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As someone who has lived in both cities, I would rather live in Columbus.
In Cincinnati, you can either live close to downtown (where there is stuff to do) and pay a fortune for someplace to live, or you can live far away and buy a bigger house. However, you have to drive thirty minutes to get downtown.
Columbus has great shopping and places to eat all around the city, and they have clearly thought about the flow of traffic.
Also, the shopping is far better in Columbus with Easton and Columbus. It probably helps that Limited, Inc. is headquarted in Columbus.
The college atmosphere of Columbus could probably be overwhelming if you are not an OSU fan. However, it is nice to know that there are so many college graduates in the area. Plus, there are always cheap tickets to games that are not football and basketball, and for the pro sports fan, there is soccer and hockey.
The best thing about Columbus is how easy it is to get around. The highway system was thought out - it does get crowded because of the rapid growth in some areas. I don't think it is any more than 71 or 75 during rush hour in Cincinnati.
I don't really think that Cincinnati is that much more conservative. I think Columbus just seems more liberal because of OSU.
As for crime, I think that Columbus had a higher homicide rate last year. I am not sure of the final count, but as of Christmas it was higher. The news in Cincinnati just seems to play up the violent crimes more.
As for weather, it is not that much colder in Columbus. However, Columbus is better at managing their snow removal. After living in Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, I can say that snow removal does get progressively worse as you go south. I think it helps that Columbus is flatter, but if your neighborhood is not going to plowed for three days, it is something to consider.
I'm a grad student in chemistry at Ohio State. Moved to Columbus from Philadelphia. Which is better? Thats a close call, really. Let me explain.....
What is a mid-western city? Typically its defunct manufacturing, a sports team, and farmers that relocated to the city a generation ago. As a result, the population has a unique way of life. For example, Columbus has an event called "gallery hop" every month in an area called the Short North. You see lots of great local talent, and herds of people. You'd expect yuppies, and the occasional goth with a purple mohawk; not quite. The event is attended by middle-aged suburbanites. It really is something to witness for yourself. Blocks of mundane baby boomers in their argyle sweaters strolling High Street, just after the Worthington High School soccer match. After visiting other mid-western cities; Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Chicago, I've learned they all have versions of this theme. A big event, say a baseball game, that attracts scores of essentially suburban people, that go back to places like Gahanna, Ohio where the new attraction, an outdoor mall called Easton Town Center, is full of bored high school students.
So, why quibble over which city, Columbus or Cincinnati is better? They both lack character, and urban flare. Public transit, shopping in a district (SoHo, Walnut St., Georgetown), going to a bodega for milk/bread (what is Kroger???), getting good food (hogies, hot dogs, crab)...are just a few things that I miss from living in Philly, or the east coast in general. Most people in Ohio and the mid-west, with the exception of people from out of state, have yet to realize what a city is.
So be prepared if your moving to Columbus. Ohio State cannot be blamed, its a world-class institution with an endowment you wouldn't believe. But all the cities in Ohio will lose their novelty after about a year.
I'm a grad student in chemistry at Ohio State. Moved to Columbus from Philadelphia. Which is better? Thats a close call, really. Let me explain.....
What is a mid-western city? Typically its defunct manufacturing, a sports team, and farmers that relocated to the city a generation ago. As a result, the population has a unique way of life. For example, Columbus has an event called "gallery hop" every month in an area called the Short North. You see lots of great local talent, and herds of people. You'd expect yuppies, and the occasional goth with a purple mohawk; not quite. The event is attended by middle-aged suburbanites. It really is something to witness for yourself. Blocks of mundane baby boomers in their argyle sweaters strolling High Street, just after the Worthington High School soccer match. After visiting other mid-western cities; Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Chicago, I've learned they all have versions of this theme. A big event, say a baseball game, that attracts scores of essentially suburban people, that go back to places like Gahanna, Ohio where the new attraction, an outdoor mall called Easton Town Center, is full of bored high school students.
So, why quibble over which city, Columbus or Cincinnati is better? They both lack character, and urban flare. Public transit, shopping in a district (SoHo, Walnut St., Georgetown), going to a bodega for milk/bread (what is Kroger???), getting good food (hogies, hot dogs, crab)...are just a few things that I miss from living in Philly, or the east coast in general. Most people in Ohio and the mid-west, with the exception of people from out of state, have yet to realize what a city is.
So be prepared if your moving to Columbus. Ohio State cannot be blamed, its a world-class institution with an endowment you wouldn't believe. But all the cities in Ohio will lose their novelty after about a year.
I think Columbus is a pretty vanilla city, but to generalize all midwestern city life like this is nonsense. If you think that midwest cities don't have unique neighborhood stores and good local foods then you need to get a clue.
I think Columbus is a pretty vanilla city, but to generalize all midwestern city life like this is nonsense. If you think that midwest cities don't have unique neighborhood stores and good local foods then you need to get a clue.
