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We loved raising our family in NE Ohio. The schools were good and the people were nice.
We did not mind the cold or the snow, but the only thing we did not like is the lack of sunshine from January to April. Day after day of gray skies is very depressing. If you can afford to take a trip south in February or March, it helps a lot. Then you are rewarded by a glorious spring.
Ohio is not perfect, but not terrible. No plans to leave any time soon.
If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, those cities have proper equipment to plow the streets and most people there know how to drive in snow. You can learn to drive in it too, and your new neighbors and coworkers will give you advice on it if you ask.
I moved to Cincinnati several decades ago after graduating from college because I found a job here. There have been a few economic recessions over that time and while I have been laid off from a few jobs, I have always been able to find another job (still in Cincinnati) within a short period of time. FWIW I work in engineering and construction.
At this time I see a lot of drug treatment facilities being built, so it seems there is an effort to get the opioid apocalypse under control. There are also a lot of new warehouse / light manufacturing buildings being constructed, so potentially more jobs coming to the area.
Overall politics don’t seem to be extreme in either direction. Yes, Cincinnati is conservative, but again not extreme IMO.
Ohio has four seasons. My favorites are late spring, summer, autumn, and early winter - first snowfall, December, and early January.
I am not a fan of late January, February, and most days in March. Even April can be iffy. However, Ohio is no worse than any of the other four-season parts of the US where I have lived - NYC, Long Island, Westchester County NY, Central Massachusetts, Lower tier, Upstate NY, Northern PA, or Boston MA.
By February, it can get dismal and tedious. The best thing about Ohio, which offsets the winters, is that unlike most of the other four-season areas where I've lived, the cost of living is incredibly low. Usually, a low COL means no culture, arts, sports, educational institutions, little recreation, a poorly educated populous, lack of top-notch health care, and the feeling that outsiders are not wanted. The Cleveland area is pretty much the opposite of that.
However, Ohio isn't like that. At least not NE Ohio. It's nothing like NE PA, or the Lower Tier of upstate New York, both of which are cheap places to live - and feel that way. They are very...Appalachian in culture, history and geo=
Ohio's low COL makes frequent travel a possibility for middle-class people. Right now, we both work from home, so a February in Florida isn't out of the question.
Pretty much everyplace you live is a trade off. The question is finding a place where that trade is favorable and fair for you.
Ohio has four seasons. My favorites are late spring, summer, autumn, and early winter - first snowfall, December, and early January.
I am not a fan of late January, February, and most days in March. Even April can be iffy. However, Ohio is no worse than any of the other four-season parts of the US where I have lived - NYC, Long Island, Westchester County NY, Central Massachusetts, Lower tier, Upstate NY, Northern PA, or Boston MA.
By February, it can get dismal and tedious. The best thing about Ohio, which offsets the winters, is that unlike most of the other four-season areas where I've lived, the cost of living is incredibly low. Usually, a low COL means no culture, arts, sports, educational institutions, little recreation, a poorly educated populous, lack of top-notch health care, and the feeling that outsiders are not wanted. The Cleveland area is pretty much the opposite of that.
However, Ohio isn't like that. At least not NE Ohio. It's nothing like NE PA, or the Lower Tier of upstate New York, both of which are cheap places to live - and feel that way. They are very...Appalachian in culture, history and geo=
Ohio's low COL makes frequent travel a possibility for middle-class people. Right now, we both work from home, so a February in Florida isn't out of the question.
Pretty much everyplace you live is a trade off. The question is finding a place where that trade is favorable and fair for you.
In northeast Ohio, I enjoy the last remnants of real winter (given our shortened winters due to climate change) that we experience in January and February. If Lake Erie has a hard freeze, I enjoy hiking out on Lake Erie at Mentor Headlands Beach state park, typically around President's Day. I'm not alone when I do so. I greatly enjoy opportunities to explore ice, whether ice storms that coat the landscape for a day or two, or gorges sheltered from sunlight, most notably nearby for me is Stebbins Gulch at Holden Arboretum (only guided tours offered).
