Moving to Columbus from California (Cleveland, Orange: real estate, renters, credit)

[zeekosu]

I'm currently living in orange county california and have a pretty good job working for an aerospace company. I have an offer from a company in the columbus that pays me the same amount of money i am making in california (mid 80's). So, it's pretty obvious that my money will go a lot further in columbus. But i'm more interested in learning about the social activities, culture, weather, etc.

I'm 29 yrs old and originally from cleveland and went to OSU, so i'm somewhat familiar with the city. It was pretty great in college and i've always wanted to go back but i never really thought what it'd be like to live there while not in college. I'm concerned that most of the social activities and the dating scene is geared towards college aged people. In california, there is an endless supply of activities, great weather all year long, and a definitely a lot of people. But, the cost of living is certainly high and most of the women i have met are materialistic and lack some basic values.

Anyways, I have a few questions about living in columbus...

1. When i was in college, i was only there from sept through may, so i never got a good dose of the weather during the summer. How is the humidity in the summer compared to cleveland? My parents live in cleveland, and the humidity is pretty rough.
2. How is the dating scene for people in their late 20's? I'm not interested in meeting women that just want to drink every weekend and party. I'm definitely over that part of my life. I'd like to find a women that values a guy a that has his life together. What are the women like in the city?
3. I value striving for personal success and am determined to develop a business of my own. I'd really like to connect with entrepreneurs and people that are interested in that kind of direction. Does columbus have a good base for business development?
4. Are there enough activities in the city where you can meet people in the same age group?
5. Is there an equal balance of men and women in the city?
6. What sort of activities go on during the winter? I like to ski and snowboard...are there any areas nearby?
7. I'm really into boating - loved taking trips to lake havasu. I've heard of alum creek, but don't know too much about any other surrounding lakes in the area. Are there some good lakes not too far for good boating? (other than lake erie)
8. I really love the outdoors - whether it's hiking, running, kayaking, etc. What sort of outdoor activities are there within columbus or a short drive?

thanks

[AcousticBuckeye]

Based on everything you stated below I would advise against moving to Columbus. This answer is based simply on what I would do if I were in your shoes given what I know. As long as your still single I suggest staying out there and enjoying it.

If you're definitely ready to start family then possibly a move to Columbus. Columbus is great for college and for Families.

I just wouldn't want to give up the outdoors(ocean/mountains/desert/sunshine) myself until I really ready to settle down. Columbus is a great city all around though so if you decide to come back for the financial reasons alone I think you'll be fine. I just believe you'll miss your outdoors and Columbus in my opinion is very very poor if your into boating as you stated below.

AB

Originally Posted by zeekosu

I'm currently living in orange county california and have a pretty good job working for an aerospace company. I have an offer from a company in the columbus that pays me the same amount of money i am making in california (mid 80's). So, it's pretty obvious that my money will go a lot further in columbus. But i'm more interested in learning about the social activities, culture, weather, etc.

I'm 29 yrs old and originally from cleveland and went to OSU, so i'm somewhat familiar with the city. It was pretty great in college and i've always wanted to go back but i never really thought what it'd be like to live there while not in college. I'm concerned that most of the social activities and the dating scene is geared towards college aged people. In california, there is an endless supply of activities, great weather all year long, and a definitely a lot of people. But, the cost of living is certainly high and most of the women i have met are materialistic and lack some basic values.

Anyways, I have a few questions about living in columbus...

1. When i was in college, i was only there from sept through may, so i never got a good dose of the weather during the summer. How is the humidity in the summer compared to cleveland? My parents live in cleveland, and the humidity is pretty rough.
2. How is the dating scene for people in their late 20's? I'm not interested in meeting women that just want to drink every weekend and party. I'm definitely over that part of my life. I'd like to find a women that values a guy a that has his life together. What are the women like in the city?
3. I value striving for personal success and am determined to develop a business of my own. I'd really like to connect with entrepreneurs and people that are interested in that kind of direction. Does columbus have a good base for business development?
4. Are there enough activities in the city where you can meet people in the same age group?
5. Is there an equal balance of men and women in the city?
6. What sort of activities go on during the winter? I like to ski and snowboard...are there any areas nearby?
7. I'm really into boating - loved taking trips to lake havasu. I've heard of alum creek, but don't know too much about any other surrounding lakes in the area. Are there some good lakes not too far for good boating? (other than lake erie)
8. I really love the outdoors - whether it's hiking, running, kayaking, etc. What sort of outdoor activities are there within columbus or a short drive?

thanks

[wGoshen]

I agree. I love this city, but even I would pick California over Columbus.

