Ohio, better or worse with no true major city? (Columbus: crime, living)

[Jewel-City-Joe]

I've lived and traveled all thru Ohio. I can tell you it is an old and mature State with several things that contribute to this discussion.

!) It entered Statehood as #17 basically the first to enter in the 1800's. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...n_to_the_Union

2) From the 1850's to 1880 Ohio was the mean center of America's population.
https://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/050/

3) The Ohio Erie Canal in the east central part of the state brought many from Europe thru the State and in the western areas of Ohio the Miami Canal did similar prior to 1850. After 1850 the railroads began to be built in the state offering faster transportation. This undoubtedly had some influence on the larger cities having many similarities. Given the connected nature of the infrastructure. (granted there were some specialized differences) In the early 1990's Columbus, Ohio became an International Inland Port City joining it with Cleveland, Ohio and Toledo, Ohio.
https://ohioeriecanal.weebly.com/maps.html

4) The population has sprawled thru Ohio's largest cities making them nearly interconnected by highways. Many people choosing to live between the larger cities so that they could have the best of two cities, or change jobs in either market to advance their careers.
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/C...ties-map-2.jpg

I've also lived in North Carolina. It always seemed to be less developed and more rural agrarian in nature without much new building until the later 70's. Ohio's people seemed to be all about business where as n North Carolina they were much more laid back. As an example Ohio would be like the TV show, "Mary Hartman Mary Hartman" and North Carolina would be like Andy Griffith & Mayberry. In this region Charlotte, NC Greenville, SC and Atlanta, Ga have grown closer together much like Cleveland, Ohio Columbus, Ohio, and Cincinnati, Ohio.

[jimwen]

Originally Posted by JR_C

Personally, I think Ohio's past greatness was because of its multiple cities. (all of them, not just the biggest) No one was too far away from a population center to take their first step to changing the world. (yes, that sounds like rhetoric, sorry ) The Wright brothers started out in Dayton. The Warner brothers started out in Youngstown. Alan Freed became famous in Cleveland but got his start in Youngstown and Akron, etc.

Sorry to get political, but if Ohio isn't exactly thriving today, I think it's because the state has slowly gone Republican. And, the policies of today's Republican party typically don't support cities. Speaking very generally, because I'm sure there are exceptions, if our cities are successful, it's despite a lack of help from the state. (Columbus being an outlier as the state capital)

Yeah! Ohio needs to become a blue state and cities like LA, Frisco, Portland and Seattle. They're thriving as blue cities, aren't they?!?

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by jimwen

Yeah! Ohio needs to become a blue state and cities like LA, Frisco, Portland and Seattle. They're thriving as blue cities, aren't they?!?

I love Ohio cities, and don't currently have any plans to leave Youngstown. But if those cities are so terrible, why are they still so expensive/desirable?

[TheProf]

Contrary to the OP's assessment, I don't see the mere fact of 3 seemingly equal major cities -- size, influence, economy, etc., as 'controversial.' As for not having one dominant city and a big, hub-airport? Yes, it would be nice to have more direct flights to Cleveland (Frontier from Philly is back, baby!), but aside from this, it's more of an ego thing. For all my life, and well before that, Ohio has been this way. It is what it is; more fodder for outsiders while we Ohioans have long ago adapted to it.

Big deal.

[jmellc]

I've only been to Ohio once so I don't know much firsthand. My mother in law grew up there, near the small city of Barnesville. Been there once and met some of her family, fine people. I have known people over the years from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton and Columbus, as well as rural areas. I've heard people from there and other states make fun of Cleveland but I've mostly heard good about Cincinnati and Columbus. Most of the people I have met from there have been good people.
Plus, I had a crush on a student teacher from Columbus when I was in 5th grade.

The Wright brothers grew up around Dayton and did a lot of their work there, then flew their first plane here in NC. I think Ohio has plenty to be proud of. Maybe not having a huge metro isn't such a bad thing.

I used to have family in Chicago and they grew up loving it but most moved away later. I loved it the one time I visited. I have a friend from rural Illinois who says Chicago is the tail that wags the dog in that state. I guess Chicago dominates the politics even though it isn't the state capital.

[Natural510]

Originally Posted by Matt Marcinkiewicz

NYC subsidizes the much poorer remainder of the state. Ask me how I know. Republican Upstaters who sometimes go as far as to call for Upstate's creation of a separate state have little appreciation for NYS' budgetary realities. As it happens, all throughout my life (well, past a certain age, anyway), I've compared Upstate NY with Ohio

It’s a double-edged sword. The City generates revenue and draws the population who often branch outward into the state once they’ve “made it” and want to slow down, but it’s also the reason taxes are so high in the state, which punishes the Upstaters who don’t make nearly the salary of those who work in the city.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by cbusflyer

I don't know if there is a right answer but Ohio seems stuck in a weird place that it is a top 10 state but nothing about it stands out to the outside world.

I dont even particularly care for the state of Ohio though i live in Cincy...but I will say this..Ohio doesn't need to be like everyone else to be unique in its own right and the way it is contributes largely to it's strengths. Ive live all ove the country NYC/LA and those over priced, stressed out to the max, hours a day stuck commuting to work...all that...is not everyone's preferred lifestyle. So Ohio offers great choices to have all the amenities with less headache.

[Jbraybarten653]

Originally Posted by jimwen

Yeah! Ohio needs to become a blue state and cities like LA, Frisco, Portland and Seattle. They're thriving as blue cities, aren't they?!?

Yes, they are. Bless your heart.

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by jimwen

Yeah! Ohio needs to become a blue state and cities like LA, Frisco, Portland and Seattle. They're thriving as blue cities, aren't they?!?

Seriously, what planet are you on?

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by jimwen

Yeah! Ohio needs to become a blue state and cities like LA, Frisco, Portland and Seattle. They're thriving as blue cities, aren't they?!?

"Frisco"?