Relocating to Small Town Ohio (Cleveland, Cincinnati: apartment, rentals, schools)

[kyle19125]

I'm an early 60s GWM escaping from the mess that is evolving in FL and looking for a somewhat walkable smaller town (preferably with an active college vibe) and a well-utilized downtown area. Work options are unimportant as I'll do something part-time (semi-disabled, on early social security) but will need a town with a decent bus system and a reason why a college setting is important. Cost of living is a big factor as well and looking to rent an apartment where something inexpensive is average/decent versus the random dump. Initially bigger cities like Cincinnati and Cleveland seemed appealing but have done the urban phase earlier in life and don't feel the desire to repeat. I have been told a city like Akron or Dayton might change my mind but all in all I'm drawn more to a town like Kent or Bowling Green. Looking ideally for a town with a full downtown culture of quality farmers markets, festivals, independent retailers/restaurants and where people are often out and about on foot versus driving everywhere. Above average health care options as well given a chronic condition I deal with. Open to suggestions but mostly looking for in-depth feedback on the towns mentioned. Thanks!

[gentlearts]

You might like Oberlin. It has a nice little downtown and Oberlin College. The college has a decent art museum, and the students get to borrow art for their rooms.

[SlideRules99]

You have many options in OH…Athens, Oxford, Wooster, Ashland, Kent, Bowling Green, Oberlin…

Kent would top my list if I were in your shoes. It checks all your boxes, and in particular, you get access to world class health care via the Cleveland Clinic and/or University Hospitals via the Akron metro area facilities. (For that matter, you are ~45 mins from the main campuses in CLE...)

Kent has a vibrant downtown scene, buzzing with college energy, but with charm and history that stands on its own merit. You get the slew of bistros, markets, shops, etc. that come with great college towns.

The Haymaker Farmers’ Market is active year round, and offers fresh produce and other goods.

Haymaker Farmers' Market

The PARTA public transit system operates in Kent, although I’m not personally familiar with the operation.

https://www.partaonline.org/

The Kent Stage punches above its weight for attracting fantastic musical talent to a small town.

https://kentstage.org/

With easy access to Akron and CLE, you get all the cultural amenities of a big city within reach as well.

Good luck on your search!

[bjimmy24]

Your insticts are correct- go with Kent.

[WRnative]

As you are looking for a walkable location with a decent bus system, does this mean you don't drive? How ambulatory are you, as this is an extremely important consideration in Greater Cleveland as there are 5 very good "metropark" systems that offer many enjoyable activities? Do you bike?



If your health condition needs specialists, and you're seeking the highest quality healthcare, you will want mass transit access to Cleveland's University Circle main campuses of both University Hospitals and the world-renown Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic generally is superb.


Colleges that come to mind that would be located in areas with good mass transit access to UC would include Case Western, John Carroll, Baldwin Wallace, and here's a sleeper, Lake Erie College. While all four of these colleges offer athletic teams and events, Case Western, a major national university, has by far the most cultural vibe of any of these schools. Baldwin Wallace may be second as its has a nationally recognized performing arts program, but I'm not familiar with the Baldwin Wallace campus nor with Berea, where BW is located.


Case Western actually is in University Circle, one of the nation's leading cultural centers. Affordability of housing in UC or nearby may be an issue. John Carroll is in University Heights, which also is relatively convenient to UC. IF you could find something in Little Italy adjacent to UC, or in Coventry Village of Cleveland Heights, they also would be convenient to UC; both Little Italy and Coventry Village are served by the free CircleLink shuttle system, as well as very good RTA mass transit options, including a 24/7 Healthline bus rapid, and the Red Line rail rapid.


Actually, Painesville may be the most affordable of any communities mentioned, and it may be as cheap as Kent or Oberlin (or cheaper?). What's unique about Painesville is its proximity to several excellent Lake Metroparks (including Fairport Harbor beach, as well as Mentor Headlands state beach) and to Holden Arboretum, one of the largest and best in in the U.S. Especially unusual is the Laketran mass transit system, which offers "Dial-a-Ride," point-to-point, shuttle service with discounted rates for seniors and certain other individuals. Note that Dial-a-Ride offers service to medical institutions in Cuyahoga County, particularly those in University Circle.



https://laketran.com/dial-a-ride/


Other communities in Lake County where you might find rentals include Eastlake, Wickliffe, Willowick, Mentor and Willoughby, which has the most charming downtown in Lake County.


