Cleveland or Columbus (Cincinnati, Findlay, Westerville: fit in, 2014, apartments)

[miamian in nc]

I'm in my mid-50s. I've been living in North Carolina for over 12 years and have yet to fit into the culture here and feel like I belong. "Ain't gonna happen." I came to NC from the Cleveland area where I had lived for three years plus to work on an ESL certificate (to teach adults). I've been struggling over the years here. teaching part-time eves and trying to make it during the day with temp office jobs. At the time I was in Cleveland I didn't give it enough time to get acclimated and my only reason for leaving was the weather. I'm originally from Florida but left after my parents died to go to Cleveland, where I had some acquaintances.

So now, I've been looking at two universities to attempt to do a Master's in TESOL (at my older age). I am hesitant due to my age, having to take on a loan, then wondering if I'll find a job when I'm done. One university if the University of Findlay. The other is Ohio Dominican University. If I go to Findlay, I wonder what the job opportunities would be while taking classes. If I go to Columbus, that's still a question, but perhaps being a larger city would enable more open doors while doing my coursework. I don't know if I will hack it being in school again, so I think if I have to do administrative/office work or even some type of retail (my past career was in publishing, as an editorial researcher), then Columbus or Cleveland would have more opportunities. But which?

I have never lived in Columbus but of course I know Cleveland. Now that I'm over the weather issue I truly miss Ohio. Even though I'm from Florida (Miami), I haven't lived there so many years that going to Miami is not a consideration. In Cleveland I belonged to a parish I really enjoyed. I felt a sense of community. I loved the Metroparks. I loved walking by the lake. I loved West Side Market, going downtown, being able to be exposed to the various ethnicities, including access to my own Hungarian foods.

So what to do? Any input would be appreciated!

[Muffy1]

I just moved to Columbus from Cleveland. Cleveland has the best of both worlds. It has really grown in the past 5 years. There are jobs in cleveland depending on what field you are in. There is alot to do and for the most part people are friendly. The restaurants are amazing. It has a great transportation system. The apartments in the suburbs of cleveland are much nicer than columbus and much more affordable. The houses are much nicer in cleveland suburbs. Houses in columbus look great on the outside until you examine them more. They are built cheap in cbus and when people don't want to fix it they sell it. They use alot of stucco here but apply it incorrectly so people have mold issues and wood rot. My apartment is 6 yrs old in cbus and people winterize their windows. Really!! The apartment I live in is owned by a company that owns many apartments!! My apartment in cleveland suburbs was 30 yrs old but looks newer than my 6 yr old apartment!!

In the end, it is where you can get a job and that is how I ended up here.

Good luck!!

[jbcmh81]

Pros and cons of both:

Cleveland Pros
-Low cost of living, pro sports (basketball, baseball, football), some nice cultural and outdoor amenities within the metro, nice urban renaissance taking place in the Downtown and UC areas, decent European-style food scene, okay public transit (I wouldn't say great, but not too bad), some nice suburbs.

Columbus Pros
-Low cost of living, some nice cultural and outdoor amenities within the metro, high growth, very fast-growing diversity, great economy, very nice and well connected urban core neighborhoods, pro sports (hockey and soccer, minor league baseball), decent Asian and African-style food scene, less crime, some nice suburbs.

Cleveland Cons
-Relatively high crime, more historical corruption, population decline/urban blight, higher unemployment in the city.

Columbus Cons
-Lack of decent public transit, not as much interesting geography.

So I think both have more positives than negatives. I prefer Columbus, but they both have different vibes to them. Cleveland is older and more established in feel, Columbus is younger and still finding its own path.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Muffy1

I just moved to Columbus from Cleveland. Cleveland has the best of both worlds. It has really grown in the past 5 years. There are jobs in cleveland depending on what field you are in. There is alot to do and for the most part people are friendly. The restaurants are amazing. It has a great transportation system. The apartments in the suburbs of cleveland are much nicer than columbus and much more affordable. The houses are much nicer in cleveland suburbs. Houses in columbus look great on the outside until you examine them more. They are built cheap in cbus and when people don't want to fix it they sell it. They use alot of stucco here but apply it incorrectly so people have mold issues and wood rot. My apartment is 6 yrs old in cbus and people winterize their windows. Really!! The apartment I live in is owned by a company that owns many apartments!! My apartment in cleveland suburbs was 30 yrs old but looks newer than my 6 yr old apartment!!

