townhome units, with townhome construction scheduled to begin in spring 2027. The project's marketing explicitly cites proximity to OSU, Cardinal Health, OhioHealth, JPMorgan Chase, Nationwide Insurance, and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
That employer list matters. This isn't purely a student housing play. It's a mixed-use, employment-anchored community that will bring new for-sale inventory to a submarket that hasn't seen this kind of purpose-built development in years. Buyers watching the Northwest Side should have this pipeline on their radar.
Neighborhood-by-Neighborhood Picture
Not every Columbus neighborhood feels OSU's growth the same way. Here's how I'd frame the current landscape for buyers and sellers thinking about proximity to campus.
University District and Old North Columbus
The University District, the area immediately surrounding campus, shows a median home price of $469,000 and a median monthly rent of $1,495, according to Realtor.com local market data from March 2026. Old North Columbus, just north of the main campus, shows a median closer to $361,000, often seen as a value play with strong walkability and character housing.
Both areas see intense competition between investors targeting student rentals and owner-occupants or young professionals. If you're a non-investor buyer, I'd counsel you to go in with clear expectations: well-located single-family homes and small multifamily properties in these neighborhoods regularly draw multiple offers, and the investor pool is active and experienced.
Short North, Italian Village, and Victorian Village
South and east of campus, these neighborhoods have undergone significant revitalization over the past decade. Modern apartments, townhomes, and mixed-use projects have replaced vacant lots and underused commercial buildings. A July 2026 student housing guide notes typical one-bedroom rents in the University District running around $1,742, with rents climbing moving south and west toward Grandview and Short North. These areas attract graduate students and professionals alongside undergraduate renters, which tends to support more stable, long-term demand.
Clintonville
North of campus along High Street, Clintonville offers a more residential feel with moderate rents, around $1,260 for a one-bedroom, per the same July 2026 guide. It's popular with grad students and university staff willing to bike or bus to campus, and it also draws buyers who want walkability and neighborhood character without the intensity of close-in student streets. As Wexner Medical Center and Carmenton employment grow, Clintonville's commute advantage becomes more relevant for non-student households too.
The Broader Central Ohio Market
OSU's growth doesn't stop at the campus edge. The employment and amenity ripple extends outward into suburbs that offer more space, newer construction, and different price points. Here's where the broader Central Ohio market stands as of August 2026, based on recent Zillow market data (trailing approximately 90 days):
AreaMedian Sale PriceMedian Days on MarketLewis Center$546,78052Powell$550,00041Dublin$600,00035Westerville$454,00032Delaware$418,19638Upper Arlington$685,00052New Albany$638,00053Orange Township$581,50055
These are area-level medians, your specific home's value depends on condition, street, build year, and timing. But the pattern is clear: the communities with the fastest absorption (Dublin at 35 days, Westerville at 32) are also the ones with strong access to OSU-adjacent employment corridors. If you're weighing where to buy in Central Ohio, that connection between employer proximity and market pace is worth factoring in. For a deeper look at where newcomers are actually landing, see my post on why buyers are choosing Central Ohio suburbs.
The right neighborhood for you depends on your priorities, commute, price point, housing type, and lifestyle. That's a conversation I have with every buyer before we ever look at a single listing.
What Sellers Near OSU Should Know
If you own a home near campus or in one of these OSU-adjacent neighborhoods and you're thinking about selling, the sustained institutional investment at Ohio State is working in your favor. Major capital programs don't reverse quickly. The employment base, the amenity improvements, and the housing demand they generate are structural, not cyclical.
That said, pricing still matters. In a market where days on market vary widely, from 32 days in Westerville to 55 in Orange Township, getting the price right from day one is the difference between a clean sale and a price reduction that costs you more than you'd have given up upfront. I walk my sellers through a customized market analysis before we ever talk about a listing price, because the OSU-area market is not one-size-fits-all.
Franklin County Conveyance Fee
One cost sellers in Franklin County encounter at closing is the real property conveyance fee. According to the Franklin County Auditor's conveyance fee calculator (updated August 8, 2026), the fee is $3 per $1,000 of sale price, plus a $0.50 transfer tax. That $3 breaks down into a $1 per $1,000 mandatory state fee and a $2 per $1,000 permissive county fee adopted by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners. Sellers who hold the Ohio homestead property tax exemption at the time of transfer may qualify for a reduced rate of $1 per $1,000 instead of the standard $3.
