Relocating to Ft Wayne, IN or Cinci/Dayton OH?? (Columbus: to rent, house)

[malachai23]

Originally Posted by yls

Thanks so much!
The recruiter today said that many people live in N Cinci and travel to S Dayton for work, and vice versa. So is that commute not bad? For example, I saw acreage in the Lebanon area.
Our commute in good traffic is about 45 min of stop and go for about 14 miles. We'd like to get some acreage so we understand we'd have to go farther out...but the traffic here makes that pretty much not an option......or not something we'd like to do at least. So that is why the large metro size of 3+ million makes us hesitate. Or maybe it is actually somewhat planned with roads and doesn't have that feel. Here the problem is there was no plannig and nowhere near enough roads for the population.

Are the areas kind of mingling together as part of the urban sprawl? Or is there a distinct feeling between the 2 cities?

Hi again!

First, yes, there is a definite distinction between the Cinci metro area and the Dayton metro area. There is a lot of space in between that is not highly developed/farmland/smaller farm communities (not sprawl). You will find some sprawl in the northern Cinci 'burbs, but then you hit open space/farmland/small self-contained towns until it starts turning (rather abruptly) into the Dayton metro area.

The interstate (I-75) commute between the northernmost Cinci 'burbs and South Dayton is not bad at all - smooth sailing. Many folks I work with make that commute. One gal told me it takes her a 1/2 hour from her northern Cinci 'burb to our South Dayton 'burb. Where you are going to run into the bad traffic is closer in to Cinci proper. And yes, it can get pretty bad down there!!

There are some smaller historic/farm towns such as Lebanon (as you mentioned), that are in-between the two metro areas, and are not 'burbs but rather towns in their own right. If you were to commute from a place like Lebanon to the South Dayton area, you wouldn't even need to get on the interstate. There are a lot of well-maintained smaller two-lane roads and highways spiderwebbing across the countryside. By the way - Lebanon is a great town, very picturesque.

Hope that helps!

[yls]

That sounds like my thermostat settings Here it is triple digits for months on end and I'd go broke if I had it cooler! I'd like to, but alas.
I had a response on the Cinci thread that made it sound like traffic really wasn't too bad (like from Lebanon to Sharonville) and not too bad between the outlying 2 cities. I'm getting excited!

[yls]

Thank you for explaining the area and the drive. It sounds definitely like this may work! Getting excited I was concerned about the huge size of the Cinci metro area, but it sounds like the outlying areas are great. I guess I'll have to research a little more into the areas and different "townships"...not familiar at all with those.
Do these small outlying areas have amenities such as shopping, hospitals, libraries,etc?

[malachai23]

Originally Posted by yls

Thank you for explaining the area and the drive. It sounds definitely like this may work! Getting excited I was concerned about the huge size of the Cinci metro area, but it sounds like the outlying areas are great. I guess I'll have to research a little more into the areas and different "townships"...not familiar at all with those.
Do these small outlying areas have amenities such as shopping, hospitals, libraries,etc?

Hmmmm - I don't know much about the hospital situation south of Dayton. I am more familiar with the ones here in Dayton. Sorry!

But yes, many of the smaller communities between Dayton and Cinci have all the necessary ammenities. Towns such as Lebanon, Mason, Franklin/Carlisle, Springboro - they will have everything you need to get by comfortably & keep yourself mildly entertained. As for libraries, I would expect you would find them in those towns but that they would be on the smaller scale (fellow Ohioans who are more familiar with those smaller communities - please feel free to chime in!!!). And if you ever need anything else (like some fancy dining or a big mall), Cinci and Dayton won't be far away!

I wonder if you would consider the Xenia area? It is east of Dayton - so it's further away from Cinci, but still not very far at all. There is some absolutely beautiful farmland out in that area, and the city of Xenia is larger than many of the other smaller towns around Dayton and Cinci (so there will be more ammenities). I'd say it's probably about 45 min. from the Mason area. Just a thought!!

[stdatwmu]

^ They just built a large hospital off the Middletown exit on I-75, which is Exit 32. There's another hospital on the edge of Miamisburg/West Carrollton (Exit 44) and another a couple miles up I-675 at Exit 2, and then another a few more miles along at Exit 7, and I think they're building a new one in Beavercreek as well...

That's all aside from the numerous hospitals closer to downtown Dayton - Miami Valley, Kettering, Good Samaritan, etc.

Suffice it to say, there's lots of hospitals around here!

[yls]

Thank you! We're not super-exciting people haha, but we do like basic amenities close by. We have 2 young children and like to activities with them. Our current setup is really convenient as within 2 miles we have a bunch of neighborhood parks, a small local branch library we visit at least once a week, a pool, etc. We like to go to Petsmart and look at the animals,etc. It sounds like there are a lot of farms up there which is going to be awesome to do things such as hayrides, pick apples,etc.

[stdatwmu]

I forgot to mention that, from the South side of town where I am, you're also only about 15-20 minutes from Cincinnati Children's which is in the Top 5 for children's hospitals in the US.

We also have Dayton Children's just north of downtown.

I moved here from MI about 2 1/2 years ago now and love the area. There's tons to do, it's family-friendly, and it's downright got to be the cheapest cost of living you can find.

[swcnrofohio]

I would say anywhere you live in the Cin/Day area, you're never further than a half hour (if that) from a hospital, church, school, library, retail center, parks, etc...
Still plenty of farmland N, S, E & West. I really think you'll enjoy the area.

[Smacktard]

If you're from TX, you'll freeze your butt off in IN or OH. Takes about 3 years to get used to it, coming from TX, or going to TX. YMMV

[yls]

2 more questions on the areas:
1. I have developed bad allergies from being in TX (which is very common from what I heard from other people). I realize this depends on each person, but in general is the allergies really bad up there?
2. I've been talking with realtors. It seems like the housing market is depressed, like most of the country. So there can be good deals BUT the question is if the prices will keep falling.....then it'd make more sense to maybe hold off a bit more. Obviously no one has a crystal ball, but are there any current predictions Any ideas or feedback on the local real estate market?