Most homes in Anderson Township, Mariemont, Terrace Park, and Newtown were built for families with children. But families with children now make up just 15% of Hamilton County households, while single-person households account for 35%, according to census data.
The mismatch is stark: 63% of dwellings across the county's first-ring suburbs are single-family homes built 60 to 100 years ago. The median household income in Hamilton County was just over $72,000 in 2024, but the median single-family home price has climbed to $320,000.
"We're not San Francisco and we're not Boston, but we absolutely have a problem," said Liz Blume, principal of Blume Community Partners, in a Soapbox Media report. "Middle-class households in Hamilton County right now are having more trouble finding housing that they can afford to purchase in the places they want to live."
Anderson Township, with more than 17,000 single-family homes, has been working to diversify its housing options. The 361-unit Skytop Apartments opened in summer 2023 on Beechmont Avenue at State Route 32, marketed to younger residents. The 224-unit Vantage at Anderson Towne Center opened in April 2025 on Five Mile Road for empty-nesters and younger renters.
Anderson Township Trustee Vice Chair Josh Gerth called Vantage a model of collaboration that keeps the township relevant without burdening taxpayers, writing in the township's April 2025 newsletter when the project opened. Jeff Rosa, chair of the Anderson Township Economic Development Committee, described Skytop in the township's November 2023 newsletter as "part of the bigger picture of providing housing for a younger generation of Anderson residents, attracting age demographics that historically had few options in Anderson."
The township's April 2026 newsletter cited increased housing options as a recent accomplishment, noting new apartment communities, townhomes, duplexes, and senior housing built over the past decade. Anderson Township is also updating its Comprehensive Plan for the fifth time since 2005, with the process beginning in spring 2026 and including public input. The 2022 plan set a goal to "encourage and promote diverse housing options to meet changing demographics and market demands."
Workforce housing still scarce
Affordable options for workers earning between $66,000 and $120,000 a year remain limited across the area. An Ohio Realtors study found that future new housing supply "will be unaffordable to the majority of households in Ohio, especially given the types of jobs projected to be added to the statewide economy between 2021 and 2031."
Kristen Baker, executive director of LISC Greater Cincinnati, told Soapbox Media that developers have expressed willingness to build in Hamilton County but need communities to signal they are welcoming. Hamilton County community development administrator Angela Rahman told the publication the county wants to partner with local communities and has access to grants and funding for housing projects.
Nearby, a 178-unit affordable senior apartment community for people 55 and older is under construction in Norwood on the former Quality Inn site, restricted to households earning roughly $44,000 to $63,000 for a household of two. Pedretti Place, a 48-unit affordable senior community in Delhi Township, opened in 2025 for residents 55 and older earning roughly $26,000 to $54,000.
What's next
No specific public hearing on affordable or workforce housing in Anderson Township, Mariemont, Terrace Park, or Newtown has been announced. The Anderson Township Comprehensive Plan update is underway and expected to address housing. Residents can track the process and upcoming public input sessions at andersontownshipoh.gov.