Who pays this fee is negotiable between buyer and seller, it's addressed in the purchase contract, not fixed by local custom. Your closing officer will apply the correct rate and exemptions based on your specific transaction.
In Franklin County, most residential closings are handled through a title company, which conducts the title search, manages escrow, prepares the Real Property Conveyance Fee Statement (Form DTE 100), and coordinates recording with the county. Per the Franklin County Auditor's Form Center, the title company typically submits this paperwork, your agent's job is to make sure you understand what's being signed and why. Local practice often has the buyer selecting the title company, but this is negotiable.
For a broader look at where the Columbus market stands heading into the second half of 2026, the June 2026 Columbus Housing Market Update has useful context on inventory and pricing trends across the metro.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Ohio State University's campus expansion affecting home prices in the University District and Old North Columbus?
Realtor.com market data from March 2026 shows a median home price of $469,000 in the University District and $361,000 in Old North Columbus. OSU's ongoing capital investment, more than $3 billion in active and planned projects, sustains strong demand in both areas by anchoring employment, amenities, and foot traffic. Competition between investors and owner-occupants keeps well-located properties moving quickly, often with multiple offers.
Is it a good idea to buy a rental property near OSU given all the new construction and student demand?
Investor demand near campus remains active, but new supply from projects like OSU East, nearly 500 units breaking ground in August 2026, will add inventory to the Northwest Side rental market over the next few years. Investors should think carefully about unit quality and location rather than assuming all student-adjacent properties perform equally. A local market analysis is essential before committing to a purchase in this submarket.
How does the OSU innovation district at Carmenton impact housing demand on the Northwest Side of Columbus?
Carmenton is designed as a major mixed-use employment and research hub on the northwest edge of campus. As it builds out, it's expected to increase demand for professional and faculty housing in nearby areas like Grandview Heights, Upper Arlington, and Olentangy West, not just student rentals. Employment-anchored demand tends to be more stable and price-supportive than purely student-driven demand.
Are new developments near the Ohio State University Airport going to push up property values in the Linworth and Olentangy West areas?
The OSU East development, a planned 35-building community with 336 rental units and 138 for-sale townhomes, per The Columbus Dispatch, broke ground in August 2026 near the OSU Airport. For-sale townhome construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027. This pipeline of new inventory and the employer proximity it highlights (OSU, Cardinal Health, OhioHealth, JPMorgan Chase) are likely to support values in the broader Northwest Side corridor over time.
What should I know about the Franklin County real property conveyance fee when I sell a house near OSU?
Franklin County's conveyance fee is $3 per $1,000 of sale price plus a $0.50 transfer tax, per the Franklin County Auditor's calculator updated August 8, 2026. Sellers who hold the Ohio homestead exemption at the time of transfer may qualify for a reduced rate of $1 per $1,000. Which party pays is negotiable in the purchase contract, confirm the arrangement with your closing officer and attorney.
The Bottom Line
Ohio State's expansion isn't a short-term story. A 50-year master plan backed by more than $3 billion in active capital investment creates durable, structural demand for housing across Columbus and Central Ohio, from close-in neighborhoods like the University District and Clintonville to suburban markets in Upper Arlington, Dublin, and Westerville. Whether you're buying, selling, or evaluating an investment, understanding how OSU's growth connects to your specific neighborhood is the starting point for a confident decision.
I work with buyers and sellers across all of these markets and I know where the demand is moving, where the new inventory is coming, and how to position your transaction to take advantage of it. Schedule a consultation and let's talk through what OSU's growth means for your specific situation.
About Chrisi Hagan
Chrisi Hagan is a REALTOR® with the Collins Lassiter Group at Red 1 Realty serving Columbus and Central Ohio, ranked in the top 1% of Columbus MLS agents and specializing in helping buyers and sellers, including those rightsizing, relocating, and military families, make confident moves.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan is licensed as a Real Estate Salesperson in Ohio, regulated by the Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing. This article is general information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific numbers and transaction details with your attorney, tax advisor, lender, or closing officer.
