Would it be crazy to leave California for Dayton? (Columbus: crime, houses)

[JBarry]

I've lived in the Dayton area for 11 years. It strikes a nice balance-- big enough to have big city pursuits (a well above average performing arts scene), with not a lot of the headaches. For instance, when I lived in Pittsburgh for 10 years, it took me a half hour to drive 3-4 miles to work. It takes me 25 minutes to drive 21 miles to downtown and work.

I've also worked with two colleagues from California (both from the San Jose area), and both loved the fact that they could actually afford housing here, not to mention everything else being cheaper.

Weather here is considerably milder below I-70 than it is in northern Ohio (Toledo, Cleveland)... not much snow, but still cold enough.

Communities near WPAFB are hit and miss. Fairborn is fairly blue collar, Beavercreek is more of the posh suburb, Yellow Springs is, as one of the California transplants called it, "Berkeley in the middle of a corn field." It's bucolic, very liberal, and pretty much untypical of Ohio.

I love visiting relatives in the San Jose area, but just shake my head at how they make ends meet.

[LiptonGuy]

How about the reverse ?

Would it be crazy to leave Toledo, Ohio for California ?

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by LiptonGuy

How about the reverse ?

Would it be crazy to leave Toledo, Ohio for California ?

If I were in OH, I wouldn't move to Cali ... not with the housing market mess they're dealing with.

[CaliGurlntheBoro]

[SIZE=3]I’ve been in Springboro a just a little over a year. Born and raised in Southern California (San Diego) you’d think I’d never leave right? Well, no the truth of the matter is the cost of living is outrageous, it’s not an easy place to raise a child and you don’t have that hometown feel. Yes, the weather year-around is ideal and beautiful but it wasn’t enough to keep me there. I will forever be a Cali girl just living in the BORO.[/SIZE]

[JefferyT]

Do they really call it the 'Boro?

[wrightflyer]

^ I think so.

[alexanderaf]

I can give a single guy perspective. WPAFB is my first assignment after finishing college in Florida. I've been here for almost four years and I'm getting stationed in California in a few months.

When I first moved here from Florida (Daytona Beach) I got so bored out of my mind I almost lost it. For a young single guy there is not a whole lot to do here. However, as time went on I started discovering more to do.

Dayton has a lot of bike paths that used to be old railroads. Those are fascinating if you are into biking. I rented a hotel in Cincinnati and biked there for the night, and that to me was amazing! The AF museum is nice, and there are a handful of local restaurants that are worth checking out. I love Yellow Springs as well. I would bike there to Young's Dairy and explore around for an escape now and then. I also have a spacious luxury apartment with a garage that's close to work. The cost of living is low so your salary goes a long way here.

However, I would much prefer Florida or California. I am really into the outdoors and the winters in Dayton are just cold enough to keep you indoors without having much snow to enjoy. And the ski resort here is a bunny hill. If you have a family, this place would be great. But for me, I'm just passing the time...

[Crew Chief]

AlexanderAF, ya know what they say; "The best assignment is the base I was at before this one or the base I'm PCS-ing to next"... It seems that every one of my assignments (including Laughlin and Mountain Home) had people that absolutely loved it there OR hated it there... Best of luck at your new base in Cali!

[UDgrad]

Originally Posted by rayray5200

I might take a job at Wright Patt AFB, would it be crazy/stupid to leave california for OHIO? Thanks for the input! How are the winters in southern ohio compared to michigan? I have family in michigan!

Oh, rayray5200 where shall I begin..... Dayton and CA is no comparison. Dayton has the four different seasons and that's it over CA (depending on what area you are in). The area around WPAFB is not nice, (Fairborn, Yellow Springs) Huber Heights is too pricey. Centerville is too conjested, etc. I would think twice about moving to the Dayton are from CA. I hope the job allows for a lot of traveling because you will not like staying home in the Dayton area. In case you haven't figured it out, I grew up in Dayton, graduated from University of Dayton and moved away as fast I could. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed growing up in Dayton but it has changed and not for the better.

[wrightflyer]

^Please provide specific examples as to why Yellow Springs deserves to be lumped into the "not nice" category. The same with Huber Heights' price point and Centerville's congestion. And if you are complaining about Centerville's congestion, you must hate parts of Cali.