You mentioned access to retail. Mentor is the sixth largest commercial center in Ohio. Painesville and Willoughby are adjacent to Mentor, and Willoughby has considerable retail of its own, mostly on Mentor Ave. west of downtown. Painesville has easy access to a superb strip of retail and grocery stores running along Mentor Ave. through Painesville Township into Mentor, including an ALDI, Trader Joe's, Target, Wal-Mart, several other supermarkets, major strip centers, and a mall, all on a Laketran bus route. Additionally, numerous other big box stores could be reached using "Dial-a-Ride."


However, Painesville is NOT a college town (it's the county seat of Lake County), unlike Kent or Oberlin. Oberlin has an extremely high cultural vibe with one of the nation's best music conservatories and college art museums, but still it's on a cultural level well below what's offered in University Circle, one of the nation's leading cultural centers. Kent State and Univ. of Akron offer Div. I sports teams, as does Cleveland State Univ. (but no football team), if that's an interest.



https://www.universitycircle.org/


Use the search engine to research these cities. Check out RTA, using its "Plan a Trip" to research transit options for any residential location in Cuyahoga County. Elsewhere, use Google Transit.


This thread, especially post 3, will give you a good overview of the "east side" of Greater Cleveland.


http://www.city-data.com/forum/cleve...cleveland.html


Perhaps read about Euclid, which would offer mass transit service to Univ. Circle, has decent retail, and very affordable housing relative to most other east side communities.


I don't know anything about the elderly gay scene anywhere in Greater Cleveland. If this is important, perhaps contact the LGBT Community Center. I doubt if you would experience discrimination in any of the communities mentioned; Greater Clevelanders generally are tolerant individuals who respect persons' privacy. Lakewood and the near west side generally is perceived as being the center of Cleveland's gay community, rightfully or not.


https://lgbtcleveland.org/


Good luck!

[kyle19125]

Awesome information everyone and appreciate it. I'm definitely adding Kent to the very short list along with Oberlin and Bowling Green. I understand the U of Toledo has quality medical care as well (albeit not Cleveland Clinic level) and isn't far from BG. Any thoughts specifically regarding Berea or recently discovered Tiffin?

[SlideRules99]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Awesome information everyone and appreciate it. I'm definitely adding Kent to the very short list along with Oberlin and Bowling Green. I understand the U of Toledo has quality medical care as well (albeit not Cleveland Clinic level) and isn't far from BG. Any thoughts specifically regarding Berea or recently discovered Tiffin?

Berea is nice enough, and definitely gives you a college-town flavor in the area near B-W. It is just a smaller dose as compared to Kent (which has 10x the student body population). So everything will be scaled down a bit, comparatively.

Nearby Olmsted Falls is quaint with a kitschy (in a good way) charm, with a vintage train motif on the main street strip. Walkable and delightful.

Do your diligence on airport noise in that area. Cleveland Hopkins Airport is in the vicinity.

If I were scouting college strips within the Cleveland metro area, I’d pick Case Western and University Circle, which has a more urban vibe, but puts you smack in the middle of the premier cultural institutions and medical amenities. YMMV though.

All that said, Kent would still be my top recommendation, given your criteria.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Awesome information everyone and appreciate it. I'm definitely adding Kent to the very short list along with Oberlin and Bowling Green. I understand the U of Toledo has quality medical care as well (albeit not Cleveland Clinic level) and isn't far from BG. Any thoughts specifically regarding Berea or recently discovered Tiffin?

imo Berea is more a suburb than a college town. Even John Carroll in University Heights has more students. And I'd never think of University Heights as a college town.

[WRnative]

Given your medical concerns, check the Medicare ratings for individual hospitals.


IMO, there already is a doctor and nursing shortage in Greater Cleveland, and it's likely worse in more rural areas of Ohio, and it's likely to be compounded by the apparent determination of the Republicans who control state politics to further restrict abortion, reproduction and privacy rights in Ohio, even as abortion rights already are severely restricted.



Young women medical professionals reportedly are factoring abortion rights into their location decisions, and young male medical professionals likely will be influenced by this as well, more especially if they are married to young women professionals in any career.

[ram2]

Other Ohio college towns to consider: Marietta and Yellow Springs