[behindenemylines]

I lived in Los Angeles for many years and although I love Columbus and think its an awesome place to raise a family....I too would vote for staying put in The Southland. The OC is a pretty nice place and although your dollars will stretch further here, you possible earnings in the future will be higher in CA so keep that in mind. Havasu is amazing and not many places come close.

[CP80]

I'll trade ya! I'd pick Orange County CA over Columbus OH any day

[jbcmh81]

I don't really get the love for California. I think it's a terrible place to live. Nicer weather (subjectively speaking as I like winter also) does not make up for the huge amount of negatives. Much higher cost of living, natural disasters, materialistic people (and much more conservative outside of a few of the major cities), traffic, smog... Yeah, no thanks. One thing I never understood about Ohioans is all the "grass is greener somewhere else" people. No, it's really not, not in most places. You just exchange positives and negatives here for a different set somewhere else.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by zeekosu

I'm currently living in orange county california and have a pretty good job working for an aerospace company. I have an offer from a company in the columbus that pays me the same amount of money i am making in california (mid 80's). So, it's pretty obvious that my money will go a lot further in columbus. But i'm more interested in learning about the social activities, culture, weather, etc.

I'm 29 yrs old and originally from cleveland and went to OSU, so i'm somewhat familiar with the city. It was pretty great in college and i've always wanted to go back but i never really thought what it'd be like to live there while not in college. I'm concerned that most of the social activities and the dating scene is geared towards college aged people. In california, there is an endless supply of activities, great weather all year long, and a definitely a lot of people. But, the cost of living is certainly high and most of the women i have met are materialistic and lack some basic values.

Anyways, I have a few questions about living in columbus...

1. When i was in college, i was only there from sept through may, so i never got a good dose of the weather during the summer. How is the humidity in the summer compared to cleveland? My parents live in cleveland, and the humidity is pretty rough.
2. How is the dating scene for people in their late 20's? I'm not interested in meeting women that just want to drink every weekend and party. I'm definitely over that part of my life. I'd like to find a women that values a guy a that has his life together. What are the women like in the city?
3. I value striving for personal success and am determined to develop a business of my own. I'd really like to connect with entrepreneurs and people that are interested in that kind of direction. Does columbus have a good base for business development?
4. Are there enough activities in the city where you can meet people in the same age group?
5. Is there an equal balance of men and women in the city?
6. What sort of activities go on during the winter? I like to ski and snowboard...are there any areas nearby?
7. I'm really into boating - loved taking trips to lake havasu. I've heard of alum creek, but don't know too much about any other surrounding lakes in the area. Are there some good lakes not too far for good boating? (other than lake erie)
8. I really love the outdoors - whether it's hiking, running, kayaking, etc. What sort of outdoor activities are there within columbus or a short drive?

thanks

Since no one else bothered to answer any of your questions while dreaming about being the next Housewife of OC, I'll attempt to.

1. I imagine that Columbus and Cleveland have similar humidity, though I'm not sure if the Lake made any difference in that regard. I don't particularly find Columbus all that humid overall, although there are some days that can be uncomfortable. The majority are not, however. Temps are usually in the 70s and 80s in the summer far more than the 90s.
2. Columbus is one of the youngest cities in the nation. I believe the average age is around 30, so someone in their 20's should have no problem with the dating scene.
3. Columbus has a great startup business climate. I know it's been on lists of cities with the best small business opportunities. I would definitely look into the city's history in this regard and examine the many companies that have started here that have gone on to be national brands. If you are willing to put in the work, you can be very successful.
4. I guess it depends on what activities you enjoy. If you're into the dating scene, we have a fantastic selection of restaurants, bars, movie theaters, what have you. We are one of the best shopping cities in the nation and have one of the highest retail rate per capita. If church is your thing, there are hundreds. If outdoor activities interest you, we have the best Metro Parks system in the state, with rivers, lakes, waterfalls, even a climbing wall. 30 minutes outside of Columbus is the Hocking Hills, which have the best zip lining in the country. Plenty of camping, canoeing, boating, etc. Buckeye Lake, Alum Creek, Deer Creek, and other lakes are nearby. Skiing is not going to be the same as true mountains of the West, but we do have a few places. Mad River Mountain is less than an hour away. Columbus is engaged in expanding a network of biking trails as well. There are also museums, a ton of growing festivals all throughout the year as well as growing live music scene. We have minor league baseball, MLS and NHL teams, the Buckeyes of course, etc. There is plenty to do in the area, despite what anyone might tell you.
5. Women slightly outnumber men in the city.
6, 7, and 8. See Above.

