Is Moving To Ohio Worth It? Please help! (Cleveland, Akron: rental, how much)

[caliggirl411]

hey guys i'm a california girl to the heart.....but recently i moved to the atlanta area and feel that it's a great place for opportunities in the tech/computer field....i've been staying with family in the suburbs and really haven't had a chance to get out and see too much.

here's the issue.
i'm trying to go back to college for my computer science degree....now my boyfriend is from cleveland and wants to move back.

heres his reason....he builds motorcycles and the wherehouse he wants in the elyria area is only $800 for like 4000sq. but he can't find that kind of deal in atlanta for that much space. but i'm not comfortable with the idea because i've never been to cleveland and i heard the city is so messed up and in shambles, would it even be a smart move on my part for the career field that i've chosen?

he wants to stay in the elyria area.....but i really like atlanta an i don't hear of many opportunities in cleveland.

he's way older then me and retired.....but he still has to get a job and so do i. but there isn't anything up there but snow lol.

so just wondering whats out there and is it a good move for me to consider?

-confused cali girl

[TheCLE]

Originally Posted by caliggirl411

hey guys i'm a california girl to the heart.....but recently i moved to the atlanta area and feel that it's a great place for opportunities in the tech/computer field....i've been staying with family in the suburbs and really haven't had a chance to get out and see too much.

here's the issue.
i'm trying to go back to college for my computer science degree....now my boyfriend is from cleveland and wants to move back.

heres his reason....he builds motorcycles and the wherehouse he wants in the elyria area is only $800 for like 4000sq. but he can't find that kind of deal in atlanta for that much space. but i'm not comfortable with the idea because i've never been to cleveland and i heard the city is so messed up and in shambles, would it even be a smart move on my part for the career field that i've chosen?

he wants to stay in the elyria area.....but i really like atlanta an i don't hear of many opportunities in cleveland.

he's way older then me and retired.....but he still has to get a job and so do i. but there isn't anything up there but snow lol.

so just wondering whats out there and is it a good move for me to consider?

-confused cali girl

I'll just tell you this.

1. Elyria is not in Cleveland, and while it's not in the greatest shape, it's not in "shambles"

2. I'm not completely doubting your boyfriend, but even in Elyria, I'm skeptical that a 4,000 sq. foot warehouse is going for $800 a month. That sounds awfully low, even on the southside, which is the "ghetto" of Elyria.

3. I'm sure you can get a computer-related degree at Lorain County Community College, but that would only be an assocaite degree. If you are going for a bachelor's degree, you'd probablly have to look at Oberlin College (very expensive and selective) or Cleveland State (downtown Cleveland which is 30 miles away). I think CSU may have a branch in Amherst (10 minutes away, but I'm not sure what bachelor programs it offers).

4. If you are serious with your boyfriend, and he is going to get a warehouse where he will build motorcylcles, Elyria is a motorcycle-type town. It's very blue-collar and a Harley-type population.

5. There is definetly more opportunity in Atlanta. I lived there, but moved back to the Cleveland area because of my family ties to NE Ohio. Without those ties, I would've stayed in the Atlanta area. I lived in Griffin, which I'd say is the Elyria of Atlanta. I don't know where you live in the Atlanta area, but I'd suggest you going to Griffin before you make your decision, because that city resembles Elyria, except Elyria is about twice the size, population wise, and a little more white. ...Griffin is about 50/50 where Elyria is about 75/25.

[Kasey77]

Doesn't this really depend on how much you care for this man. In retrospect,you can live in the most beautiful city in the world and be alone. It is not the place, but the people.
I don't know about the job market and your career. But, richness in life comes from the quality of relationships we have.
Good luck on your decision.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by Kasey77

Doesn't this really depend on how much you care for this man. In retrospect,you can live in the most beautiful city in the world and be alone. It is not the place, but the people.
I don't know about the job market and your career. But, richness in life comes from the quality of relationships we have.
Good luck on your decision.

The b/f currently lives in Atlanta though; it's not as if he is already living in Elyria and she has to decide on whether to move to be w/him or stay and forget about him. I would say if you are planning on spending the rest of your lives together, then yes, definitely consider moving to Elyria if he has a legitimate business plan and prospects of making a decent living off of his bike repair endeavor. However, if it's just his dream and the prospects of it panning out are iffy at best, and you can make a better living in Atlanta w/your future degree, I would think if he is a rational person he will realize it's in your best interests to remain in Atlanta. Ultimately, it sounds to me it's more of a relationship issue than a where to live issue. Just my two cents though, good luck w/your decision.

I agree w/the previous poster though about the rental cost, $800/month for 4,000 sq. ft. seems very low. I'd ask to see the lease agreement before just accepting that as fact from him. Also, if you hate snow, you're not going to like Elyria, b/c it's part of the snow belt and you'll see plenty of the white stuff all winter!

[saba2r]

I love Ohio. The people here are the salt of the earth. Four beautiful seasons. Farms, cities, woods, lakes, great hospitals and universities.

[ben52284]

How did CSU and Oberlin get mentioned, but not Case? If the OP is interested in computer science and has the talent and money, Case is one of the best schools in the country.

Originally Posted by TheCLE

3. I'm sure you can get a computer-related degree at Lorain County Community College, but that would only be an assocaite degree. If you are going for a bachelor's degree, you'd probablly have to look at Oberlin College (very expensive and selective) or Cleveland State (downtown Cleveland which is 30 miles away). I think CSU may have a branch in Amherst (10 minutes away, but I'm not sure what bachelor programs it offers).

[BelieveInCleve]

It is a good move for you to consider, but its your choice.

There are many colleges in the area to get a degree at. There is LCCC in Elyria which is the county community college, also Oberlin, and there are many others around Cleveland.

Cleveland is not exactly in shambles. At the very most, neighborhoods in the city, East Cleveland, and a few small areas in surrounding cities and suburbs are, but 90% of the area is not "in shambles". There have been a lot of job losses up here, but that is mainly blue collar/factory type jobs. There are many opportunities up here if you are in the right field and if you look hard enough. The Cleveland area is also very large. There is nearly 3 million people in the Cleveland/Akron CSA and counting Canton thats 3.4 million, and our population is generally much more urban than the Atlanta area.

"there isnt anything up there but snow lol" that is a pretty false statement. Elyria gets around 40 inches of snow a year which is a lot less than the main snow belt NE of Cleveland. We rarely get any snow at all from April-October and most the time not much in November-December (7-8 months with no snow). January-March is another story, but its rarely overwhelming. I could see Erie, Buffalo and places in the NE, but the westside of the Cleveland area is rarely that bad as far as snow, maybe 1 or 2 "bad" snowfalls per winter, some years none. Also from May-September is usually warm to hot with highs in the low-80s to 90s just about everyday.