Renting in NE/NW/SW Canton City need advice!! (Massillon: apartment, rentals)

[MorbidHunger]

I'm interested in a few rental properties in Canton city but Im worried about the neighborhood safety as I keep getting biased advice from family members.
I need advice as far as crime, schools, family-freindly (as I am expecting my first child in between October 19th- November 2nd

these are the neighborhoods
Lawrence Ave NE
6th St SW
Oby Place NW
Newton Ave NW (I believe my grandmothers called this "Newton Zone")

Let me know please
Thanks
-Morbid

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by MorbidHunger

I'm interested in a few rental properties in Canton city but Im worried about the neighborhood safety as I keep getting biased advice from family members.
I need advice as far as crime, schools, family-freindly (as I am expecting my first child in between October 19th- November 2nd

these are the neighborhoods
Lawrence Ave NE
6th St SW
Oby Place NW
Newton Ave NW (I believe my grandmothers called this "Newton Zone")

Let me know please
Thanks
-Morbid

None of those neighborhoods you mentioned are in particularly 'nice' neighborhoods. If I had to pick from those 4, I'd say Oby Place is probably your best option as that puts you out towards Monument Park area and there are some 'ok' areas out that way.

Out of the other 3, I would avoid Lawrence Ave the most, it is in a very run-down stretch of town towards the NE, lots of boarded up housing = lots of drug/violent activity.

The other 2 locations are iffy as well.

The areas around downtown Canton unfortunately have seen much better days than they currently are experiencing. Those all fall under Canton City schools as well (McKinley/Timken).

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

None of those neighborhoods you mentioned are in particularly 'nice' neighborhoods. If I had to pick from those 4, I'd say Oby Place is probably your best option as that puts you out towards Monument Park area and there are some 'ok' areas out that way.

Out of the other 3, I would avoid Lawrence Ave the most, it is in a very run-down stretch of town towards the NE, lots of boarded up housing = lots of drug/violent activity.

The other 2 locations are iffy as well.

The areas around downtown Canton unfortunately have seen much better days than they currently are experiencing. Those all fall under Canton City schools as well (McKinley/Timken).

Ditto.

Only being semi-humorous, I list them as follows:

1.) Lawrence NE - Crack (Last choice)
2.) 6th SW - Crack (3rd... ehhh maybe 2nd)
3.) Oby NW - Crack (1st choice)
4.) Newton NW - Hookers & Crack (2nd choice... maybe)

Ditto on the NE being the worst, and Oby probably being the best, but even there you're still in the occasional gunfire zone.

Also you didn't specify what part of 6th SW... if you're further out you're better (although not fantastic, i.e. past Aultman), but judging from the other areas listed it sounds like its probably close in.

If it was me, and I was paying out of pocket, I would shoot for as far North and west as possible, even if it means a smaller apartment.

I know it sounds counterintuitive but if you dig really deep, occasionally you can find really quiet stretches in otherwise ****ty neighborhoods. I.E. I've been down a few streets in the SE that are quiet simply because they dead end or are "woodsy" due to the marshy nature of that end of town. The tough issue there is being able to find an apartment as opposed to a rental house.

Another less than choice suggestion would be to go for one of those live-in former roadside motels on W. Tusc/Lincoln Way in Perry. Again, smaller and not going to win any Martha Stewart points, but your likelyhood of stray gunfire is much lower.

Good luck!

[MorbidHunger]

Thanks I think Ill just skip even looking at the place on Lawerence then. I'll just go look at the place on Oby Pl . I'm not looking for an apartment I kind of need a house as they tend to be the only places that would be good for pets most apartment buildings dont really want to deal with that as dogs can be noisy. I have a large black lab 2 ferrets an aquarium and 3 cages soon to be 2 of pet mice (that we breed an sell sometimes) anyway....so If anyone knows of any rental houses I was only looking in Canton, but really anywhere in the stark county region. send me a message? Im not sure of other newspapers to look in (as massillon and canton rep have the same clasifired ads)

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by MorbidHunger

Thanks I think Ill just skip even looking at the place on Lawerence then. I'll just go look at the place on Oby Pl . I'm not looking for an apartment I kind of need a house as they tend to be the only places that would be good for pets most apartment buildings dont really want to deal with that as dogs can be noisy. I have a large black lab 2 ferrets an aquarium and 3 cages soon to be 2 of pet mice (that we breed an sell sometimes) anyway....so If anyone knows of any rental houses I was only looking in Canton, but really anywhere in the stark county region. send me a message? Im not sure of other newspapers to look in (as massillon and canton rep have the same clasifired ads)

If you're willing to look at Stark County as a whole, then I wouldn't even consider those areas you mentioned in your original post. In the current economy, you can probably find a decent rental home at a decent price in a much more desirable neighborhood than any of those you mentioned. For instance, if you go to www.cantonrep.com and look on the middle right-side of the home page, you'll see an on-line classified ads, click on the 'homes' tab and there are lots of rentals there. Also, consider looking at craigslist as well.

Unfortunately, suburban sprawl over the past 3 or 4 decades has devestated most of the neighborhoods in and around downtown Canton. Pretty much any township/unincorporated area in Stark Co. is nice w/a few exceptions such as some areas in Plain & Canton Townships.

[SquareBetterThanAll]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

If you're willing to look at Stark County as a whole, then I wouldn't even consider those areas you mentioned in your original post. In the current economy, you can probably find a decent rental home at a decent price in a much more desirable neighborhood than any of those you mentioned. For instance, if you go to www.cantonrep.com and look on the middle right-side of the home page, you'll see an on-line classified ads, click on the 'homes' tab and there are lots of rentals there. Also, consider looking at craigslist as well.

Unfortunately, suburban sprawl over the past 3 or 4 decades has devestated most of the neighborhoods in and around downtown Canton. Pretty much any township/unincorporated area in Stark Co. is nice w/a few exceptions such as some areas in Plain & Canton Townships.

That would be tough. The prices even for a whole house in areas like near NE are not going to be found in the suburbs. You're not renting a house for $500 (guess, example) in one of the townships unless you happen to stumble upon something out of the ordinary. Well, I take that back, maybe in one of the southern countryfolk twps.

Could try south side of Massillon perhaps? Or Alliance. I'd rather be in the Massillon hood than Canton if I had to choose.