Is Toledo REALLY that bad. (Cleveland, Cincinnati: apartment, crime rate, house)

[Iraqvet]

I wanted to know if Toledo is as bad as people make it out to be. I'm thinking about moving there to attend the University of Toledo. I've briefly visited Toledo a couple of times, and yeah a lot it did look run-down but it didn't seem all that bad. I'm in my early mid-20s so schools and housing are not a concern. The weather doesn't bother me either. It seems like a lot of people that complain about a lot of cities complain about weather and the appearance of a city which neither bother me about Toledo. I just want to make sure I do not make a mistake by moving to Toledo. BTW, I currently live in Cincy if that helps.

[BelieveInCleve]

No, its not nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. After going to a lot of different places and learning a lot of things, you realize that Toledo is pretty average for a city its size. That goes for the city and the metro area.

The crime rate is not nearly as bad as what people make it out to be. Ive heard people call it "lil Detroit" as far as crime, and thats about the most ridiculous thing Ive ever heard. Whoever said that must have never been outside Toledo except to the suburbs. Toledos crime rate is pretty average for a city its size, a little high, but nowhere near as bad as people say. It only had 12 murders last year, for another example Lorain is 1/5th the size and had 9, The city of Cleveland isnt much larger and it had 135. Toledo is not bad crime-wise, especially for an urban area in Ohio. The only bad things about Toledo are that its still losing population due to job losses and as a consequence, the poverty rate is a little high. The city also has more than its share of decay. But you have to realize that its not any worse than any other city in the same situation, and I could name plenty of cities that are much worse than Toledo. Obviously Toledo has problems just like any other city, but its not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. Most areas in the city and metro are more than livable, and inexpensive, which is a plus for Toledo and all of Northern Ohio.

[CincyExpert]

I lived in Cincinnati for a good majority of my life and now I attend the University of Toledo. To answer your question, no, Toledo is not that bad. It lacks alot of the life that Cincinnati has, so I can see how people who've lived here their whole lives could hate it. However, the University is one of the positives here and if you're looking for a change of scenery, it's a decent and very affordable place to spend a few years of your life.

[Traveler87]

Toledo has a world reknowed art musuem, zoo, and attractive downtown with great new shopping centers in the suburbs... yuck! Sorry, suburban sprawl.

Toledo is building a new downtown arena as we speak, and a mixed use development across the river from downtown, the Marina District is in the works.

Toledo has a great mayor, and the city is very livable. It is one of the busiest inland ports in the country, and is not far from Cedar Point and great beaches and parks along Lake Erie.

No, Toledo is NOT that bad.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by Traveler87

Toledo has a great mayor....

That'll spark debate among Toledoans.

[WeSoHood]

The college, albeit in a rougher area, is REALLY fun.

[000000]

Originally Posted by CincyExpert

I lived in Cincinnati for a good majority of my life and now I attend the University of Toledo. To answer your question, no, Toledo is not that bad. It lacks alot of the life that Cincinnati has, so I can see how people who've lived here their whole lives could hate it. However, the University is one of the positives here and if you're looking for a change of scenery, it's a decent and very affordable place to spend a few years of your life.

concur. i happen to know a number of people in toledo already, so i have my share of fun when there. i get the impression that to live there is not as fun as to visit. then again, i don't know what i would do if i didn't know anyone.

[sailordave]

A great mayor that hates the military and recently kicked them out his city even though the military exercise was planned months ahead of time.

[tjoseph]

How can you say Toledo has a great mayor? He is awful. The most selfish, self absorbed person I have ever seen.

[Toxic Toast]

My sister is a student at UT, she lives in a rough area off Detroit Ave near the I-75/I-475 interchange. Even that area isn't THAT bad. She is moving to an apartment off Alexis and Douglas because the homeowners are getting rid of the house. She has never had a problem, though her roommate had her car broken into once. She tells me her neighborhood is scary and she can't even walk her dog. She tells me that Toledo is on the decline. She tells me that one of her friends who lives off Jackman near Alexis can't walk outside at night because there is a drug house across the street.

It seems like a generally nice enough town to me when I have visited. If you know people in the area; it is an average enjoyable city. Fifth third Park downtown is a great ball park, and I enjoy winter, so the weather is not something I can knock on Toledo. Just like any city, the good neighborhoods are good, the bad ones are to be avoided. It doesn't seem so bad to me at all.