WhereInOhio-Clev/Cincy/Toledo/Akron/Youngs/Etc-For Youngman from WestC to Find Safe Metro Neighborhood to Live? (Columbus: real estate, house)

[UrbanMidW via UrbanWcoast]

I'm quickly reaching my "mid-life" years and I'm ready to make a change from living out West. I love the Westcoast Cities, ie: Portland, Tucson, Las Vegas, and desert resort areas, around Palm Springs.

The biggest problem for me is that the above mentioned Metro's have an extremely high-costs of living, (compared to the MidW) and homes in and around these areas are not affordable to me on, at least, my current income. I possess a Real Estate License in some of these states, but don't "sell" RE. (I'm require to hold one for other reasons) Soon, I will complete a Graduate Degree in Urban/Rural City Planning and "Green" RE Construction.

As you can imagine, this is not a boom-time for the hiring of City or County Employees, and the private section (like RE Developers and Enviromential Non-profits are also cutting back workstaffs, as well.

So, at this point, you may be wondering, "well, why would he want to move now, to what urban planners refer to as the "Rustbelt-Cities?"

An important thing for me at this point, is that your states, and your cities and towns, HAVE VERY AFFORDABLE HOUSING compared to the areas that I have live my "entire" life in up to this point. Being able to buy a small, but nice home is VERY IMPORTANT to me. It does not need to be "smack" in the middle of the town or city...but let's say, 35-50 miles (max) away from a Walmart, HomeDepot, Loews, etc.

I'm used to living in an area were the city/town and people are diverse.
I'm also a member of two minorities: an a straight-acting, and "keep my personal stuff private"-Gay Man and a recent convert, as a Reform Jew.

Any of your comments, positive, neutral, and negative (be gentle) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

[000000]

columbus or clev will likely be your best choices for other people accepting you for being different and for being cities of a size that you are more used to. cleveland has a higher jewish population, but both cities have about equal sized lgbt communities.


cinci would be the other "c". while it does have a jewish population, it is the middle of a conservative sweet spot (southern and western ohio).

toledo and dayton, like cinci, are still too conservative in addition to being too small.

northeastern ohio outside of cleveland akron, canton, youngstown all get a bit small, but will have both communities in small numbers.

keep in mind that every city has their own polyannas on this forum.

[UrbanMidW via UrbanWcoast]

thanks for your comments. I appreciate your opinions re: my post-

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by 000000

columbus or clev will likely be your best choices for other people accepting you for being different and for being cities of a size that you are more used to. cleveland has a higher jewish population, but both cities have about equal sized lgbt communities.


cinci would be the other "c". while it does have a jewish population, it is the middle of a conservative sweet spot (southern and western ohio).

toledo and dayton, like cinci, are still too conservative in addition to being too small.

northeastern ohio outside of cleveland akron, canton, youngstown all get a bit small, but will have both communities in small numbers.

keep in mind that every city has their own polyannas on this forum.

I'm just curious ... I'm not arguing here with you or anything, but what points would you make that make Cleve or Cbus more liberal than Cincy?

[Joe 4520832257]

Well, if you look at the actual numbers, Cleveland and surrounds always vote for liberal Democrats. Very very blue. Columbus and Cincinnati metros are very similar - a pretty decent Republican/Democrat split.

The real estate certainly is affordable on a price per square foot basis. Around here, anything over 100 sqft is somehow considered "luxury" housing!! But if you couldn't buy a house AT ALL out West, I would warn you that you still won't exactly be able to afford super-great housing in Ohio either. It will be either modest, or as you suggested, very far away from things.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by Joe 4520832257

Well, if you look at the actual numbers, Cleveland and surrounds always vote for liberal Democrats. Very very blue. Columbus and Cincinnati metros are very similar - a pretty decent Republican/Democrat split.

Let's just forget that Hamilton county voted democrat and that the city of Cincinnati is heavily democratic (and has been for years now), I was thinking that the poster was referring to a social liberal/conservativeness? I wasn't under the impression we were talking politics?

[skyegirl]

Originally Posted by Cincy-Rise

Let's just forget that Hamilton county voted democrat and that the city of Cincinnati is heavily democratic (and has been for years now), I was thinking that the poster was referring to a social liberal/conservativeness? I wasn't under the impression we were talking politics?

Well, in my personal experience it seems to be that Republican areas tend to be more "socially conservative". Maybe that is why the previous poster was pointing out the Republican/Democratic areas of the state. Just a thought.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by skyegirl

Well, in my personal experience it seems to be that Republican areas tend to be more "socially conservative". Maybe that is why the previous poster was pointing out the Republican/Democratic areas of the state. Just a thought.

I know Republicans that are gay.

[Traveler87]

Ok, well back on topic, your in luck. Ohio has many great neighborhoods in many cities to choose from.

I suggest checking out the "three C's" first.

Cleveland:

Ohio City
Tremont
Downtown
The Warehouse District
University Circle

Columbus:

The Arena District
Short North
German Village

Cincinnat:

Downtown
Mt. Adams
Over-The-Rhine
Mt. Auburn

[Traveler87]

BTW, I work as a city planner for the city of Cleveland. I went to Kent State and Cleveland State where I was in their top ranked urban studies program.