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I'm currently living in the Hartford, CT area, and noticed that there are some excellent job opportunities with First Energy in Akron. It would be a good career move for me. However, I want to know if it would be a good place to live for me.
A little about myself...28 year old gay male. I prefer a suburban/urban lifestyle, as long as its safe and clean. There should be a reasonable gay population, as I'm single and looking to date. Are Ohio people in that area very conservative and anti-gay? I'm also an atheist. Generally speaking, I'm on the quiet side and mind my own business type of person. I don't like highly sophisticated or expensive places. I don't need anything fancy like expensive restaurants, high fashion, etc. I like places that are more middle class and people aren't chasing money all the time. I prefer places that are moderate/slow paced and not stressful.
From what I've researched, it sems like the Akron area in general is kind of a S***hole. Is this true? I am probably going to look for an apartment up to $1,400. Can I find anything good for that in the area? I like a spacious living space that's quiet, preferably modern and clean.
Also, is the lifestyle/culture vastly different than New England? I enjoy experiencing new places, but don't want culture shock either. Are Ohio people and midwesterners nice in general?
Lastly, is First Energy a good company to work for? I heard mixed things (people working super long hours, etc., but great pay...).
I'm currently living in the Hartford, CT area, and noticed that there are some excellent job opportunities with First Energy in Akron. It would be a good career move for me. However, I want to know if it would be a good place to live for me.
A little about myself...28 year old gay male. I prefer a suburban/urban lifestyle, as long as its safe and clean. There should be a reasonable gay population, as I'm single and looking to date. Are Ohio people in that area very conservative and anti-gay? I'm also an atheist. Generally speaking, I'm on the quiet side and mind my own business type of person. I don't like highly sophisticated or expensive places. I don't need anything fancy like expensive restaurants, high fashion, etc. I like places that are more middle class and people aren't chasing money all the time. I prefer places that are moderate/slow paced and not stressful.
From what I've researched, it sems like the Akron area in general is kind of a S***hole. Is this true? I am probably going to look for an apartment up to $1,400. Can I find anything good for that in the area? I like a spacious living space that's quiet, preferably modern and clean.
Also, is the lifestyle/culture vastly different than New England? I enjoy experiencing new places, but don't want culture shock either. Are Ohio people and midwesterners nice in general?
Lastly, is First Energy a good company to work for? I heard mixed things (people working super long hours, etc., but great pay...).
I think you watch too much tv. Or something like that.
It's entirely normal here. There are gay people. They are out and about. They function as a normal part of society. There are gay couples at preschool with their kids, gay people at the gym, gay people at the mall. Gay people work at FirstEnergy. It's just like any other metro region.
As far as acceptance again it is normal here. I'm sure if you move out in the woods you will find less tolerance than if you live in a neighborhood with a higher density of gay people. Again, I have plenty (relatively speaking) of gay people in my neighborhood who are openly... normal. And they are treated... normally. There is a gay guy on the APS school board. He ran, he was elected, he's there. His sexual orientation was a non-issue.
As far as being able to find a date, there are over 4 million people in Northeast Ohio, which is more than the entire population of Connecticut. If you can't find a date in driving radius, you're doing something wrong.
I think you'll find that the region is more or less no more of a ****hole than Hartford.
As for FirstEnergy, from the people I know that work there it seems to be a normal corporate environment, with all the normal pros and cons involved.
On the positive side, cost of living here is relatively low. $1400 a month would get you a pretty good apartment or townhouse. You could live in a loft at Northside downtown, walk to work, and be within striking distance of several absolutely normal gay social establishments.
Only difference I would say that would be different from here and Hartford is Akron is a secondary city in the region. Meaning that while Akron is technically larger than Hartford as it is so close to Cleveland (20-odd miles, but really the suburbs run together so it is contiguous) most of the regional focus is on Cleveland. I.E. tv stations are based in Cleveland, regional offices for companies are usually based in or around Cleveland, metro area is Cleveland-Akron MSA, etc.
Hopefully that answered your questions. Feel free to ask if you have any more. I was being somewhat sarcastic so I apologize but only because you would would think you were considering moving to rural Montana from your post
I think you watch too much tv. Or something like that.
It's entirely normal here. There are gay people. They are out and about. They function as a normal part of society. There are gay couples at preschool with their kids, gay people at the gym, gay people at the mall. Gay people work at FirstEnergy. It's just like any other metro region.
As far as acceptance again it is normal here. I'm sure if you move out in the woods you will find less tolerance than if you live in a neighborhood with a higher density of gay people. Again, I have plenty (relatively speaking) of gay people in my neighborhood who are openly... normal. And they are treated... normally. There is a gay guy on the APS school board. He ran, he was elected, he's there. His sexual orientation was a non-issue.
As far as being able to find a date, there are over 4 million people in Northeast Ohio, which is more than the entire population of Connecticut. If you can't find a date in driving radius, you're doing something wrong.
