Will Columbus be a dream city for my family (Cleveland: house, neighborhoods)

[debs1922]

i'm not familiar with columbus at all as far as what kind of neighborhoods would be good to live. Is southfield drive a good or bad area? I have a child and want to be away from crime and chaos.

[YoMikey617]

Originally Posted by Zippy7fo

you'll be fine....Columbus has a highly educated population..you won't have probblems...now cincinnati on the other hand.

I've lived in both Cincinnati and Columbus... I live in Cincinnati now... I really don't see it necessary to try to compare Cincinnati and Columbus because both are VERY different cities. But since you started it...

Let's be very clear on several things here. The only REAL CITIES in Ohio are Cincinnati and Cleveland. Columbus is not a real city. At best, it's like 20 poorly planned suburbs in search of a city... ...the city they're searching for was mostly torn down during the Urban Renewal Age. After you've seen one Sawmill Road, you've pretty much seen all Columbus has to offer because it all looks the same.

Sure Cincinnati has its drawbacks and challenges. It's on the Mason Dixon Line so it's very Southern. It has a huge population of poorer African Americans and Appalachian people who are more or less cut off from any hope of prosperity or any hope of assistance from the old world German Algos (typical of Southern Cities). There is a large contingent of overzealous Republican Evangelicals (and hard line Catholics who behave like Evangelicals) and while they're always hogging the national spotlight with their conservative antics... Cincinnati is pretty darned crunchy in the center of town. The arts community in Cincinnati is a lot edgier than in Columbus. Life in Cincinnati DOES NOT just revolve around OSU football all year long... Because we have the Bengals, the Reds, UC and Xavier basketball. Not to mention a number of nationally ranked Catholic HS football powerhouses. In terms of being a sports town, Cincinnati puts Columbus to shame 20 times over.

Cincinnati is a lot better to look at than Columbus... We have huge hills, enormous 100+ year old trees everywhere, the old world neighborhoods, and the old world culture. OH, AND WE DIDN'T TEAR DOWN OUR TRAIN STATION. And while Cincinnati has a lot of slummy neighborhoods... Cincinnati covers it up well with large hills and quickly growing trees.

People in Columbus like to say "that Cincinnati is more blue collar while Columbus is more white collar..." To that I say, Columbus is more white collar but only in a J.C.Penney kinda way. I used to work at some of those "white collar" Columbus insurance companies. Every day was like a Sears / Dockers fashion show. Cincinnatians NO NOT wear white tennis shoes with their formal office clothes after work like people do in Columbus.

Cincinnati didn't have to build a New Albany 10-20 years ago, because Cincinnati has always had Indian Hill, Hyde Park, East Walnut Hills, Clifton, Wyoming, California, and Amberly Village. And I won't even get into the 10 or so other moneyed enclaves that put Columbus's nicer neighborhoods to shame.

The only really bad thing about Cincinnati or maybe an area where Columbus is better than Cincinnati... Cincinnati has a history of alienating the gays. Cincinnati has a huge stock of amazing, high road victorian era homes and buildings in need of restoration, but Cincinnati's gays tend to move to Columbus, Chicago, or the coasts. I don't blame them quite frankly. Had Cincinnati been good to the gays and not driven them out with the anti-gay GOP bigotry, this town would be a lot more polished than it is. What can I say gays are good for inner city real estate and in most cities that have come around from blight... ... the gays were the true style setters.

[4gotmypassword]

nevermind

[Zippy7fo]

Originally Posted by YoMikey617

I've lived in both Cincinnati and Columbus... I live in Cincinnati now... I really don't see it necessary to try to compare Cincinnati and Columbus because both are VERY different cities. But since you started it...

Let's be very clear on several things here. The only REAL CITIES in Ohio are Cincinnati and Cleveland. Columbus is not a real city. At best, it's like 20 poorly planned suburbs in search of a city... ...the city they're searching for was mostly torn down during the Urban Renewal Age. After you've seen one Sawmill Road, you've pretty much seen all Columbus has to offer because it all looks the same.

Sure Cincinnati has its drawbacks and challenges. It's on the Mason Dixon Line so it's very Southern. It has a huge population of poorer African Americans and Appalachian people who are more or less cut off from any hope of prosperity or any hope of assistance from the old world German Algos (typical of Southern Cities). There is a large contingent of overzealous Republican Evangelicals (and hard line Catholics who behave like Evangelicals) and while they're always hogging the national spotlight with their conservative antics... Cincinnati is pretty darned crunchy in the center of town. The arts community in Cincinnati is a lot edgier than in Columbus. Life in Cincinnati DOES NOT just revolve around OSU football all year long... Because we have the Bengals, the Reds, UC and Xavier basketball. Not to mention a number of nationally ranked Catholic HS football powerhouses. In terms of being a sports town, Cincinnati puts Columbus to shame 20 times over.

