Moving from Philadelphia to Columbus (Cleveland, Dublin: 2014, insurance, houses)

[UKCats50]

At the end of the summer I'm considering moving from the Philadelphia area, specifically South Jersey, to Columbus OH. One of the big factors in my decision is that the job market seems to be better in Ohio than Philly, and cost of living as well. I've been looking for a full time job in this area for the past few years and haven't had much luck, just finding temp jobs that don't really lead anywhere. I don't believe housing would be a problem as I have a friend from college who lives in Dublin and works for his family's firetruck company and we would likely live together. Just curious if things are as they appear to be in terms of job market and cost of living compared to PHL and COL metro areas. I would likely be living near Columbus and would like to know how it is compared to Philly in terms of things to do for someone in their 20s, ie nightlife, activities, dating, etc. Thank you all for your input and advice on life in Columbus.

[Cbus76]

I lived in suburban Philadelphia for several years in the 90's as a young adult. Overall, you'll find Columbus to be a slower-placed than Philly and there aren't as many cultural offerings due to the difference in size between the two cities. That said, Columbus is a fun city for someone in their twenties due to the presence of Ohio State as well as the healthy local economy which attracts young people from all over Ohio and the surrounding region. There are several good nighlife areas including the Short North, Grandview Heights and the Arena District. As far as sports go, there is an NHL team (Blue Jackets), a MLS team (Crew), minor league baseball (Clippers) and obviously OSU football/basketball. The science museum (COSI) is pretty cool and the art museum is undergoing a major expansion. The restaurant scene is good and getting better. In general, the people in Columbus are friendly. The traffic can be heavy at rugh hour, but nothing like you'll see on the Schuylkill or I-95. You will miss access to the Shore, but Lake Erie is only a couple hours north and it offers some good activities in the summer.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by UKCats50

At the end of the summer I'm considering moving from the Philadelphia area, specifically South Jersey, to Columbus OH. One of the big factors in my decision is that the job market seems to be better in Ohio than Philly, and cost of living as well. I've been looking for a full time job in this area for the past few years and haven't had much luck, just finding temp jobs that don't really lead anywhere. I don't believe housing would be a problem as I have a friend from college who lives in Dublin and works for his family's firetruck company and we would likely live together. Just curious if things are as they appear to be in terms of job market and cost of living compared to PHL and COL metro areas. I would likely be living near Columbus and would like to know how it is compared to Philly in terms of things to do for someone in their 20s, ie nightlife, activities, dating, etc. Thank you all for your input and advice on life in Columbus.

The job market is a lot better than average nationally, so that shouldn't be an issue once you are actually there. By your search, I assume you did most of it online given your location. It will be much better in person. Cost of living is much lower in Ohio/Columbus than it would be where you are. Philly is a much bigger city, so you will obviously see some differences in that regard.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by UKCats50

At the end of the summer I'm considering moving from the Philadelphia area, specifically South Jersey, to Columbus OH. One of the big factors in my decision is that the job market seems to be better in Ohio than Philly, and cost of living as well. I've been looking for a full time job in this area for the past few years and haven't had much luck, just finding temp jobs that don't really lead anywhere. I don't believe housing would be a problem as I have a friend from college who lives in Dublin and works for his family's firetruck company and we would likely live together. Just curious if things are as they appear to be in terms of job market and cost of living compared to PHL and COL metro areas. I would likely be living near Columbus and would like to know how it is compared to Philly in terms of things to do for someone in their 20s, ie nightlife, activities, dating, etc. Thank you all for your input and advice on life in Columbus.

No comparison between the two cities for things to do; Philly easily is the place for activities and location. Since you live in South Jersey now, I would suspect that you have a car; a good thing since you will need one in Columbus.

By the way, what is your degree in and what type of work are you qualified/skilled in?

[UKCats50]

That's good to know that there is fun things to do for someone younger. I think one of the big things for me would just be adjusting to life style in the Midwest compared to living in the Northeast for a majority of my life. I guess my perception of the city was more of a college town with OSU being such a large factor in town compared to Philly. It does sound like it does offer something for all tastes.

jbcmh81 - I was doing most of my job searching online and using my NJ address and saying I would relocate at my own expense. I feel I could of used my friend's address and probably had more success in getting interviews but I felt it would of looked bad on my part since I don't live out there and would give them something to question.

Kamms- My degree is a History degree from St Joseph's University, small school in Philly, basketball team had Jameer Nelson and Delonte West when they went undefeated in 2004 on the Elite 8 run. During my career I've had experience doing customer service, marketing, inventory, shipping/receiving, mailroom, pharmaceutical experience, I've only been out of school since 2009 but I do have a lot of experience in different fields. I'm open to working in alot of different fields. What is the big industry out in Columbus?

[Cbus76]

Big industries in Columbus are:
-government (it's the state capital)
-insurance (Nationwide, State Auto, Safe Auto, Grange and Motorists are all headquartered here)
-health care (Cardinal Health is headquartered here and OSU/Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital are both very large)
-fashion (Limited, Express, Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch have their headquarters in Columbus)
-lots of distribution warehouses due to Columbus' location

St Joe's is a solid school. Not as good as Villanova when it comes to basketball, but you do have a Hawk that never stops flapping its wings, so that's something.

[robertfoshizzle]

Originally Posted by UKCats50

That's good to know that there is fun things to do for someone younger. I think one of the big things for me would just be adjusting to life style in the Midwest compared to living in the Northeast for a majority of my life. I guess my perception of the city was more of a college town with OSU being such a large factor in town compared to Philly. It does sound like it does offer something for all tastes.

jbcmh81 - I was doing most of my job searching online and using my NJ address and saying I would relocate at my own expense. I feel I could of used my friend's address and probably had more success in getting interviews but I felt it would of looked bad on my part since I don't live out there and would give them something to question.

Kamms- My degree is a History degree from St Joseph's University, small school in Philly, basketball team had Jameer Nelson and Delonte West when they went undefeated in 2004 on the Elite 8 run. During my career I've had experience doing customer service, marketing, inventory, shipping/receiving, mailroom, pharmaceutical experience, I've only been out of school since 2009 but I do have a lot of experience in different fields. I'm open to working in alot of different fields. What is the big industry out in Columbus?

A lot of folks think Columbus is a "college town" which isn't really true. It is true that people around here are crazy about their Buckeyes, but Columbus is the 32nd most populated metropolitan area and 15th most populated city in the country. It has just as much in common with Cincy, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and Louisville as it does with Lexington, Ann Arbor, Madison, WI, etc. And to be clear, I think the college "towns" I mentioned are all wonderful places to live and work -- just saying that Columbus is too large to be considered a college town.

I think you'll enjoy living here so long as you're open to making friends and trying new things. The pace of life here is a little slower than the northeast, but it's not exactly Mayberry either. We have good bar, restaurant, music, and art scenes, NHL, MLS, and AAA minor league baseball, a world-class educational institution, arguably the best zoo in the country, decent museums and theatres, etc. The weather stinks (in my opinion) and it's not the most picturesque region of the country in terms of architecture and natural beauty, but the cost of living, entertainment options, job market, neighborhoods (safety, amenities, diversity, etc.), and proximity to other cities are all major pluses.

[robertfoshizzle]

Here is a good example of things to do on a summer weekend in Columbus - Mega Summer Weekend 2014

[robertfoshizzle]

And another: EDITOR'S PICKS: 15 things to do this weekend | Columbus Alive