Time to start living in North Linden! The neighborhood is well known amongst Columbus residents for its vibrant restaurant scene and long history, dating back to the early 1800s. North Linden is also a nice place to live with very affordable homes, diverse schools, and quaint attractions.
If you’re interested in moving to North Linden Columbus, you’re in good company. But before you call a moving company, you should learn more about living in North Linden. Here’s what you should know about this special Columbus neighborhood.
Where Is North Linden?
North Linden is in north Columbus. The neighborhood borders some of the best neighborhoods in Columbus, including South Linden, Central Clintonville, Clinton Estates, Hyde Park, and Framingham. North Linden Columbus Ohio is six miles away from Downtown Columbus, and it takes 10-15 minutes to drive between the two neighborhoods. The main North Linden zip code is 43224, but some residents live under 43211. The area of North Linden is roughly 4.3 square miles.
The community is predominantly residential, with a few small parks and a commercial district in its northeastern corner. North Linden Columbus does not contain or is near any major geographic features. Interstate 71 runs through it in the west, while State Route 3 runs through it in the east, and both connect to Downtown Columbus and other neighborhoods in Columbus. The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) offers bus services throughout Columbus, including in North Linden Ohio. COTA’s Route 8 and Route 11 run through the community, though North Linden only has a few stops. Columbus does not have a passenger rail or Amtrak service.
Map of North Linden
You can use this map of North Linden to find restaurants, stores, and attractions in the community.
North Linden History and Overview
Linden was largely undeveloped and rural until the 1700s. President John Adams gave the land to George Stevenson, a veteran of the American Revolution, as a present for his service. Developers bought the area of North Linden in the 1800s. Linden Ohio slowly developed and became a business and residential hub in the early 1900s thanks to Cleveland Avenue, one of the first paved highways in Ohio. The Linden neighborhood was incorporated into Columbus in 1908. In the 1940s, several major businesses had their homes in Linden, including Linden Lumber and Mulby Brickyard.
Linden became famous for being a family-friendly neighborhood, but it also encountered segregation and redlining. During the 1960s, Linden Ohio experienced white flight, with many white residents moving to other communities. The neighborhood was also split into two during the 1960s. North Linden experienced poverty and crime during the late 20th century, but the City of Columbus has announced revitalization projects for the community.
Here are the most recent demographics for North Linden Columbus Ohio:
- Population: 26,617
- Median household income: $37,300
- Educational attainment: 81.0% of residents older than 25 have graduated high school, 13.5% have a bachelor’s degree
- Median age: 34
- Foreign-born population: 6.9%
- Racial and ethnic composition: 57.3% White (54.8% non-Hispanic), 33.1% Black or African American, 5.4% two or more races, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% Asian
North Linden is a hub for the Black and African American communities in Columbus. Nearly 650 residents of North Linden were born in Africa, including 192 residents of Ghanan descent and 152 residents of Somalian descent. Over 5,000 residents are in their 50s, making North Linden one of the most popular Columbus communities for people in their 50s.
What’s It Like Living in North Linden?
North Linden Ohio residents are very friendly to each other, forming groups to pick up the trash and improve the atmosphere in the neighborhood. You can meet people for the first time at various locations, including churches, stores, and community centers. North Linden is home to residents from many backgrounds, including college students and first-time homebuyers, and it’s one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Columbus.
The neighborhood is popular amongst singles. Only 25% of households in North Linden have married couples in them, which is below the city average. Only 21.6% of residents are children under the age of 18, so North Linden is a great neighborhood for people who don’t have children and are not looking to get married.
North Linden Columbus Ohio can be walkable, though some areas are better for walking than others. The neighborhood is organized in a grid-like fashion, so it’s very easy to navigate the streets. Many streets do not have sidewalks, so you will need to walk on lawns or close to the sides of the roads. They also don’t have streetlights, so be careful walking at night. Many residents advise avoiding the areas close to South Linden Columbus Ohio, as South Linden has high crime rates.
North Linden does not have a prominent nightlife scene, though there are a few bars and restaurants in the main commercial district in the community. You can drive to Downtown Columbus or other neighborhoods in Columbus to attend parties and visit clubs.
Things to Do in North Linden
North Linden contains or is near many prominent things to do in Columbus Ohio, including great Linden restaurants from all over the world. Here are just a few must do things to do in North Linden.
North Linden Restaurants
The Pizza Connoisseurs of Columbus named Terita’s Pizza the best place to get pizza in Columbus three times over the last eight years. Terita’s offers pizzas, subs, salads, and other treats at low prices, with a 14-inch cheese pizza costing just $14.
Halal New York Gyro is a casual and affordable eatery that offers halal food, including gyros, salads, and rice. All main dishes cost less than $10, making it a great place for a quick lunch or dinner.
Ena’s Caribbean Kitchen is a Jamaican and Caribbean restaurant that offers jerk chicken, curry, and fried fish as well as Sunday brunch. The restaurant uses fresh ingredients and family recipes for all dishes, creating flavorful and rich meals you can’t find elsewhere. Enas has appeared on two episodes of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Shops
The leading shopping mall in North Linden is Northern Lights Shopping Center. The outdoor mall contains a T-Mobile, a Shopper’s World, and various locally run stores. Cleveland Avenue is a hub for other stores, including a Family Dollar and Advance Auto Parts.
You can find a few other stores elsewhere in the community, though North Linden is predominantly residential. Mike’s Market is a small convenience store where you can buy groceries and small household goods, while Rods Western Palace sells Western apparel.
