New to Columbus, need to know if this area is safe (Newark: low income, section 8)

[Athora80]

We are in apartments right now in a good area but are thinking about renting a house in the neighborhood off of Chatterton Rd and Brice Rd. I have heard some people tell us that it is not a good area to be in but it is literally 3 miles from where are now which is really nice. We lived in Vegas with family for a while where the crime was just crazy. So I am not willing to move into another bad area since we have a small child. Please give me honest advice! TIA!

[robertfoshizzle]

I would advise against it. I've never lived in the area, but I did work near there -- crime is high compared to other suburban parts of Columbus. Plus, the area has been in decline for quite some time now.

I'm not sure what school district you would be in -- Reynoldsburg is a good school district, but Columbus and Groveport-Madison are at the bottom of the rankings in the metro area (I believe all 3 districts converge near this area). Canal Winchester and Pickerington would be better choices if you want to stay on the southeast side.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by robertfoshizzle

I would advise against it. I've never lived in the area, but I did work near there -- crime is high compared to other suburban parts of Columbus. Plus, the area has been in decline for quite some time now.

I'm not sure what school district you would be in -- Reynoldsburg is a good school district, but Columbus and Groveport-Madison are at the bottom of the rankings in the metro area (I believe all 3 districts converge near this area). Canal Winchester and Pickerington would be better choices if you want to stay on the southeast side.

The area is barely developed beyond housing developments, most of which are 10 years old or less. I've done crime rates per census tract, and crime is very low there. I must be missing something. Is there another Chatterton and Brice?

[robertfoshizzle]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

The area is barely developed beyond housing developments, most of which are 10 years old or less. I've done crime rates per census tract, and crime is very low there. I must be missing something. Is there another Chatterton and Brice?

Chatterton and Brice itself is mostly apartment complexes (some of which are a little on the shady side). But when people refer to that area, it's usually more than just that intersection.

I worked with people who have lived in that area and have never heard anything good about it. The retail area has been in decline since the '90s. You're going to be driving by tons of empty buildings and overgrown parking lots every time you go to the store.

I delivered pizzas in Canal Winchester for 3-1/2 years. Although corporate wanted us to deliver to the Brice/Chatterton/Refugee areas, our franchise owner (who has lived on that side of town for at least 20 years) refused because he deemed the area not safe. Our competitors who delivered to the area had to deal with multiple robberies in the apartment complexes around there, some of which I believe are section 8. Also, several of our drivers used to work at a store that delivered to the areas from Eastland Mall over to Chatterton/Gender. They had nothing but negative things to say about the area.

I know someone who lives in Independence Village (just to the northeast of the intersection of Chatterton/Brice) and they have told me in the past there are a lot of break-ins and neighbors who have the police at their houses multiple times.

Also, while there are multiple school districts that converge in that area, most of the neighborhoods around there are in either Groveport-Madison or Columbus schools -- not ideal.

Now if you go just a little to the east (Hines Rd. and farther), you find yourself in Pickerington Schools, which is a much better district. And you can go a little to the north or south and you'll be in Reynoldsburg or Canal Winchester schools, also better districts.

My point is that there are much better options.

[robertfoshizzle]

This is the general area I am referring to: https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...Y.kauKK-xP7i_0

[Athora80]

Thank you for the responses, we moved recently from out of state and someone wanted to rent us a house near Fontaine road, in that neighborhood, in a few months. We have yet to see the house but we have driven through the area. We are in Canal right now and have been to Pickerington and love it. It is kind of hard to know what you are walking in to when you don't know the area, so I really appreciate it. I need a place where I can feel safe going out with my son or taking the dog for a walk alone. I have been seeing some violent crimes in the news a little to the west of this area which is what made me question it. I know crime is everywhere but I would rather avoid where it might be worse.

[Athora80]

So yes, Robertfoshizzle, you were spot on with your map

[robertfoshizzle]

I suppose it depends on the age of the child, how long you plan on renting the home, and how good of a deal you are getting. You're not going to get any drive-by shootings over there or anything. But if your child will be or is in school, it might not be a great choice. And just be advised that your neighbors may be a mixed bag. I delivered just to the south of that area in Blacklick Estates (we went as far north as Sedalia Rd) and while I wouldn't call that particular area "dangerous" it is definitely low income and you will notice it, for what that's worth. I was told by several people who had worked at the store far longer than I did that it started to get a little rougher as you went north of Sedalia. It's just so hard to tell what your neighbors are going to be like because of the weather right now. If it were summer, you could observe the neighborhood a little better since people would be out and about.

[cbus2abq]

Don't live off Chatterton. It's super ghetto in that area. I'd recommend living east of 256 or Hill Rd that runs from Pickerington to Reynoldsburg. It's not a whole lot better, but it's definitely better than Chatterton. I lived many years in Blacklick Estates off Noe Bixby, right by the Sedalia super market, and I couldn't wait to move out. My mother and grandmother still live there. Mom had an attempted break in last summer, luckily she has ADT security and burglar took off running when he heard the alarm. It's not drive-by ghetto, not many places in Columbus are, but it's definitely break-in ghetto. Groveport-Madison also has the highest remediation rate, I.e. The highest percentage of students who graduate from there and have to take a remedial class when they arrive at college. I believe it was 60-70% or something, it was in the Sunday Dispatch from 8 days a go.

[Athora80]

Thank you, now we are thinking of going outside of Columbus...Lancaster, Newark or Thornville. It does seem impossible to find a house for rent in those areas for $700-800 that isn't dumpy though