Yeah, Cincinnati and Cleveland have a lot of the character-defining culture that the above poster mentioned, though obviously on a smaller scale than a place like Philly. But let's be fair here, all large cities, even those in the Northeast, have a large chunk of residents that spend time in the city only to return home to their suburban homes in the evening. For better or worse, suburbia is a phenomenon that dominates every corner and region of this country. Midwestern cities, in general, are no worse than anywhere else.
The traffic will be worse in Cincy as there's about 300,00 to 400,000 more people in the metro.
Columbus is more of a typical midwestern city on the move and Cincinnati is an urban, east-coast architecture filled city that shows it was once the 6th largest city in the U.S. and founded in 1788.
Obviously, pro baseball and football are more popular in the U.S. and as far as shopping it's about equal, however IKEA did choose Cincinnati.
I don't know why we even argue about the two. Cincinnati is by far more cultured, sophisticated, cosmopolitan and historically rich. Columbus is growing because they annexed all their neighborhoods into the city to look bigger. There is an inferiority complex in Columbus because they are the capital and still only third largest. Cincinnatians really don't even claim Ohio like Columbus people do. We are a unique place bordered by Indiana and Kentucky where as soon as you cross that river you're in another world. You may hear someone speak with a thick southern accent or no accent at all just walking downtown. We support our city and we don't care about intrusions from outside garbage. We support Skyline Chili, LaBullBoxer31 pizza, Graeters ice cream and mom and pop restaurants that have been around for generations. We have strong beliefs and stick by them no matter what! Our Catholic churches are awesome and should be toured by anyone visiting. Cincinnati is a real city with a strong history and strong people, and a strong economy with 9 Fortune 500 companies and one of the biggest companies in the world.
I'm a grad student in chemistry at Ohio State. Moved to Columbus from Philadelphia. Which is better? Thats a close call, really. Let me explain.....
What is a mid-western city? Typically its defunct manufacturing, a sports team, and farmers that relocated to the city a generation ago. As a result, the population has a unique way of life. For example, Columbus has an event called "gallery hop" every month in an area called the Short North. You see lots of great local talent, and herds of people. You'd expect yuppies, and the occasional goth with a purple mohawk; not quite. The event is attended by middle-aged suburbanites. It really is something to witness for yourself. Blocks of mundane baby boomers in their argyle sweaters strolling High Street, just after the Worthington High School soccer match. After visiting other mid-western cities; Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Chicago, I've learned they all have versions of this theme. A big event, say a baseball game, that attracts scores of essentially suburban people, that go back to places like Gahanna, Ohio where the new attraction, an outdoor mall called Easton Town Center, is full of bored high school students.
So, why quibble over which city, Columbus or Cincinnati is better? They both lack character, and urban flare. Public transit, shopping in a district (SoHo, Walnut St., Georgetown), going to a bodega for milk/bread (what is Kroger???), getting good food (hogies, hot dogs, crab)...are just a few things that I miss from living in Philly, or the east coast in general. Most people in Ohio and the mid-west, with the exception of people from out of state, have yet to realize what a city is.
So be prepared if your moving to Columbus. Ohio State cannot be blamed, its a world-class institution with an endowment you wouldn't believe. But all the cities in Ohio will lose their novelty after about a year.
Some of the things you say are true. Some of the things you say are very specific about Columbus and shouldn't be so broadly applied. Columbus, for example, was founded, afaik, as an agricultural center. Then it got the state capital and the big university and it went from there.
Cincinnati was founded for very different reasons. It has a history more similar to Pittsburgh and was really the first major city off of the coast. At one time, it had all the wealth and prestige of boston or philadelphia. My point is not to compare it to these cities today, but rather to dispute your statement that all midwestern cities were set up as trading posts for farmers.
I can tell that you have an IDEA of what you are talking about. But you are clearly not from Cincinnati. The neighborhood is Over the Rhine, not Rhide. And yes it is full of crime and drugs, however parts of the area have been cleaned up slightly. Redding Road does not exist. Its Reading road, but pronounced Redding. Reading road goes from Mason, a very nice area all the way downtown. Its ends Reading road name in Mason, goes south into West Chester, then Sharonville, through Evendale, then into the city of Reading itself. then it goes through Roselawn and Bond Hill, and so on into downtown.
I'm a grad student in chemistry at Ohio State. Moved to Columbus from Philadelphia. Which is better? Thats a close call, really. Let me explain.....
What is a mid-western city? Typically its defunct manufacturing, a sports team, and farmers that relocated to the city a generation ago. As a result, the population has a unique way of life. For example, Columbus has an event called "gallery hop" every month in an area called the Short North. You see lots of great local talent, and herds of people. You'd expect yuppies, and the occasional goth with a purple mohawk; not quite. The event is attended by middle-aged suburbanites. It really is something to witness for yourself. Blocks of mundane baby boomers in their argyle sweaters strolling High Street, just after the Worthington High School soccer match. After visiting other mid-western cities; Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Chicago, I've learned they all have versions of this theme. A big event, say a baseball game, that attracts scores of essentially suburban people, that go back to places like Gahanna, Ohio where the new attraction, an outdoor mall called Easton Town Center, is full of bored high school students.
