Short North, Columbus, OH
What Short North is actually like
The name predates the district's current identity: local police and postal workers called the stretch of High Street the "Short North" simply because it sat north of downtown and short of the Ohio State University campus, and residents for a time called it the Near Northside instead, per the Short North Arts District's own history page. By the late 1970s the corridor's storefronts were largely boarded up, and the newly built downtown convention center only made the neglect more visible by comparison.
Starting around 1980, the newly formed Short North Business Association pushed for municipal investment and borrowed the redevelopment playbook — historic tax credits, an organized merchants' association — that had worked for German Village a generation earlier. Artists and gallery owners began cooperative monthly exhibitions in 1984 that were formally named Gallery Hop in 1985 and still run every first Saturday; the district's now-iconic steel arches over High Street were reinstalled in 2002. Per the Short North Arts District, the corridor today hosts more than 300 businesses, most of them locally owned.
Short North is now regularly cited as a national model for arts-led commercial revitalization, and Walk Score ranks the neighborhood the single most walkable in Columbus, with a Walk Score of 95, Transit Score of 56 and Bike Score of 91, per Walk Score — a contrast with Columbus's citywide Walk Score of 41.
Home values in Short North
Redfin put Short North's median home sale price at $302,500 for the three months ending October 2025, down 17.1% from the same period a year earlier, per Redfin. Condos and townhomes make up a large share of Short North sales.
Getting around
Short North is built for walking — High Street is lined with storefronts at street level, and Walk Score's 95 rating reflects that daily errands rarely require a car. Parking is the tighter constraint in practice: on-street spots fill during Gallery Hop and weekend dinner hours, and most newer residential buildings include dedicated garage parking for that reason.
Short North FAQ
Is Short North a good place to live?
It's Columbus's most walkable neighborhood by Walk Score (95) and puts hundreds of restaurants and galleries within walking distance, but it trades that for smaller units, tighter parking, and a median home sale price around $303K as of late 2025 that runs on the higher end for Columbus.
What is Gallery Hop?
A monthly First Saturday art walk along High Street that started as informal cooperative gallery openings in 1984 and was formally named Gallery Hop in 1985; it still runs today and draws crowds to the district's galleries, shops and restaurants.
Is parking hard to find in Short North?
On-street parking is limited and fills up during Gallery Hop and weekend evenings; most newer apartment and condo buildings include dedicated parking for residents for that reason.
Does Short North have a subway or light rail?
No — Columbus has no rail transit. COTA's Route 2 bus runs the length of High Street through the district.
Nearby alternatives*We're not ranking these — every place has real trade-offs, and which ones matter is up to you.
Victorian Village & Italian Village
Victorian Village and Italian Village flank Short North to the west and east, respectively, both reachable on foot.
Downtown & Arena District
Downtown and the Arena District sit immediately south, past the Short North Gateway arch.
University District
The University District and Ohio State's campus pick up north of Short North, past 5th Avenue.
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