What kind of a person likes Columbus? (neighborhoods, good schools)

[dustin183]

Originally Posted by Anny

I've lived here 10 yrs and I hate it.

If you come bring a significant other with you. You don't want to have to chose among these guys.
They are the worst of any city I've ever lived in.

Courtesy is not a word they've ever heard much less used.

Museum of Art was a disappointment IMHO.
Guess coming from Chicago both males and museums would be a disappointment to anyone.

Oh, sorry, I just read your monicer, columbusnative1985. You haven't been anywhere. no wonder you're raving over all the mediocrity Columbus offers. And very young too.
Spend a few years visiting other cities then come back and tell us how Columbus compares.

Anny, I believe the reason you're upset is because you are missing perspective; your expectations of Columbus are too ideal.

Comparing Columbus to Chicago is apples to oranges. Columbus would be more fairly compared to similar sized midwest cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Nashville.

My guess is you would be just as unhappy living in any of those cities because you seek big-city culture, which is scarce in mid-sized cities like Columbus, naturally so.

When you scale down the city size, you have to scale down your expectations proportionately, to have an accurate assessment.

[stationplay]

what type of person lives in columbus....? i don't know how to answer that question lol. columbus is not a chicago but it's not that different either ( i have lived there). It's definitley not new york but what is (lived there as well).

Columbus is a city for a person who a) wants a comfortable place to raise family b)doesn't want to deal with alot of crime and c) likes suburban consumer culture.

Now don't jump on me for saying the suburban thing but alot of people in this city live in the outer burbs. If you really enjoy working your job, sending you kids to suburban schools, shoping at target and driving your car everywhere. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

Also you can live inside the outerbelt in a historic neighboorhood and pretty much do the same thing altho some would warn you against it. Honestly in columbus you can live comfortably anywhere. really.

your kids can go to a great school, you can live for cheap and don't have to worry about crime in majority of the city.

[GeminiGal]

Originally Posted by stationplay

what type of person lives in columbus....? i don't know how to answer that question lol. columbus is not a chicago but it's not that different either ( i have lived there). It's definitley not new york but what is (lived there as well).

Columbus is a city for a person who a) wants a comfortable place to raise family b)doesn't want to deal with alot of crime and c) likes suburban consumer culture.

Now don't jump on me for saying the suburban thing but alot of people in this city live in the outer burbs. If you really enjoy working your job, sending you kids to suburban schools, shoping at target and driving your car everywhere. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

Also you can live inside the outerbelt in a historic neighboorhood and pretty much do the same thing altho some would warn you against it. Honestly in columbus you can live comfortably anywhere. really.

your kids can go to a great school, you can live for cheap and don't have to worry about crime in majority of the city.

Excellent post. Columbus is a great place to live. Our family plans on living here for many years.

[Humlermw]

Originally Posted by streetcreed

Oh Come on people. Columbus is a very progressive and easy place to live. Children of the Corn may be a better match for some of the Cincinnati bible belt suburbs.

Isn't that the sorry truth. I hate those people they almost ruin living here in Cincinnati.

[jmargaret]

People who like Columbus like things that are clean and sterile (think "Disneyland"). There is little diversity and even less in terms of the arts, unless you enjoy seeing "Annie" five times a year. It is a big collegetown, similar to Madison, Wisconsin. The youth of the college is the only thing that keeps the area semi-vibrant, but really most of the downtown core is filled with bars for 20-somethings. I lived there for over 20 years, so I know of what I speak.

[streetcreed]

The youth of the college is the only thing that keeps the area semi-vibrant, but really most of the downtown core is filled with bars for 20-somethings. I lived there for over 20 years, so I know of what I speak.

True, the general trend here is that the outer rings of the city are suburban and commercialized and suburban.

The central city of Columbus is interesting, full of nightlife, high end restaurants, art galleries, local shopping, and historic neighborhoods.

The University District is supported by the OSU students, but a misconception is that all of the liveliness in the Short North, downtown, and other nightlife areas is due to the students, it is not.

The central city is now alive because trends have changed (over the last 4o years) people have started rebuilding the cities historic neighborhoods and retail strips. These people are young professionals, retired couples, singles, younger couples with kids in private schools, gay couples and singles, government employees, and all of the artsy employees of companies like Limited, Abercrombie, and CCAD.

All of these lively establishments you see in the central city, like downtown restaurants and nightlife, are not being supported by college students but those with full time jobs, higher incomes, and have at least a bachelor degree or are liberal minded younger hipsters.

This means a new transplant to Columbus will be happy to know that the central city does not revolve around OSU. There are more than enough options for a young professional, middle aged couple, or the retired.

Now people living in the suburbs come into the central city to shop at local stores, visit the fine restaurants, and sometimes for work. So in Columbus you have two ways to live, a healthy urban or suburban lifestyle. Some metros, see Detroit etc..., can only offer sustainable suburban living.

[Kereczr]

Originally Posted by Tenzo

Why not?
Leave the cornfield and see what the rest of the world is like.
I find the people who are most sure that there place is the best, have never left it.

Did you not just read his post listing other places he has been?

[jmargaret]

Mayberry RFD and Children of the Corn-----unfortunately, that is a very accurate depiction of the people in Columbus, but also of many people in the Midwest. Columbus is sterile and inexpensive to live in. If those are your priorities, you will love it there. If you are looking for big-city excitement and culture, you should look elsewhere. It will always be that way. Columbus is also starting to feel the economic downturn that other cities have been experiencing for a while. All is not tinsle and glitter in Cowtown, either.

[sheetskr]

Yikes, I hope I don't regurgitate any phrases from this thread to a client...I may never sell a house again!

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by sheetskr

Yikes, I hope I don't regurgitate any phrases from this thread to a client...I may never sell a house again!

Nah, we have plenty of positive Columbus discussion threads here, just some folks can't wait to leave, for various reasons.

I left Columbus a little over two years ago, and have a very positive view of the place. It is a great place to raise kids, relatively good schools in many districts with fairly inexpensive housing. The city is very pretty, has some of the best looking homes and neighborhoods I have ever seen. It also is relatively clean, and you can really appreciate that after having spent the past couple of years living in much dirtier California.

Also, the weather wasn't bad. Generally the big snows miss Columbus, and the temperatures aren't extreme either. Overall, I give it a big thumbs up, and wouldn't have minded spending the rest of my life there.