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Cincinnati’s local historic districts accounted for nearly half of the city’s population growth from 2020 to 2024, according to a forthcoming Cincinnati Preservation study. The districts cover about 5% of the city’s land area, according to the organization. The study also examines homeownership, investment, jobs, small businesses and tax revenue associated with historic districts.
A forthcoming study commissioned by Cincinnati Preservation revealed that Cincinnati historic districts accounted for nearly half of the city’s population growth from 2020 to 2024.
The study found that about five percent of Cincinnati’s land area, represented by local historic districts, accounted for almost 50 percent of the city’s population growth during the period.
This was according to Cincinnati Preservation Executive Director Beth Johnson.
The organization commissioned the study to examine the economic effects of historic preservation in Cincinnati.
The full report is expected to be released Oct. 23.
Historic districts see concentrated growth
Johnson said the findings challenge the idea that historic preservation prevents new development or keeps neighborhoods from changing.
“There’s often this myth that historic preservation or historic districts prevent development and that it freezes things in time,” Johnson told WVXU.
She pointed to neighborhoods including Over-the-Rhine, East Walnut Hills and Northside as examples of areas where historic character remains part of the neighborhood identity.
The study examines how Cincinnati’s local and National Register historic districts affect population growth, homeownership, investment, job creation, small-business growth and tax revenue, according to Cincinnati Preservation.
The population figures show an association between historic districts and population growth. They do not, by themselves, establish that historic designation caused residents to move into those neighborhoods.
Cincinnati has 28 local historic districts
Cincinnati’s Planning Department currently lists 28 historic districts and 57 individual landmarks under the city’s local historic designation program.
The city says local historic designation protects the character of historically significant properties and neighborhoods. It does not change a property’s permitted use, which remains governed by zoning.
However, exterior changes to properties in local historic districts can require review through the city’s Certificate of Appropriateness process. The Historic Conservation Board reviews proposals involving alterations, additions, new construction and demolitions.
The board can approve a proposal, approve it with conditions or deny it based on the applicable conservation guidelines.
Study also examines homeownership
The forthcoming report also looks at homeownership trends in historic districts.
Johnson said people of color homeownership in Cincinnati’s local historic districts increased 154% from 2000 to 2024, while people of color homeownership declined in non-historic districts.
That figure will be among the study’s findings to examine once the full report and methodology are publicly available.
Cincinnati Preservation says the broader study is intended to quantify the economic effects of preserving historic places rather than focusing only on architectural or cultural value.
What the findings could mean for development
The study comes as Cincinnati continues to debate how historic preservation should fit with housing and neighborhood development.
Local historic designation places additional review requirements on certain exterior changes, but the city says designation does not prevent property owners from using their properties or require them to make improvements.
The forthcoming report could add economic and demographic data to those debates by examining whether areas with historic protections have experienced different patterns of population, investment, homeownership and business activity.
The report’s release on Oct. 23 is expected to provide more detail about the data and methodology behind the findings.
FAQs
Does the study prove historic districts cause population growth?
No. The reported figures show an association between historic districts and population growth, but they do not by themselves establish that historic designation caused the growth.
What does historic designation restrict in Cincinnati?
Historic designation does not change a property’s permitted use. However, certain exterior alterations, additions, new construction and demolitions can require review by the Historic Conservation Board.
Which Cincinnati neighborhoods have historic district designations?
Cincinnati has locally designated historic districts in neighborhoods including Over-the-Rhine, East Walnut Hills and Northside. The city also recognizes individual historic landmarks.
What other factors can affect population growth in Cincinnati neighborhoods?
Population changes can reflect housing construction, redevelopment, migration, changes in household size, housing costs and broader neighborhood investment. The forthcoming study’s methodology will help show how it accounted for these factors.
