Hilliard - Sell for 1 Percent

Hilliard, Ohio

Est. Population: 38,033

Average Home Price: ~$450,000 (2026)

School District: Hilliard City — 4.5★ Ohio Report Card, #1 in student growth 3 years running

Hilliard is a former farm town that grew up. Its story starts before the name — Norwich Township was organized in 1813, and in 1850 the Merchant family became what’s believed to be the first Black family to own land here, honored today by Merchant Park downtown. When John Reed Hilliard bought ten acres along a planned railroad route in 1852, a village grew around the station — 280 residents in 1869, a city by 1960, and today a major Columbus suburb of 38,033 residents where about 69% of homes are owner-occupied and the median household income runs around $125,000. The next chapter is being written on the west side, where new development like Alton Place is bringing homes, trails, and road improvements to the Roberts Road corridor.

Schools are the headline. Hilliard City Schools — Davidson, Darby, and Bradley high schools — ranked first out of Ohio’s 606 public districts for student growth on the state report card three years in a row, a measure of how much schools actually improve each student rather than just test scores. The district’s “Ready for Tomorrow” approach adds college credit in high school, internships, an innovation campus, and four Apple Distinguished Schools. That academic reputation feeds steady buyer demand: for 2026 the average sales price in the Hilliard market is around $450,000 with the median closer to $400,000, across everything from Old Hilliard originals and 1960s–2000s subdivisions to condos, patio homes, and active new construction. One local wrinkle worth knowing — the city and the school district aren’t the same map, so always verify a specific address’s school assignment before you buy. That’s something your friends at Sell for 1 Percent can help you with.

The living is the fun part. Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park covers 130 acres with the family aquatic center, pickleball, and disc golf; Homestead Park adds a covered bridge and a paved link to the Heritage Rail Trail; and The Well — Hilliard’s new recreation and wellness center — opened in September 2025 with a pool, track, and an Ohio State Wexner Medical facility. Downtown, Old Hilliard pairs historic buildings with Hilliard Station Park, Center Street Market at Crooked Can Brewing, and a DORA district where adults can carry a drink while they stroll. It might also be the best breakfast town in Columbus — Starliner, Olympic Diner, and Louie’s are heavyweights — with Sexton’s and Moon Pizza covering the pizza debate, and Freedom Fest, summer concerts, and the Franklin County Fair filling the calendar. Strong schools, real parks, a real downtown: Hilliard makes its case.