Cincinnati is a lot better to look at than Columbus... We have huge hills, enormous 100+ year old trees everywhere, the old world neighborhoods, and the old world culture. OH, AND WE DIDN'T TEAR DOWN OUR TRAIN STATION. And while Cincinnati has a lot of slummy neighborhoods... Cincinnati covers it up well with large hills and quickly growing trees.

People in Columbus like to say "that Cincinnati is more blue collar while Columbus is more white collar..." To that I say, Columbus is more white collar but only in a J.C.Penney kinda way. I used to work at some of those "white collar" Columbus insurance companies. Every day was like a Sears / Dockers fashion show. Cincinnatians NO NOT wear white tennis shoes with their formal office clothes after work like people do in Columbus.

Cincinnati didn't have to build a New Albany 10-20 years ago, because Cincinnati has always had Indian Hill, Hyde Park, East Walnut Hills, Clifton, Wyoming, California, and Amberly Village. And I won't even get into the 10 or so other moneyed enclaves that put Columbus's nicer neighborhoods to shame.

The only really bad thing about Cincinnati or maybe an area where Columbus is better than Cincinnati... Cincinnati has a history of alienating the gays. Cincinnati has a huge stock of amazing, high road victorian era homes and buildings in need of restoration, but Cincinnati's gays tend to move to Columbus, Chicago, or the coasts. I don't blame them quite frankly. Had Cincinnati been good to the gays and not driven them out with the anti-gay GOP bigotry, this town would be a lot more polished than it is. What can I say gays are good for inner city real estate and in most cities that have come around from blight... ... the gays were the true style setters.

sounds like you love the city....I have had horrible experiences and will never go back unless its work related assignment. Just not impressed with the city hillbillies and police corruption..

[YoMikey617]

Originally Posted by Zippy7fo

sounds like you love the city....I have had horrible experiences and will never go back unless its work related assignment. Just not impressed with the city hillbillies and police corruption..

I was really just playing devil's advocate. Cincinnati does have it's drawbacks. I think Columbus is better when you're younger, in college or just out of college. Cincinnati's the better metro for when you're living the adult life.

[martie01]

Originally Posted by 1watertiger

thats why in my opinion cleveland is the only world-class city with the most culture in our state. (80 spoken languages, 114 nationalities represented). nothing in ohio comes close, and only a few cities in the country can boast of more !!!

Excellent post here. People aroudn the US--please hear me-- the negative stuff you hear of Cleveland really does not define our City. You have to understand that Cleveland Metro (Cleveland +) is the most diverse, highly educated, and has the highest earners. Now you will here people from Columbus say that this is not true, but it is if in fact you stretch Cleveland over the entire metro area you will find startling evidence that Cleveland still thrives. And let's be real, Columbus only got to its size by annexation and by using its water as wedge. Cleveland, which still is the seat of the largest county in Ohio, with the largest metro area in Ohio--not Kentucky- for you folks in Cincinnati--C-Town is by far the best city to live in. Don't be fooled by spin-doctoring of information--Cleveland is still tops if you want a big city feel in Ohio.

[Traveler87]

Ok everyone, lets not get off topic here, and everyone needs to take a breather. Calm down.

[Anny]

Columbus is about as far from a 'dream' city as you can get, IMHO

[Agbor]

Coming from Pittsburgh, Columbus has sparked my interest in that it seems to be more
progressive in terms of diversity and more on par with what is going on with the rest of
the country as far as trends..It is on my lists of cities to move to:Chicago,NYC,Columbus

It does seem to be kind of spread out so would I need a car there? and how is the crime rate? and are there areas equivalent to Shadyside,Oakland or Sq. Hill in Columbus?..safe
nice areas or reasonably safe areas?..Thanks..

[paakwame]

A male nurse,married with three children age 1, 5 and 6 yrs. We want a city where we can live, raise our kids and call a dream city. We are immigrant from Africa and have been living in a different city in North-Carolina for 6yrs. We want to know if Columbus is a family friendly and good for raising kids. Also, want to find out if the city is friendly to other racial and cultural groups. If there are nurses in this forum, would you please let me know the job prospects for nurses in Columbus, and colleges that offer MSN program in the city. We are liberal, christians, and peace-loving family. Which part of the city will be favorable for us, and with good public schools for our kids. We are planning on, firstly, moving to Apartment and then buy a house later.