Attractions
HPL Bowling Center offers bowling in a family-friendly environment. Kids can play bumper bowling with raised bumpers that prevent their balls from landing in the gutters, and they can enjoy an arcade with prizes. HP Lanes offers discounts for bowling at night; you can play a game of bowling for $4 on Sunday evenings.
The Linden Community Center is a hub for educational programs, including free kid-friendly arts and crafts classes. The Linden Rec Center contains a gymnasium, an art room, and a dance room that are open to the public throughout the week.
The Department of Recreation and Parks manages public spaces and plans events in all Columbus neighborhoods, including North Linden. You can use this event calendar to see when the next holiday events in Columbus Ohio, festivals, concerts, and classes will be.
Here is where you can find the top North Linden restaurants and activities:
- Terita’s Pizza, 3905 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43224, 614-475-2100
- Halal New York Gyro, 3196 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43224, 614-377-4148
- Ena’s Caribbean Kitchen, 2444 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43224, 614-262-0988
- Northern Lights Shopping Center, 3349-3561 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43224, 866-352-6468
- Family Dollar, 2372 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43211, 614-427-5718
- Advance Auto Parts, 2585 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43211, 614-263-3966
- Mike’s Market, 3329 Maize Road, Columbus, OH, 43224, 614-725-1163
- Rod’s Western Palace, 3099 Silver Drive, Columbus, OH, 43224, 866-326-1975
- HPL Bowling Center, 2012 Innis Road, Columbus, OH, 43224, 614-267-0321
- Linden Community Center, 1350 Briarwood Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43211, 614-645-3067
Schools in North Linden
The Columbus City School District is the main North Linden school district. You can use the district map to see where your children living in North Linden will go to school.
The community contains five elementary schools, including North Linden Elementary School and Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy. North Linden Elementary is one of the most diverse elementary schools in the city. 37.4% of students identify as Black or African American, 25.2% identify as Hispanic or Latino, and 21.6% identify as Asian. US News ranks Columbus Spanish in the top 10 elementary schools in the school district. 62% of students test at or above the proficiency level in reading, 24 percentage points higher than the district average.
North Linden has one middle school, Medina Middle School. Medina employs 30 full-time teachers, all of whom are certified and 90% of whom have at least three years of experience.
North Linden does not contain any high schools. All students at North Linden elementary schools can attend Mifflin High School in Easton, which is less than five miles from North Linden.
The neighborhood has a few small private schools, including the Northridge Campus of Tree of Life Christian Schools. The Northridge campus serves 6th through 12th grades with a Christian education. High school students can take AP courses and dual credit classes that let them earn credits for local colleges and universities.
North Linden does not contain any colleges or universities, but Ohio State University (OSU) is just three miles away. US News ranks OSU in the top 50 national universities.
The Linden Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library is just three blocks south of North Linden. You can take out thousands of books and DVDs and attend events at the North Linden library, including kid-friendly story readings.
Is North Linden Safe?
Here are the latest crime statistics for North Linden:
- Total North Linden crime rate: 4,797 offenses per 100,000 residents (25.6% higher than the Columbus crime rate, 104.5% higher than the national average)
- Violent North Linden Columbus Ohio crime rate: 723 crimes per 100,000 people (23% higher than the city average, 86.3% higher than the national average)
- Property crime rate: 4,073 crimes per 100,000 residents (26.1% higher than the city average, 108% higher than the national average)
So is North Linden safe? While North Linden crime rates can be high, there are many safe places to live in the community. A crime map of the city reveals that many blocks toward the center of North Linden report very few or no crimes. Most crimes happen close to South Linden, so you can avoid issues by staying away from there. The Columbus Police Department employs 1,897 police officers, and many of them patrol North Linden regularly.
North Linden Real Estate
North Linden is one of the most affordable places for buying a house in Columbus. According to Redfin, the average price of North Linden homes for sale is $185,000, with an average price per square foot of $176. One hundred and thirteen homes were sold in August 2023 alone.
North Linden is full of single-family homes; 109 of the 113 properties sold in August 2023 were single-family homes. The median sale prices of single-family homes is also $185,000. No condos or townhouses were sold in the neighborhood during the same month.
Most homes in the community are modest, covering between 800 and 1,300 square feet and containing two or three bedrooms. Most homes were built in the early or mid 1900s, so they have a Cape Cod or ranch style with sloped roofs, shingles, and symmetrical designs. They are not luxurious, but they have nice features like attached garages.
You can find various houses for rent North Linden, including three-bedroom homes at 1,100 square feet, which have plenty of space for families. Most houses for rent North Linden are available for less than $1,500 a month, though exact prices vary.
Apartments for rent in North Linden Columbus are also very affordable. According to RentCafe, the average price of North Linden Columbus apartments is $934 a month, roughly half of the national average of $1,726 a month. Most landlords ask that you call them for pricing, so it can be hard to compare prices of apartments together. Many apartments for rent in North Linden Columbus have one or more bedrooms, providing enough space for couples and families. You can also find income-restricted North Linden Columbus apartments like Mulby Place Apartments and Kenlawn Place. Mulby Place is reserved for residents 55 years of age and older, making it a good choice for seniors.
Living in North Linden is wonderful! You can enjoy comfortable and affordable homes and apartments, delicious and diverse restaurants, and kid-friendly outdoor attractions.
But before you start your new life in one of the best neighborhoods in Columbus, you should figure out who the best Columbus movers are. Bell Moving has over 100 years of experience in the moving industry. Get a free quote by calling 614-503-0035.
