Delaware Ohio ... Impressions, Opinions please. (Columbus, Dublin: fit in, crime, new house)

[Burgh' Teacher]

My wife and I have found a wonderful home in Troy Farms subdivision just west of Delaware. Please offer any impressions of Delaware...Culture, shopping, Dining, Commute to Dublin/Tuttle area, furure growth, schools etc.... thanks so much for your help

[mapcat]

My family & I love it here. Troy farms is a great neighborhood, with lots of younger families. The downtown is one of the best small-town downtowns around here for restaurants and small shops--it attracts lots of people from nearby communities. If you need big-box stores, a Wal-Mart, a Home Depot, and a Meijer are all coming next year (all of those and more can already be found about 10 minutes south of downtown on 23).

Depending on what sort of culture you're looking for, you might want to investigate the programs at Ohio Wesleyan University, a well-regarded private university located just south of downtown. They have a great music department and there are many musical productions open to the entire community. They have a lot of international students, too, so there are also cultural programs (talks, festivals, etc) geared towards sharing foreign cultures with the community. Their soccer teams are always good, too, if you're looking for local spectator sports.

The schools have an excellent state rating, and if your kids are elementary age, the public school is Schultz, which has a very good reputation. Starting in 5th grade, all kids go to the same public middle and high schools. I think one of the private schools includes high school students, but I'm not sure. The library has excellent programs and we've been very happy with the art and music classes our daughters have taken at the Arts Castle. My kids love the pool at Mingo Park (N of downtown), especially since they completely redid it last summer.

You're in the right neighborhood for commuting to Dublin, since it's pretty much a straight shot south along Section Line Rd & Riverside Dr (Route 257). Sawmill Pkwy is being extended north to the area around the airport, so that will eventually be another quick way to the Columbus 'burbs.

Delaware has grown a lot since we moved here in 2000, but construction of new houses has slowed (like it has everywhere). I foresee slow but steady growth for the next few years.

Enjoy!

[streetcreed]

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My wife and I have found a wonderful home in Troy Farms subdivision just west of Delaware. Please offer any impressions of Delaware...Culture, shopping, Dining, Commute to Dublin/Tuttle area, furure growth, schools etc.... thanks so much for your help

Delaware has some of the higher family incomes of the Columbus metro. Delaware was a small more rural community. However, that all changed in the 90s when Columbus' development just moved all the way into delaware. Now there's homes everywhere, shopping centers, and the school districts in Delaware County are always building more schools.

If Columbus' economy picks up to a "booming" rate, then Delaware would most likely (again) see "booming" growth. At the present time, however, Delaware is seeing moderate growth (but that's still booming by Ohio/midwest standards.) Thus being the Columbus economy still does much better than other places in the region.

As far as culture though, I was just at a bar in downtown Delaware, despite the influx of many people, Delaware still has that conservative, small town, family oriented, rural attitude. I am from the city so I could not have felt more out of place. If that is what your looking for you can fit in. The commute to the northen sections of Columbus (tuttle) is not bad, as well.

If you do not want the traditional culture of Delaware, there is still plenty of yuppies in Delaware now (so there will be many to make friends with), or you can just drive (assuming you can afford the gas, or do not car about using a lot) to areas of Columbus/Powell/Dublin for better shopping and eating.

Also, If you want something more cosmopolitan, you can always again drive 25 minutes to downtown Columbus, 15-20 Easton Town Center, or 10 mins to Polaris, and a hop skip and jump (from your development) to tuttle or dublin/Powell area.

[Burgh' Teacher]

Thank you both for the great inside info on Delaware and for taking the time to help a potential newcomer out, it says a lot!

[SeattleBuckeye]

I grew up in Delaware, and left for college in 1980. I go back to visit relatives every other year. Its a great place to grow up, with major influence of the university within the community. Even though it seems to now be a suburb of Columbus, it is its own little town. Loved the fair every year and the east coast influence of the OWU student body on the community. It is though, like most of the USA, a town of haves and have nots. There are some very poor people in Delaware to go with the affluent (which IMO there is more poor and middle class) I've spotted very few "yuppies" on my trips back...that seems to be more Dublin and UA.

I'm proud to be FROM Delaware, and it is a nice place to live.

[mrsfill]

Originally Posted by Burgh' Teacher

My wife and I have found a wonderful home in Troy Farms subdivision just west of Delaware. Please offer any impressions of Delaware...Culture, shopping, Dining, Commute to Dublin/Tuttle area, furure growth, schools etc.... thanks so much for your help

You will love it, it is quiet, no body bothers anyone, very little crime or criminal activity there. I grew up there, it was boring as all get out but I loved it.

[SteelersFan09]

Originally Posted by Burgh' Teacher

My wife and I have found a wonderful home in Troy Farms subdivision just west of Delaware. Please offer any impressions of Delaware...Culture, shopping, Dining, Commute to Dublin/Tuttle area, furure growth, schools etc.... thanks so much for your help

Dining = great fish and chips at Old bag of Nails.