The area's waterfalls also are worth exploring in ice season. E.g., Lake Metroparks' Paine Falls or Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Hiking during winter greatly shortens the season.
The holiday season in northeast Ohio is spectacular, beginning with Winterfest in Public Square. The Cleveland Orchestra's holiday concerts (especially those with choirs) are memorable. Playhouse Square offers many events during the winter, especially Great Lakes Theater's "A Christmas Carol," and this year, a new holiday musical -- "Light It Up" -- at the Cleveland Play House.
Winter sports, especially basketball and ice hockey, inclusive of high schools, are fun winter activities for the sports minded. Rocket Mortgage Field House annually hosts the MAC basketball tournament and often is a March Madness and NCAA wrestling venue.
There are many winter sports activities, including sledding, ice skating in Public Square or Wade Oval, local downhill ski and snow tubing lodges, cross country skiing (including manicured trails at Lake Metroparks), and the Cleveland Metroparks' toboggan chutes at the Mill Stream Run Reservation, and my favorite, hiking.
March often has great weather. I remember balmy St. Patrick's Day parades (a big event in non-COVID years) in downtown Cleveland. I enjoy the cooler weather to do landscaping and to prepare my garden. When I start my own tomatoes, I will plant in late March using water tents.
Early March also is the height of maple sugar season. I greatly enjoy visiting sugar bushes and the maple sugar weekends at local metroparks (the Lake Metroparks Farmpark maple sugaring weekends are excellent, especially with the annual quilt show and many newborn farm animals). Pancake breakfasts in Geauga County are great fun.
Greater Cleveland has many winter festivals, including several ice carving events (many not listed in the following linked article), perhaps none more unique or entertaining than Kurentovanje, a Slovenian Mardi Gras.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, in non-COVID years, also is exciting place in winter with international performances (returning for this season) and a great film schedule complementing the Cinematheque.
I enjoy Ohio, but prefer the Southern portion of the State versus the Northern portion. Cincinnati is a fine city and the weather in Southern Ohio, is more preferable to me. But, I do think each area of Ohio has its pros and cons. I am from Northeast Ohio and Winters can be tough here, but Cleveland and the surrounding area is a fine city, with many world class amenities, and great Parks!
Many people have good things to say about Columbus, and it is growing fast. I find Columbus to be not so appealing, but it's not a bad place to live, just not my preference.
There are some areas in Ohio I would choose not to live in such as Toledo, Youngstown, and many of the rural areas in Southeast Ohio and Central Ohio (Places like Coshocton, Mansfield, New Philly, Portsmouth, etc) those places don't have a lot of economic activity and too remote for my liking.
The weather is not too bad either, its a good blend of four seasons. Winter is a tad long, but the snow is really a non factor outside the extreme Northeast Ohio snow belt.
Last edited by KY_Transplant; 10-08-2021 at 03:15 PM..
Reason: spelling
I agree. I think that NE Ohio is still purple. The rural areas and Cincinnati are red. I am originally from the NYC Metro area, and even the eastern county of Long Island (Suffolk) has turned red, with a few exceptions.
We want to move from Warren OH to the inner ring, Eastern suburbs of Cleveland. I like Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, Beachwood, Lyndhurst, S. Euclid, Pepper Pike, University Heights, and several others.
None of these places feel especially purple to me, much less "Red".
Now Suffolk County Long Island? That's become "Trump Country".
As to taxes, compared to the rest of the country, property taxes are low.
I can't wait to get out of Trumbull County.
The city of Cincinnati is Blue...and Franklin County is very Blue now...so is Lucas County.
It's the redneck backwards rural counties across this state that are deep red...which makes no sense..those are the areas that need the most investment and help and yet they time and time again vote against their own self interests...it's very maddening.
