Relocating to Cleveland- no idea where to live- Shaker? Rocky River? (Shaker Heights: renting, crime)

[ChicagotoCleveland123]

Hello,

My husband took a job at the Cleveland Clinic, and we need to move in a few months to Cleveland. We are looking a safe neighborhood to live with our young child. We would like a reasonable commute to the Clinic, but are willing to drive 20 mins for a safe area. Our priority is finding an area that has young families, affordable houses, and good schools. I have heard a lot of people that work at CC move to Shaker Heights because of the distance and good neighborhoods. After browsing threads on this forum, I am nervous to make the move to Shaker bc the area we could afford would be Lomond and it seems like most Cleveland people recommend to stay north of Chagrin Blvd bc of crime and safety increasing south of it.

We would be appreciative of any suggestions! We have a budget of $150-180. Please help us find a safe area! I would love to walk to parks, have a great park district, library, etc.

We heard Rocky River is nice. Anyone have any info on that area? How's the commute to the Clinic?

Thanks in advance!

[TBideon]

Personally I'd pick Rocky River over Shaker Heigts despite it being a longer commute (figure an extra ten minutes of driving). Shaker Heights is fantastic if you're wealthy or just renting, and the Rapid/light rail is pretty good; for everyone in-between, the taxes are far too high, the houses very old, many of which are in need for serious repair (at your price point), and there's too much overlap from the ghetto. The schools are fine, in particular the AP courses, but your kids will have to deal with some disruptive elements. Despite its historic and present day reputation as a wealthy area, Shaker Heights is an inner ring suburb so you're going to be walking distance from some crappy areas spots in Cleveland (not including Shaker Square, of course), some of which overlap to the east part of Shaker Heights.

Rocky River has great lake access, great schools, better weather oddly enough, and more a community feel. However, $150-$180 might be a bit on the low side for a good place there.

[Ohio eye doctor]

Shaker schools are fantastic. All my daughter's friends were the children of doctors at Cleveland Clinic, Metro hospital, University Hospitals or the children of lawyers, C.P.A.'s. with the well-educated. My daughter loves Shaker, has thanked me for being brought up here, has finished her college years and working, and feels she can interact socially and professionally with people from any walk of life having grown up in Shaker. She has had internships at the Cleveland Museum of History and the Smithsonian. She remembers one classmate whose mother had to consciously save to give him a 7th grade birthday party.........

[Ohio eye doctor]

I must add that that was a modest birthday party--not a restaurant, catered type party. Although my daughter went to some birthday parties, bat mitzvahs that had to be expensive. There are all types in Shaker.

Shaker teachers are OUTSTANDING. One reason taxes are high is we pay them better, and you get what you pay for. In my daughter's graduation year, two went to Harvard, two to Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Wesleyan, Duke, Oberlin, U. of Rochester, Cornell, U. of Pennsylvania and smaller liberal arts colleges, etc. My child received paid internships at Cleveland Museum of History and the Smithsonian. The Shaker community is the population of the future and the present. In this county, professionals and the disadvantaged come in all ethnicities and colors. I had grown up in an all-white community before moving to Shaker and had come concerns, none of which became a problem.

Rocky River, I believe, has good schools, too. But I don't think they have the same representation at the Ivies that Shaker has. That being said, an Ivy was not my goal for my child and she did not go to an Ivy. But the fact remains that Shaker will give you an outstanding education (and started the International Baccalaureate degree program at Shaker high school AFTER my daughter graduated)

[Ohio eye doctor]

Oops, did not say that the modest birthday party was held at home..........