In the end, it is where you can get a job and that is how I ended up here.

Good luck!!

I still don't get the housing comment you keep making. There are many housing developers currently building, some good, some not. And there is housing that goes back up to 200 years, so making blanket statements doesn't make sense. You can find plenty of good quality housing in Columbus. Do your research and you won't have an issue.

What makes the apartments in Cleveland nicer? What are you comparing, exactly? Examples?

And stucco, again, is NOT a common building material in Columbus. I lived there most of my life and can remember only a handful of houses with stucco exterior. Stucco works best in dry, warm climates, not in Ohio. The vast majority of old homes used either brick or wood exteriors, while new housing uses mostly vinyl, composites or mixed materials.

[miamian in nc]

Good comparisons, jbcmh81. I like what you say about the economy in Columbus, however what concerns me is that maybe because Columbus is more youthful, it's also a younger population and thus maybe employers would be friendlier toward the younger set. I hear that Columbus has quite a few Somalians and Burmese, so that might bring more opportunities to teach ESL there too. When I lived in Cleveland, I lived first in Olmsted Falls and then Westlake. Westlake was just beginning at that time to become a major mark in the Cleveland suburbs.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by miamian in nc

Good comparisons, jbcmh81. I like what you say about the economy in Columbus, however what concerns me is that maybe because Columbus is more youthful, it's also a younger population and thus maybe employers would be friendlier toward the younger set. I hear that Columbus has quite a few Somalians and Burmese, so that might bring more opportunities to teach ESL there too. When I lived in Cleveland, I lived first in Olmsted Falls and then Westlake. Westlake was just beginning at that time to become a major mark in the Cleveland suburbs.

I think employers are looking for educated and/or experienced people. I'm not sure your age would come into play unless you were applying for positions typically filled by younger people.

Yes, there are lots of immigrants that come to Columbus. About 1/4th of the metro's growth is from international migration every year, almost all of them coming to Franklin County, so I could definitely see ESL opportunities.

[Ohioad]

While i think Cleveland is a great city, Columbus in my opinion is a better bet for now and into the future. Columbus is a growing city with a great economy. There is just more oppurtunity in Columbus then any of the 3 C's. As for nice suburbs....the Delaware county suburbs are some of the nicest in the state of Ohio. There is a reason it has been the fastest growing county in Ohio for years. Dublin, Powell and Westerville have exploded. Also, you wont find a nicer suburb then New Albany on the Licking County side of Columbus. Downtown Columbus is going through one of the best transformations i have eve seen in a major city. The urban core is the place to be in Columbus right now. The best part is that its just the beginning of that transformation. Again, nothing against Cleveland, but a safer bet is Columbus.

[Lowkeykennyg]

I'd suggest Columbus. Findlay will isolate you, and is not as likely to get you employed while you are in school, but being in Columbus will increase your opportunity financially.

Once you get a masters, Columbus is still the better option. While Cleveland is getting better, Columbus is still growing rapidly, and there are many more jobs available in Columbus. Cleveland may be ahead of Columbus culturally, and in transportation, but Columbus has a lot going for it, and is still "new" to major city status.

Random suggestion: try to get a job with OSU, or a different college in the state. The job you get will probably not pay fantastically, or be related to your field, but you can then get your masters for free, and not have to take loans, while also making money. jobs.osu.edu is a good start.

[Muffy1]

Choose a program with a good record for job placements, internships, and co-ops. This will make a world of difference. The quality of professors matters also.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by Ohioad

While i think Cleveland is a great city, Columbus in my opinion is a better bet for now and into the future. Columbus is a growing city with a great economy. There is just more oppurtunity in Columbus then any of the 3 C's. As for nice suburbs....the Delaware county suburbs are some of the nicest in the state of Ohio. There is a reason it has been the fastest growing county in Ohio for years. Dublin, Powell and Westerville have exploded. Also, you wont find a nicer suburb then New Albany on the Licking County side of Columbus. Downtown Columbus is going through one of the best transformations i have eve seen in a major city. The urban core is the place to be in Columbus right now. The best part is that its just the beginning of that transformation. Again, nothing against Cleveland, but a safer bet is Columbus.

I know Columbus has been experiencing job growth but the numbers for 2014 disclosed a different story. Cincinnati led of the 3 Cs with over 20K new jobs, then Cleveland with about 13,800 then Columbus, a distant 3rd at 8,300.

What's the story with the Columbus numbers?