Welcome to Westerville
Westerville has been a fixture of the central Ohio community since 1809. Now home to more than 35,000 people, this residential city on Columbus’s northeast side will have you and your loved ones packing up ASAP to take advantage of the jobs, schools, and outdoor recreation.
Live and Learn
Home to twenty-three schools within the district, Westerville City Schools abides by their mission of “prepar[ing] students to contribute to the competitive and changing world in which we live.” Academic affairs for the secondary schools offer many perks to students, including college course offerings through a partnership with Otterbein University and advanced placement and International Baccalaureate courses.
Westerville is also home to Otterbein University, a four-year private liberal arts college with seventy-five majors for its 3,000 enrolled students to choose from. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Otterbein in the top 15% of Regional Universities in the Midwest. While Otterbein boasts a generous financial aid package for eligible applicants, the campus prides itself on putting good back into the community. The student body volunteered 70,000 hours in 2019! That’s not all. The student to faculty ratio is 12:1 to further the college’s mission of an inclusive community dedicated to the personal, academic, and professional growth of all students.
Small Town Vibe, Big City Energy
Westerville is no stranger to good food and even better retail. Home to Polaris Fashion Place, a premier indoor retail plaza with 1,500,000+ square feet of stores including H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy’s, Polaris is the perfect spot to take the kids, your significant other, or your best friend for a night of shopping and dining. Did we mention Polaris is home to Molly Woo’s, a Cameron Mitchell restaurant, and a California Pizza Kitchen?
If you are a college student or a family that doesn’t want to get in the car and drive, there are restaurants on South State Street that may tickle your tastebuds too. Sunny Street Café, Uptown Deli & Brew, and Westerville Grill are just three all-American favorites, whether your craving an old-fashioned diner breakfast or a burger and pint with some friends after work. Java Central Café and Roaster is not to be missed either. The coffee beans are sustainably sourced, single-origin, and roasted in-house.
Love the Planet, Honor the World
While the city is home to many parks and trails that are open for your entire family to enjoy, there are two community-expansion projects that will further put Westerville on the map. First is Johnston-McVay Park at 480 S. Hempstead Rd., which will feature larger-than-life animal sculptures and a zipline. Second is the Veterans Memorial, a central location where residents and visitors can pay respects and remember a sacrifice from those who served.