So, why quibble over which city, Columbus or Cincinnati is better? They both lack character, and urban flare. Public transit, shopping in a district (SoHo, Walnut St., Georgetown), going to a bodega for milk/bread (what is Kroger???), getting good food (hogies, hot dogs, crab)...are just a few things that I miss from living in Philly, or the east coast in general. Most people in Ohio and the mid-west, with the exception of people from out of state, have yet to realize what a city is.
So be prepared if your moving to Columbus. Ohio State cannot be blamed, its a world-class institution with an endowment you wouldn't believe. But all the cities in Ohio will lose their novelty after about a year.
I grew up in Ohio, lived on the east coast for several years. I think it's kind of laughable that these east-coast cities supposedly have more culture, flare, and individual character than cities in the Midwest. Trust me, Hartford and DC are as bland as they come, and most *nice* east coast urban areas are only for the wealthy. No celebration of local culture, no sense of community, everybody living out in the suburbs except for the extremely rich and dirt poor, etc. The idea that east coast people go to their bodega for bread and milk--are you kidding?! Maybe only the wealthy, who pay ridiculous amounts of money to live in their lofts or studio apartments. Everyone else shops at Safeway and malls and other big chain stores--just like 99% of the national population.
I just think it's funny, because I had these romantic notions about the east coast before I moved there. Oh, so cultured, so flavorful! All of these "white ethnics" still living in the old neighborhoods! Bodegas and row houses! Nope. Like everywhere else, it's been corporatized and flattened and made unlivable for anyone who doesn't make a lot of money.
After living on the east coast for several years, Columbus is a breath of fresh air. I live in a city neighborhood and it's cheap, safe, and clean. I can walk everywhere. I also have my choice of locally-owned shops and co-ops. The coffee shops I frequent, for instance, are all distinct and unique and local. (Saw nothing but Starbucks in DC! And by the way, Georgetown is nothing but an outdoor mall with an H&M and Barnes and Noble in the center of it.) Beautiful bike paths and a lot of nice walking. The Columbus economy is healthy and it has a viable middle class (the east coast does not). As for not seeing "goths" and mohawked people at the Gallery Hop--not quite sure which Gallery Hops the chemistry student has attended, because I've seen a lot of interesting types at this event. Suburbanites looking for culture too, to be sure, and more power to them.
Not as sure how Columbus compares to Cincy. I think Cincy is really beautiful, and I'm sure it offers more in culture (Columbus is okay--better than a lot of places but no metropolitan art museum or natural history museum, and the symphony and opera have definitely taken a hit lately), but Columbus isn't bad to look at either, and the university brings a lot of culture.
As far as tolerance and liberal attitudes--Columbus has the corner. People in Columbus just get along. Cincy has a bad reputation for its race problems and nationally publicized race riots. Cincinnati has southern charm, but Columbus has a relaxed midwestern attitude. People in Columbus are very crunchy.
Both cities have poor people, but Cincinnati's urban areas are more "dug in." (The above poster is also wrong in assuming that Columbus is a defunct manufacturing city--Columbus was never a big manufacturing city a la Pittsburgh or Cleveland. It's a government/university town. This is one reason why it's avoided the economic downturns of other Midwestern cities.)
One thing that's sad about Columbus is that it's lost its downtown shopping. Back in the 80s the powers that be consolidated Columbus' downtown shopping into a mall, and the mall slowly tanked in the last ten years. So no one goes downtown for their shopping anymore.
From what I've heard from people who have lived in both cities, Columbus has a better quality of life, but Cincinnati has a bigger feel. It just depends on what you value.
yalladay - nice post. the above poster was wrong in many ways. columbus wasn't a manufacturing town, it started as an Ag town. Cincinnati was never an Ag town and not a manufacturing center like Cleveland - it was booming when Chicago was a couple of tents and an indian chief.
It is worth saying that neither Columbus or Cincinnati were turned upside-down by the manufacturing bust. Both lost jobs, but so did Philly and every other non-sunbelt city in the country. Both cities have grown since the last census.
Columbus is further ahead in revitalizing its core, probably ten years ahead of Cincinnati. But, although I'm biased, Cincinnati has - because of its long urban history - a better neighborhood and urban base to work from and downtown and near-downtown revitalization is happening fast. I said in another thread that Over the Rhine is the fastest gentrifying neighborhood in the country.
In terms of people and attitudes, Cincinnati has more in common with Columbus or Indianapolis. In terms of urban form, Cincinnati is more like an older east coast city, except we have more intact original architecture.
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