
Living in Upper Arlington is perfect for families with young children, retirees, and young professionals alike! According to Wikipedia, the Adena people lived in the area for thousands of years before White settlers arrived in the 1800s. The area was used for farmland until King and Ben Thompson bought the land and founded the community in 1913. It became known as "Upper Arlington" in 1917 because the community is north of Arlington, OH. On March 20, 1918, Upper Arlington was incorporated as a village, and people then began moving to Upper Arlington OH in large numbers.
Upper Arlington became a city in 1945 and continued to expand, becoming a prominent suburb of Columbus. Today, the community is a family-friendly, quiet, and safe city. It's well known for its top-rated schools, permanent public arts projects, and active social calendar, with summer outdoor concerts and July celebrations. Upper Arlington is a very nice place to live, with a tight-knit community and an affluent lifestyle.
Living in the community can transform your life and provide a perfect environment to retire or raise children. But before you start moving, you should understand more about life in the community, including things to do in Upper Arlington Ohio and Upper Arlington high schools. Here's what to know about this wonderful city!
Upper Arlington is in Franklin County, Ohio, on the northwest side of the Columbus metro area. The community is a suburb of Columbus, and it is 6.2 miles from Upper Arlington to Columbus. Columbus almost completely surrounds the city, though it borders Marble Cliff and Grandview Heights. The community also borders the Scioto River.
Residents have access to the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA). Several bus routes run through the area, including COTA Line 3, which provides direct access to Downtown Columbus. You can use the COTA route map to see which routes run through the area
According to the US Census, the Upper Arlington Ohio population in 2020 was 36,800, while the Columbus metro population was 2,138,926. The Upper Arlington Ohio population increased by 9.0% between 2010 and 2020, and the population density in 2020 was 3,756.9 people living in the community per square mile.
Notable residents include Jack Nicklaus, Vivek Ramaswamy, and George Smoot. Upper Arlington demographics include:
The community is less racially diverse than Columbus as a whole. However, it's one of the most well-educated communities in the Columbus metro area. Its rate of residents with a bachelor's degree is more than double the Columbus metro area, Ohio, and national averages. It's also one of the metro area's most popular communities for children, with 28.3% under the age of 18. 14,330 households live in the city, and 35% have children.
Upper Arlington is a very safe community to live in. Here are its latest crime rates from the FBI in 2024, with statistics provided by BeautifyData:
The Upper Arlington Police Division employs 53 sworn police officers.
You can use Columbus area cost of living statistics to estimate the cost of living in Upper Arlington. The Columbus cost of living index (COLI) compares the cost of common items in the Columbus area to the national average. The Columbus COLI is 93.2, meaning items in the area cost 6.8% less than the national average. The Columbus cost of living is more affordable than the Las Vegas cost of living, the Reno cost of living, and the Denver cost of living.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, a family of four living in Columbus needs to earn $111,600 a year to cover their cost of living ($9,300 a month). Child care is the highest expense, at $22,443 a year ($1,870 a month), so singles and couples moving without children can enjoy an affordable lifestyle.
Upper Arlington real estate can be expensive, though you have options for historic homes, modern builds, new construction properties, and homes for rent in Upper Arlington Ohio. According to Redfin, Upper Arlington homes for sale have a median sales price of $694,584, with an average price per square foot of $319. The median price of homes for sale in the community is roughly $300,000 higher than the national average. According to RentCafe, the average rent in Upper Arlington is $1,424 a month. The average price for apartments for rent in the community is $326 lower than the national average.
Source: Numbeo
*Typical living expenses actually for Columbus
The city may seem small on a map, but it has dozens of neighborhoods and subdivisions to choose from. While these neighborhoods give you plenty of options to find a place to live in, it can be hard to narrow your options down and find one place for your new life. Here are the best Upper Arlington neighborhoods.
