New Albany

Jersey is a township located 24 miles northeast of Columbus and 6 miles outside of New Albany, which Business Insider ranked one of the top neighborhoods in the U.S. “You get all the benefits of the surrounding amenities without the traffic,” says real estate agent Alan Hinson from New Albany Realty and a lifetime Jersey resident. “Instead, Jersey has the flavor of the smallest of small towns. It’s agricultural. It’s low-density. It’s very quiet.” Homes in Jersey are a mix of new Craftsman and older split levels and farmhouses bordering crop fields. Craftsman models often have four bedrooms with spacious front lawns. Land plots are larger in Jersey than in areas closer to Columbus with more space between houses. Trees are common along the streets and in yards, shielding homes and creating a sense of privacy. Prices for houses in Jersey can range from $200,000 to $2 million. Many homeowners also forgo buying houses and instead invest in land where they can build their own homes. Bigger, newer homes and large land plots represent the higher end of the price range. Kindergarten students will attend Licking Heights North Elementary School and can graduate to Licking Heights South Elementary for first through fourth grades. Both schools receive a C-plus ranking from Niche. Licking Heights Central Intermediate School serves fifth- and sixth-grade students and earned a B-plus from Niche. For seventh and eighth grades, students go to Licking Heights Middle School, which Niche awards a C+. Licking Heights High School has a B-minus from Niche. It offers dual enrollment through Licking County’s Careers and Technology Education Centers (C-TEC), which offer cosmetology, culinary arts, firefighting, electrical trades and dental assisting programs. Rocky Fork Metro Park is 1,069 acres of public outdoor space near Jersey. It sports various trails, including some reserved for horseback riding and biking. A fenced-in dog park and pet-friendly trails allow residents to exercise their pets. At Bevelhymer Park, there are 32 different fields dedicated to baseball, soccer, lacrosse and football. The outdoor fitness area has equipment residents can use, and there are three playgrounds for kids. Avid golfers can join Willow Run Golf Course and play some of Ohio’s most challenging par fours. Residents in Jersey travel outside of the township’s limits into the surrounding areas to grocery shop. Kroger locations are available within 10 miles of Jersey in New Albany, Pataskala and Johnstown. Johnstown also has Troyer’s Marketplace. In Alexandria, Ragamuffins Coffee has fresh coffee and pastries. The Hawk’s Nest Pub offers a wide variety of food, from pizza to wings to tacos. Lynd Fruit Farm is where locals go for seasonal activities close to home. The farm has a collection of orchards and fields where residents can pick their own fresh produce, from apples in the fall to berries in the summer. They also host seasonal activities like pumpkin picking and corn mazes. Their year-round produce market connects residents with more locally grown fruits and vegetables not grown on the premises, like those brought by neighboring Amish communities. The surrounding areas also provide fun events, like the Pataskala Lighten Lions Christmas Parade, where individuals can enter light floats for cash prizes. Jersey is near several larger towns while maintaining its rural, small-town feel. In addition to being so close to New Albany, it’s only 4 miles away from Johnstown. Route 161 goes right down the middle of the township, connecting it to Columbus. While the community mainly relies on cars to get around, bikes are common along major motorways in the summer as locals train for Pelatonia, a cycling nonprofit event hosted by the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.