Honestly, Columbus is a great city and consistently is growing by double digits. The list of things the city is lacking seems to get smaller each year. It may even seem different from even the time you were here. Hope that helps.

[sojahseh81]

I never got to experience Columbus as an adult myself, I moved when I was 18. I moved to San Antonio, TX. I have thought about coming back home, but the cold snowy icy winters has kept me staying put here in SA. One thing though, they have alot of great parks! I do miss Hocking Hills...

[SKandM]

I spent 4 years living in Sherman Oaks about a decade ago so I feel like I can throw in my $0.02 on this one:

1. Columbus is less humid than Cleveland and the winters are less harsh thanks to the distance from the Lakes.
2. I'm not part of the dating scene but I do have a 25 year old nanny and have met a number of her friends none of whom strike me as materialistic particularly compared to what we encountered in LA. There is a big "hipster" scene here in Columbus which is almost the anti-materialistic realm. Think clothing from Urban Outfitters and community activism
3. My husband and I both telecommute so I can't really comment on the business environment here in Columbus.
Although Columbus itself is shockingly flat there are a number of things to do here and decent ski trips aren't any father than driving from the OC to Tahoe and maybe some as close as driving to Alta Sierra. There are tons of great outdoor activities including Columbus Metro Parks, Hocking Hills, Alum Creek and Reservoir. We have friends that keep boats at Buckeye Lake and Indian Lake both of which are fun areas. Kayaking seems to be pretty popular here.

I think behindenemylines had a good point about your future earnings in CA vs. OH. As I previously stated my husband and I both telecommute so generally we still make our income at the level we did when we lived in Los Angeles but I have had a number of offers here from companies at a significantly decreased salary. Yes, it is commiserate to my cost of living here but I would hate to accept it and then have to negotiate out of it for my next position. Just something to think about.

Finally having lived all over CA and here in Columbus, OH I can honestly say I think both areas have their strengths and weaknesses and it really depends what is more important to you at the moment. LA is fun and vibrant. The weather allows for more year round recreation options than it does here. You have access to the beach *sigh*. As you have noted it is also very materialistic and expensive. I also feel like much of the population (at least in Los Angeles proper) is transient, renters or people who come to try out the area and then leave after a few years. Columbus is very family friendly, has more history than LA in both architecture and family roots, and is very liberal for a Midwest city. It is very expensive to travel to and from our little airport these days and, as to be expected, you will lose access to cultural diversity here as compared to LA.

Good luck with your decision!

[zeekosu]

thanks for the feedback so far.

I'm still somewhat up in the air about it. While I absolutely love the activities and cultural diversity of souther california, I work quite a bit for my salary - Often 6 days a week, mostly 10 hour days, sometimes 12. I don't see that schedule ever becoming normal due to my position. Even though i'm very career oriented, it does become difficult to have a balanced normal life when you work that much. The stress level is high and you don't really have a predictable work schedule you can plan around.

Also, even though there are a variety of things to do, they do get costly after a while. My biggest gripes are really my lack of a normal work schedule, and my inability to be able to purchase any sort of reasonable property. I work in LA but refuse to live up there, so consequently I have a 40 mile one way drive to work - usually takes me about 45minutes to an hour to get to work in the morning and about an hour on the way home - although it's longer during the summer.

One of my biggest passions in life is working on cars and with no garage, it's pretty difficult to do that here. I've searched quite a bit and have not found a single decent property that I could afford that had a driveway and garage. I thought about buying property in corona, but my commute would be much more than an hour.

There might be more opportunity for financial gain in california, but it's all relative. I'd have to make about 135k in california to have the same standard of living. I don't ever see myself reaching that salary level in california.

I think a lot people are drawn to southern california because of the weather and this perception of success. However, in my experience, this lifestyle of success is mostly an illusion. The majority of people in BMW's, mercedes, etc. are not very wealthy. Most of them are borrowing against credit so they can appear to be wealthy because that's part of the culture. They do the same thing with their expensive homes. Most are only paying the interest each month and can't afford to pay any of the principal off. The people that actually are wealthy are mostly business owners of international real estate or financial companies, sports figures, dot com millionaires, etc.

I guess I'm getting off track from my original post. Even with all my comments above, it's still hard to give up that weather and living so close to the beach.