In northeast Ohio, I enjoy the last remnants of real winter (given our shortened winters due to climate change) that we experience in January and February. If Lake Erie has a hard freeze, I enjoy hiking out on Lake Erie at Mentor Headlands Beach state park, typically around President's Day. I'm not alone when I do so. I greatly enjoy opportunities to explore ice, whether ice storms that coat the landscape for a day or two, or gorges sheltered from sunlight, most notably nearby for me is Stebbins Gulch at Holden Arboretum (only guided tours offered).
The area's waterfalls also are worth exploring in ice season. E.g., Lake Metroparks' Paine Falls or Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Hiking during winter greatly shortens the season.
The holiday season in northeast Ohio is spectacular, beginning with Winterfest in Public Square. The Cleveland Orchestra's holiday concerts (especially those with choirs) are memorable. Playhouse Square offers many events during the winter, especially Great Lakes Theater's "A Christmas Carol," and this year, a new holiday musical -- "Light It Up" -- at the Cleveland Play House.
Winter sports, especially basketball and ice hockey, inclusive of high schools, are fun winter activities for the sports minded. Rocket Mortgage Field House annually hosts the MAC basketball tournament and often is a March Madness and NCAA wrestling venue.
There are many winter sports activities, including sledding, ice skating in Public Square or Wade Oval, local downhill ski and snow tubing lodges, cross country skiing (including manicured trails at Lake Metroparks), and the Cleveland Metroparks' toboggan chutes at the Mill Stream Run Reservation, and my favorite, hiking.
March often has great weather. I remember balmy St. Patrick's Day parades (a big event in non-COVID years) in downtown Cleveland. I enjoy the cooler weather to do landscaping and to prepare my garden. When I start my own tomatoes, I will plant in late March using water tents.
Early March also is the height of maple sugar season. I greatly enjoy visiting sugar bushes and the maple sugar weekends at local metroparks (the Lake Metroparks Farmpark maple sugaring weekends are excellent, especially with the annual quilt show and many newborn farm animals). Pancake breakfasts in Geauga County are great fun.
Greater Cleveland has many winter festivals, including several ice carving events (many not listed in the following linked article), perhaps none more unique or entertaining than Kurentovanje, a Slovenian Mardi Gras.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, in non-COVID years, also is exciting place in winter with international performances (returning for this season) and a great film schedule complementing the Cinematheque.
Personally, I greatly enjoy the northeast Ohio winter experience.
My favorite thing to do during the Xmas Season is to go see the display at the GE Lighting HQs out at Noble Park...that display is always amazing...scary place to try and get to but at least during the holidays a lot of people are around.
My favorite thing to do during the Xmas Season is to go see the display at the GE Lighting HQs out at Noble Park...that display is always amazing...scary place to try and get to but at least during the holidays a lot of people are around.
It's "Nela Park," not Noble Park, but it's an exquisite display of holiday lights. E.g., GE Lighting decorates the National Christmas Tree and it recreates a miniature version annually as part of the Nela Park display.
The problem for me are the massive traffic back-ups to get to Nela Park, unless you go at a less busy time, certainly NOT weekends. You also can only view the display most years by driving by on a city street -- not great for the driver. I've often wondered if there was a place to park safely where you could walk by the displays. Very few persons do so, so there's not an obvious parking location.
When I was a kid, Nela Park likely was the largest holiday light display in the world. Now that it is hardly the case, but what is lacking in quantity is made up by quality.
I was born in Columbus, grew up in Cincinnati, and spent a year in Cleveland back in 2012-2013. Currently living back in Cincinnati. I love Ohio. Yes the state politics can be quite backwards and frustrating, but I don't let that get me down. Ohio is special because you have Southern influences, typical Midwest, and Northeastern influences. We have three large cities that each have a plethora of areas and activities to explore. One of my favorite things is to take a trip up to Cleveland and spend some time along the coast of Lake Erie.
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