Old Arlington (also known as South of Lane or the Upper Arlington Historic District) is the city's most famous neighborhood. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is well known for its Twentieth Century Revival and Tudor homes. These Upper Arlington homes for sale can cost over $2 million, but they contain luxurious features like oak floors, spa-style bathrooms, and arched stone entries. If you're looking for a more affordable property, you can buy a modern home for less than $800,000, with an open floor plan and two to four bedrooms.
River Ridge offers the best options for affordable housing, though its real estate market is smaller than in other Upper Arlington neighborhoods. River Ridge is home to modest Cape Cod homes with two or three bedrooms and 1,000-2,000 square feet, making them suitable for singles or couples without children. These homes cost around $400,000, nearly half of the citywide median price. River Ridge has a gridlike street structure, making it walkable and easy to access. It's home to Fancyburg Park, a top park in the community.
The city has a humid continental climate, with hot, humid summers and snowy, freezing winters. According to Weather Spark, July is the hottest month in Upper Arlington weather, with an average temperature of 74 degrees and an average high of 84 degrees. Temperatures stay warm from late May to late September. January is the coldest month of the year, with an average temperature of 29 degrees and an average low of 23 degrees. Average low temperatures are between early December to early March.
The city receives an average of 30.4 inches of rain and 9.6 inches of snow per year. The city can experience a few types of severe weather, including extreme heat and thunderstorms, though severe weather is rare. You can get weather updates on The Weather Channel.
September is the best month to visit and start moving. 66% of days in September are clear, mostly clear, and partly cloudy, and the average temperature is 66 degrees. You can go outside and stay comfortable in a long-sleeved shirt without a coat, hat, or scarf.
Upper Arlington has many great attractions, including top family-friendly parks and great grocery stores! Whole Foods Market is the community's top grocery store. You can also shop at Littleton's Market and Kingsdale Shopping Center, the community's top shopping mall.
Thompson Park covers 50 acres and contains numerous points of interest for kids, teens, and adults alike. You and your family can enjoy a baseball and softball diamond, a playground, a sledding hill, a tennis court, and ADA-accessible walking trails.
4250 Woodbridge Road, Upper Arlington, OH, 43220, 614-583-5000
Scioto Country Club is the city's top golf course and country club. The club features an 18-hole course with slopes, sand bunkers, and water hazards, making it suitable for intermediate and experienced golfers.
2196 Riverside Drive, Upper Arlington, OH, 43221, 614-486-4341
Miner 49er Blacklight Mini Golf is an indoor, blacklight 18-hole mini golf course with an Old West theme. It's one of the best venues for young children's birthday parties, and it offers discounts for military personnel and seniors.
1158 West 3rd Avenue B, Columbus, OH, 43212, 614-725-4219
The Upper Arlington Parks and Recreation Department manages parks and recreational programs, including the city's three public swimming pools. You can use the Upper Arlington events calendar to find upcoming events from the Recreation Department and civic groups, including the Labor Day Arts Festival.
The Columbus area is well-known for its diverse cuisine and unique dishes, including buckeyes, Columbus-style pizza, and cream puffs. You can sample these dishes at a wide range of kid-friendly, romantic, and classy restaurants in Upper Arlington.
The Original Pancake House of Central Ohio is one of the best restaurants in Upper Arlington Ohio for breakfast and brunch. You can order a wide range of comfort food and breakfast dishes, including crepes with sweet and savory toppings, oven-baked omelets, and apple pancakes with German batter.
1633 West Lane Avenue, Upper Arlington, OH, 43221, 614-695-6810
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse is a high-end steakhouse that's suitable for date nights and client meetings. The restaurant is well known for its Wagyu menu with Japanese and American Wagyu, as well as its raw bar and wine menu.
1615 Old Henderson Road, Upper Arlington, OH, 43220, 614-442-3310
Hudson 29 Kitchen + Drink is a modern New American restaurant with brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour menus. You and your friends can enjoy sushi, sandwiches, salads, and unique mixed drinks and cocktails with bourbon, gin, and other spirits.