I think you'll find that the region is more or less no more of a ****hole than Hartford.
As for FirstEnergy, from the people I know that work there it seems to be a normal corporate environment, with all the normal pros and cons involved.
On the positive side, cost of living here is relatively low. $1400 a month would get you a pretty good apartment or townhouse. You could live in a loft at Northside downtown, walk to work, and be within striking distance of several absolutely normal gay social establishments.
Only difference I would say that would be different from here and Hartford is Akron is a secondary city in the region. Meaning that while Akron is technically larger than Hartford as it is so close to Cleveland (20-odd miles, but really the suburbs run together so it is contiguous) most of the regional focus is on Cleveland. I.E. tv stations are based in Cleveland, regional offices for companies are usually based in or around Cleveland, metro area is Cleveland-Akron MSA, etc.
Hopefully that answered your questions. Feel free to ask if you have any more. I was being somewhat sarcastic so I apologize but only because you would would think you were considering moving to rural Montana from your post
That's very helpful....thanks for your input! And actually, Akron-Canton is its own metro area, separate from Cleveland, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
I think you would be just fine in Akron. From your description, you sound pretty similar to myself. I've lived in the city for about 4 years and I haven't had any problems. I think you would appreciate the down to earth nature of most Ohioans.
And from my experience, there doesn't seem to be a very big cultural difference between New England and Northeast Ohio. I think you have to travel further west(i.e. Indiana, Iowa, Kansas) to find that stereotypical Midwesterner that you seem to be afraid of. This is the rust belt. Just don't talk trash about the unions and you won't get hurt. (I'm joking, of course.)
If you stay in urban/suburban areas, you will be fine.
Akron-Canton is its own metro area, separate from Cleveland, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Technically, you're correct. And I've run across a number of old school Akronites who feel very strongly about this distinction.
But as was mentioned, Akron's northern suburbs have become intertwined with the greater Cleveland metropolitan area. The city of Akron definitely has it's own thing going on(devilstrips, Swensons, Black Keys etc) but it can't be denied that the two metropolitan areas overlap.
I think SquareBetterThanAll hit the nail on the head . . .as far as gay establishments, there's quite a few in town, for a city the size of Akron. Highland Square is considered the "gay mecca," LMAO. As far as entertainment, it's not too shabby . . .unfortunately, because of winter weather, activity does kinda slow down during that time period.
And yea, $1,400 can get you a LOT, here . . .I have a friend whose parents don't even charge that much to rent out an entire HOUSE, ha . . .granted, it's a tiny house, but still . . .one thing I will tell you, though, is you have tokeep your eyes and ears open when looking for a place. Craigslist is a great start, but don't overlook the Akron Beacon Journal classifieds, either . . .I found a great apartment (well, by my standards lol) for a song by looking through the newspaper.
One thing I would caution you on, though, is that working for First Energy is great, but . . .there's just not a huge amount of job opportunities here. Green is booming, as is Medina (about 20 minutes away, each, from Akron), but the Akron area just doesn't have the greatest amount of jobs available . . .so just be aware of that, in case we experience another recession & F.E. has to start laying people off . . .
Other than that, can't really think of much . . .good luck!
That's very helpful....thanks for your input! And actually, Akron-Canton is its own metro area, separate from Cleveland, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sorry, Cleveland-Akron-Lorain CMSA is what I was referring to. But yes each city here has their own MSA. And people hold pretty strongly to individual identity. But ultimately you can drive 60 miles north south on 77 or about the same east west on 90 and it is more or less continuous.
I really don't think you'll find much of a difference other than the lack of a state capital.
As for jobs the region is right around the national average on unemployment
One thing I would caution you on, though, is that working for First Energy is great, but . . .there's just not a huge amount of job opportunities here. Green is booming, as is Medina (about 20 minutes away, each, from Akron), but the Akron area just doesn't have the greatest amount of jobs available . . .so just be aware of that, in case we experience another recession & F.E. has to start laying people off . . .
Other than that, can't really think of much . . .good luck!
Green and Medina are the Akron area. Medina is a bedroom community for Cleveland and Akron and Green is a bedroom community for Akron and Canton.
Jobs are normal. FE is a fairly specialized field so transferrable skills like accounting would be no problem but others would require a move but that is the nature of that industry. Plus AEP is headquartered in Columbus... not that far!
This area actually has more corporate headquarters than many regions.......
As far as being able to find a date, there are over 4 million people in Northeast Ohio, which is more than the entire population of Connecticut. If you can't find a date in driving radius, you're doing something wrong.
Except that Connecticut is 9 times smaller than Ohio in land area, and it is part of a metro of 20 million people (New York City), and is in the shadows of another metro of 4 million (Boston). Population here is very dense.
If he can't find what he likes here, he's not finding it anywhere.
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