looking for small town in OH to make home (Columbus: rent, condo)

[lewis richard klein]

Originally Posted by cwarner

Hello all! I am new to this, but stumbled on this website and forum and decided to try it out in my research. I am in search of a really nice, friendly smaller town in OH that I can make my home. I currently live out of state in a large city but long for that small town feel. Can anyone give me any names of towns that you are familiar with that you could tell me about?
I do appreciate all that respond....thank you so much! cwarner

Defiance Ohio is a small but growing community between Toledo Ohio and Fort Wayne Indiana. Pop. 17,000-20,000. Has brand new hospital as well as walmart and kohl's. Area is flat with corn fields all around. Electric rate is 5.6 cents a kilo watt. Inexpensive life style. Has a small private College named DEFIANCE COLLEGE. I am from Forest Hills New York and fell in love with area.

[rhomp2002]

I have lived all over the state at various times. My absolute favorite town to live in is Wooster. Wooster is about half way between Mansfield and Canton and has all the good things and almost none of the bad of the bigger cities. Very close to the Amish country, an excellent university and also good hospitals and a medical center which is run by the Cleveland Clinic. Housing costs are very reasonable. What I loved about living there is that there are parks all over the city and good sized ones as well. There is a bunch of housing of all types there from very contemporary to Victorian. Good shopping and a lot of things going on.

The other good part is that you are half an hour from Canton and Mansfield, 40 minutes form Akron, an hour from Cleveland and yet when your are there the place is surrounded by some of the best farms in the state. Wonderful schools and excellent school teachers. I like also that the people are very civic-minded and are always doing things to make the city better. Truly an excellent place to live and raise a family. Also a great place to retire to.

What I as a retired man do not want is to live in what I call an elephant's burial ground. Being around people of the same age is OK but I personally want to live in an area which has people of all ages. I love to see the kids playing outside and the families and other people all working together to make things better. We all have a lot to offer and this is a town where people seem to realize that better than almost any other where I have lived.

[rhomp2002]

A lot of people don't realize that after WW II the Voice of America decided to make a whole series of films to show the world what America was really like. They decided to pick a typical American small town and then make a whole series of films showing the people working, playing, going to school, gardening, all the other parts of life. They went all over the country to pick out the town that would be used as the basis of these films. The final 2 choices were both in Ohio.

Lancaster and Mount Vernon were the final two and they finally picked out Mount Vernon to be the town. They came to Mount Vernon and make about 6 hours of film when edited to show the whole of life in the US. I know this because when I was in high school back in the 1950's in Mount Vernon, the films were shown as part of the sesquicentennial celebration. It was funny to see the president of the senior class as he came running into school and then tried to sneak into the classroom because he was late and to see the drug store and the movie theatre and the parks, etc.

Mount Vernon and Lancaster could probably still come close to fulfilling that same function today. They both have a lot of the best of the country and they also both have a lot of civic pride in them. Good towns to live in.

[QuiltRR]

I live in Fostoria in NW OH, moved back from the escape I made 25 years ago from my home town, Tiffin, in '77 to the country 8 miles outside of Council Grove, Kansas, (what a culture shock that was) then to Manhattan, KS, where we loved living. It is so beautiful in that part of KS.
Hubby suggested moving back and that was the only reason I considered it. Now we both regret our move but we are here now and are thinking of where we will go to 'retire'. (Any suggestions?) It took about 5 years for me to intigrate into my new surroundings. I think it was more difficult because I had no kids in school any more and had a physical problem that kept me homebound for quite a while plus the weather was so gloomy that I developed a case of depression. Once I broke that cycle things began to get better. We chose this town because the real estate was not as high as my home town which is dying, and Findlay, which is booming. My daughter lived here and we are also closer to Findlay, a good source for shopping and entertainment. There was a job here as well for my hubby. I have grandkids in the school system here and they are doing well.
We miss our Kansas home but we also know that "you can't go home" because things are never the same. We have made our life here now and have gotten to know people. I don't want to move again but I also know that some day I will have to. I hear that Bellevue, OH is a really nice little town and may consider buying some property there soon. I guess my main message is that Home is what you make of it no matter what the geographic location but having a choice surely is helpful. Every place I have ever lived has been a life lesson and a new experience. Check out the Taxing systems and real estate situations no matter where you plan on going. Good luck!