1600 West Lane Avenue, Upper Arlington, OH, 43221, 614-487-0622
According to DataUSA, 18,199 people had jobs in Upper Arlington in 2024, up by 1.0% since 2023. Health care, education, and professional services are the city's three largest job sectors. Each sector contributes at least 2,600 jobs and has median earnings of at least $180,000 a year. Management occupations make up 16.0% of Upper Arlington jobs, with median earnings of $266,892 a year.
According to Payscale, the average salary in the city is $71,000, while the average hourly rate is $24.23. Major employers include Upper Arlington Public Schools, OhioHealth, and McDonald's. You can use Indeed to research and find additional Upper Arlington jobs, and you can apply for City of Upper Arlington jobs on the municipal government's website.
Upper Arlington Public Schools (also called the Upper Arlington Public School District or Upper Arlington Schools) is home to five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. All children living in the community are zoned for Upper Arlington Schools.
US News consistently ranks the cityโs schools highly. US News ranks Windermere Elementary School as the best elementary school in the Upper Arlington school district and in the top 25 Ohio elementary schools. 93% of Windermere students test at or above the proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, nearly double the state rate.
US News ranks Hastings Middle School as the best middle school in the city and in the top 100 middle schools in Ohio. 84% of Hastings Middle School students test at or above the proficiency level in mathematics, over 30 percentage points higher than the state rate.
U.S. News ranks Upper Arlington High School among the top 25 high schools in Ohio and the top 1,000 high schools in the country. 58% of Upper Arlington High School students pass at least one AP exam, and 91% test at or above the proficiency level in science. The school also offers IB classes and is home to Central Ohio's only scholastic rowing team.
Wellington School is the top private school in Upper Arlington Ohio. It's a co-educational PreK-Grade 12 school with a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1 and a liberal arts curriculum, with foreign language and arts classes. The city has no colleges or universities, though Ohio State University's campus is roughly two miles outside the city. The Upper Arlington Library, established in 1967, has three locations: the Main Library (60,000 square feet), the Lane Road Branch (10,000 square feet), and the Miller Park Branch (4,400 square feet).
Upper Arlington is located in Franklin County, Ohio. The city is an independent municipality surrounded on three sides by the City of Columbus and is part of the Columbus metropolitan area. Franklin County is Ohioโs most populous county and is home to the county seat, Columbus. While most of the city lies within Franklin County, nearby communities such as Dublin and Hilliard extend into additional counties, but the city itself is in Franklin County.
Yes, Upper Arlington is widely considered an affluent community in Franklin County, Ohio, though it is a city and not a neighborhood. The city is known for above-average household incomes, high property values, and well-funded public services, including the Upper Arlington City School District. Many neighborhoods feature larger single-family homes, mature trees, and established residential streets. Although housing prices and incomes vary by neighborhood, the city is consistently recognized as one of the more expensive places to live in the Columbus metropolitan area, making it a desirable location for many professionals and families.
To learn what happened in Upper Arlington today, visit the City of Upper Arlington website. Current updates often include City of Upper Arlington announcements, road projects, community events, new services at the municipal services center, public safety notices, and City Council actions. For example, recent city updates have highlighted the Upper Arlington Farmers Market on Dorset Road, community events at the Bob Crane Community Center, and local program announcements. Checking the city's daily news and trusted local news outlets provides the most current information while living in the area.
Use this map of Upper Arlington, OH, to find great schools, green spaces like Northam Park, and major roads like Lane Avenue.

Living in Upper Arlington can give you access to fun attractions, delicious and upscale restaurants, and low crime rates! You'll have a great place to befriend neighbors, raise your children, and start a business.
Now that you know about living in Upper Arlington, you can start moving to Upper Arlington OH now. Move 4 Less has the most trusted Upper Arlington OH movers, performing local and long distance moves since 2004. Call 380-271-2444 for a free quote now.
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