Cleveland suburb for young family (Parma, Lorain: for sale, to rent, sex offender)

[ClevelandBound?]

My husband is looking to relocate to the Cleveland area. His company has a location in the 44130 zip code, near I-71 and Hwy 42. We have two small children who are not yet school age, so finding a neighborhood with great schools and low crime will be high on our list of priorities.

Sort of a side-note: We're also progressive/liberally minded and would prefer a neighborhood that is either neutral or leans more left. This is, however, not a "must".

[LancasterNative]

Originally Posted by ClevelandBound?

My husband is looking to relocate to the Cleveland area. His company has a location in the 44130 zip code. We have two small children who are not yet school age, so finding a neighborhood with great schools and low crime will be high on our list of priorities.

44130 sounds like the Parma/Parma Heights area. It's a decent 'burb, mostly "ethnic white" folks with eastern & southern European heritage, overwhelmingly Catholic.

The housing stock there is somewhat old—mostly 1950s-60s. That's not quite old enough to be charming (like the classic pre-WWII homes) but it is old enough to require lots of maintenance. Therefore, your resale value there might be kinda iffy.

If you don't mind being a little further out, look into Strongsville or North Royalton. Both are very safe areas with well-regarded schools (Strongsville perhaps a little more so). Nearby Berea, home to Baldwin-Wallace college, might also be worth checking out.

Originally Posted by ClevelandBound?

Sort of a side-note: We're also progressive/liberally minded and would prefer a neighborhood that is either neutral or leans more left. This is, however, not a "must".

Then y'all should find the entire Cleveland area very accommodating! Same reason I couldn't wait to move back to conservative southern Ohio

Anyway, best of luck with your planning and moving when the time comes!

[burtzfam]

If you are looking for older housing stock and good schools try Rocky River or Bay Village...they are both great inner ring suburbs with highly ranked schools. If you tend to like newer housing w/ great schools then try Westlake or even Avon/Avon Lake. All these suburbs are on the west side and so will your husbands office. Not a far commute AT ALL. Strongsville and Parma are nice too but coming from someone with schoolage children and what you described I think you would like these areas better.

[ClevelandBound?]

These responses have been very helpful. Thank you! I do like the charm of older homes and neigborhoods but I'm not opposed to newer homes, either. I'm going to do some further research on Berea, Strongsville, N. Royalton, Rocky River, Bay Village, Westlake, Avon/Avon Lake, and Twinsburg.

Any more suggestions? I'd love to hear more.

[Ohiogirl81]

Another suggestion: A friend of mine lives out that way in Olmsted Falls -- everything from quaint neighborhoods to suburban developments, both new and mid-century. She's lived there for 20 years and loves it. I don't know what the schools are like there but it's a zip from your husband's job.

[glenandmichele]

Originally Posted by ClevelandBound?

These responses have been very helpful. Thank you! I do like the charm of older homes and neigborhoods but I'm not opposed to newer homes, either. I'm going to do some further research on Berea, Strongsville, N. Royalton, Rocky River, Bay Village, Westlake, Avon/Avon Lake, and Twinsburg.

Any more suggestions? I'd love to hear more.

We have a house for sale in Sagamore Hills. It's right on the edge of Cuyahoga Valley park (we have deer in the back yard on a regular basis.) It's really convenient to everywhere, but still in a country-like setting. Twinsburg is about 10 mins away.
Even if you don't like our house, the area is worth looking into. Let me know if you'd like more info.

[12paws42]

Approximate Location Boundaries: The City of Avon Lake, located in Northern Ohio between Cleveland and Lorain, and is part of Lorain County. The geographical limits of this community are formed by Lake Erie to the North and lies right off the shores of Lake Erie. The population in this community is approximately 18,145 according to the 2000 census. Its land area is roughly 12 square miles.

Location Characteristics: Avon Lake residents can really enjoy what this community has to offer with all the recreational activities available. This community is made up of public beaches, community and neighborhood parks, 20 miles of bike trails, boat launch, and many other recreational activities. Avon Lake's park systems are made up of 220 acres of parks and playgrounds that will keep any family entertained. Other activities in Avon Lake include our municipal swimming pool, golf courses, swim club, tennis courts, outdoor ice rink, youth sports, and adult sports. Located only 18 miles west of Cleveland, Avon Lake residents have convenient access to museums, Indians and Browns games, the world famous Cleveland Orchestra and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

[Road Map]

My picks for families with young children would be Bay Village and Rocky River. Both are along Lake Erie.
Low crime rate, affordable housing, excellent school systems and are a quick hop on the highway.

Because you have small children, I'd be sure and check the Sex offender site (Familywatchdog.com) for ANY areas you are considering. Example: zip code 44102 has at LEAST 80+ offenders. Bay Village and Rocky River have two per city. The housing market isn't quite done tanking yet. You might want to rent awhile first and then see what community you want to buy in.

[12paws42]

Avon Lake Zip code is 44012. I haven't looked up the SO rate for Avon Lake