[Momatwork]

Hi cwarner! My husband just retired from the Military and we now call Beavercreek, Ohio our home. You can have a lot of land or be in the city, which isn't that big. The people are friendly and the schools are great. My husband and I are orginally from Lima, Ohio born and raised but have been all over this world. I also have family in Wapakoneta and surrounding areas. There are so many nice places to live in Ohio. After reading everything you can, start taking weekends and just drive and talk to people. Good luck!

[Stolly enterprises]

Originally Posted by dpthorsen

Are there any suggestions? I have been thinking of Wapakoneta. I will be moving from Merced, Ca. with 3 teens.
Office is in Celina.
any suggestions?

Wapakoneta is a smaller city and is alright if you want that small city atmosphere. However the dining and shopping are not even compared to those of Bellefontaine and Marysville. We recommend Lima, Celina, Marysville, Bellefontaine, and Dublin Ohio, for the quaint city atmosphere with many accomadations. You decide. -Stolly Enterprises

[rdy4agetaway]

Centerburg Ohio. North of Columbus. Fantastic town We moved here 4 years ago and love it. Awesome schools. With Real Estate down right now, you can get a good deal. Good luck!

[Russell Chamberlain]

I do think you should consider Athens....one of the most interesting, progressive small towns in Ohio...and also one of the few towns that has actual topography--as in rolling hills.

Two great sites that showcase some of the things that make Athens unique: Home :: Athens County Visitor's Bureau and Soul of Athens.

Good luck in your research!

[jason96r]

Originally Posted by QuiltRR

I live in Fostoria in NW OH, moved back from the escape I made 25 years ago from my home town, Tiffin, in '77 to the country 8 miles outside of Council Grove, Kansas, (what a culture shock that was) then to Manhattan, KS, where we loved living. It is so beautiful in that part of KS.
Hubby suggested moving back and that was the only reason I considered it. Now we both regret our move but we are here now and are thinking of where we will go to 'retire'. (Any suggestions?) It took about 5 years for me to intigrate into my new surroundings. I think it was more difficult because I had no kids in school any more and had a physical problem that kept me homebound for quite a while plus the weather was so gloomy that I developed a case of depression. Once I broke that cycle things began to get better. We chose this town because the real estate was not as high as my home town which is dying, and Findlay, which is booming. My daughter lived here and we are also closer to Findlay, a good source for shopping and entertainment. There was a job here as well for my hubby. I have grandkids in the school system here and they are doing well.
We miss our Kansas home but we also know that "you can't go home" because things are never the same. We have made our life here now and have gotten to know people. I don't want to move again but I also know that some day I will have to. I hear that Bellevue, OH is a really nice little town and may consider buying some property there soon. I guess my main message is that Home is what you make of it no matter what the geographic location but having a choice surely is helpful. Every place I have ever lived has been a life lesson and a new experience. Check out the Taxing systems and real estate situations no matter where you plan on going. Good luck!

I wouldn't move to Bellevue, OH there is just nothing there, and it could easily take you 30 minutes just to get to a WalMart, they have a Pamida but they don't have much. Port Clinton would be much better, and Castalia is nice but the property taxes are sky high. A town I love is Frankenmuth, MI and there are plenty of small towns around there you could live. People in the Clyde, Bellevue, and surrounding areas are not friendly and I don't understand why. However, the people in the thumb area in Michigan are very friendly.

[Powro3]

Athens is one of the worst places in Ohio to live and raise a family. I lived there for 2 years and it was not a good experience,,,one it is a college town....Athens city schools are horrible, I had 3 children in there school district...I can honestly say there IQ's dropped while they were there....Southeastern Ohio is not the place to move to.....Go to Lancaster I lived there for over 5 years it was WONDERFUL, the schools are great the people are great.....it is a great small town that isn't to small. Carroll, Canal Winchester, Pickerington, and Dublin are my recommendations...stay away from southeastern Ohio....And yes I moved out of Athens will not have anything to do with that place...I am talking from experience.....Central Ohio is the best area of Ohio to go to.