If I describe my perfect town, can you tell me where it is? (Cleveland: new home, neighborhoods)

[esya]

Depending on how far you actually want to be from a major city, and how big of a town, I'd say most of Ohio has multiple towns that fit your description.

[gentlearts]

Well, if you want 14 acres and your own pond, I'd love to sell you my house in Medina. We're a few miles south of town though.

[zipscott]

You should also check out Wadsworth. It is a little south of Medina and it definitley has the small town charm and town square with gazebo, public swimming pool, active rec dept. The schools are fantastic and people are warm and welcoming. It is growing with some big boxes moving in - but the residents are mindful of what has happend with outrageous development up in Medina, and are vocal about keeping the rural character surrounding the town. The city offers many amenities - cheap cable, internet, electric, trash, water, sewar. Check out the city website at: wadsworthcity.com

[CrissCT]

I suggest Rocky River as one other poster did. Just a little nicer than Lakewood (in my opinion) and fits most of the requirements on your list and still close enough to Lakewood if you want to do things there too.

[totsuka]

Check out Norton School District/Hudson Area. I have friends that live in the Norton area..they really love that area. I visited them in July and really would like to move there. I grew up in Akron and attended the public school system. It was great 30 years ago but now has some problems. The school I went to the kids ripped the sinks off the wall so I think perhaps it's changed. There are alot of cheap, really cheap homes in Akron/Fairlawn area. Nice older ranch homes..nice yards, but if you have kids..it's difficult to accept the public school system of Akron. Fairlawn is better but that area is starting to go Section 8. My brother just sold his home of 30 years and moved to Green. He was very mad, but wanted out before the problems start. One good thing there are not alot of illegals. That was a huge problem in San Diego when I left and down here in Florida too. They over run the school system. No big deal if you don't have to send kids to school. All in all, I liked Ohio, but have to be careful where you buy a home. It took us 3 months to sell my parents home and discounted it 50k.

[WeSoHood]

First place I thought of was Rocky River. Almost exactly on point - except minor differences.

[Ohiosinmyblood]

I lived in Medina 30 years ago and it sounds like it has kept alot of its small town charm, happy to hear that. Good luck with your move, wish it was me!

[texanweazel]

Hudson, Chagrin Falls, Streetsboro, Solon, Aurora.

Off the tob of my head and just my thoughts...all have most qualities. Most are far enough away that you have access to the major city (Cleveland), but can leave it behind when you leave.

Good luck.

[JoiM]

Looking for the perfect place to live? It's not Cleveland honey.

[TheCLE]

Sounds like what you are looking for is Medina. I just moved out there and love it. It's booming, but it still has the small town charm in the square. Due to sprawl, it's now a suburb of both Cleveland and Akron, but it still has a self sufficient feel.

I also think it's more diverse than what people want to give it credit for. I don't know that it matters, but Medina has a small, but thriving black community. That community has been there for 50-plus years. That is also what seperates Medina from Wadsworth, Hudson or Brecksville. Those places describe lilly white. Even Lakewood, which you really can't compare to Medina, would have been much more white than Medina as few as 10 years ago. When I was in high school, Lakewood was as white as white can be.

Berea is also another city that would come to mind. It's very similar to Medina and closer to Cleveland. To tell you the truth, if I didn't work in the Akron area, I would be in Berea and not Medina. But the two cities are very similiar. Berea a little more diverse.