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Question about Cleveland? I heard it's an extremely high crime city. Do you find this to be true? Is it nice to visit/live? Basically, I am trying to ask what you like about it.
Edit: And what made you want to leave Portland?
Cleveland is not a very large city measured by land square miles; Columbus is almost three times as large. Cleveland's population is less than a third of Cuyahoga County, for which Cleveland serves as the county seat, entertainment center, sports center, cultural center, etc.; Cleveland also serves the latter functions for the 15th largest (Cleveland-Akron) combined statistical area (CSA) in the U.S.
Many of the most economically and socially challenged neighborhoods in all of Greater
Cleveland are located in Cleveland proper, boosting the crime statistics of the city proper, although there are relatively safe neighborhoods as well, such as University Circle. So while Columbus has neighborhoods that are very suburban, in Greater Cleveland, actual suburbs are a much more important factor, and many of them are very safe.
Cleveland is one of the nation's cultural centers, sits on a Great Lake, has one of the best county park systems in the U.S., has superior pro sports to both Portland and Columbus, has a national park within easy biking distance of its downtown, and, if you check tripadvisor.com "Things to Do" for both cities, has very superior tourist attractions to Columbus, not even considering tourist attractions elsewhere in the CSA (such as Canton's Pro Football Hall of Fame or the Holden Arboretum in Kirtland).
With the world-renown Cleveland Clinic and the University Hospitals system, Cleveland offers a great job market for RNs. Per capita income is higher in Greater Cleveland than in Greater Columbus, but Columbus has a more robust job market and significantly greater population growth (and therefore a significantly more expensive housing market). Greater Cleveland has a more robust mass transit system than Columbus, with both rail and bus rapid lines.
Nothing beats visiting any city of interest. Also read through the C-D forums for each city.
This thread may be of interest when comparing Ohio's 3 Cs.
Due to its earlier and more significant development (Cleveland once was likely the most wealthy city in the world (on a per capita income basis; e.g., as the home city of the likes of John D. Rockefeller and Jeptha Wade in the early days of the industrial revolution) and the fifth largest city in the U.S. measured by population (it's now the 51st largest), Greater Cleveland has many more "suburbs" with a distinctive history than Columbus, before urban sprawl began to characterize both metropolitan areas after WWII. Many Cleveland suburbs were once distinctive cities or villages in their own capacity, and retain some of this character. Here's one example:
Despite the large population of Columbus, it still has the feel of a college town, given the great size and influence of The Ohio State University on the city, and the preponderance of Ohio State alums in the Columbus metropolitan area. This is never more true than on Buckeye football game day weekends, when participants can witness some of the greatest human spectacles in the entire world (check out TBDBITL, Skull Session, etc.).
Cleveland actually is the second best market for Ohio State sports ratings, reflecting the absence of a major university sports power in Greater Cleveland, and second largest Ohio State alumni base in the world. Many of Greater Cleveland's very best scholastic athletes matriculate at Ohio State.
Columbus wins for everything except snowboarding and hiking. It is often underappreciated for its offerings. The people are friendly and welcoming to be a Midwest city, and it is easy to get around. Great economy and more for your money. You are also much closer to other large cities for trips.
Question about Cleveland? I heard it's an extremely high crime city. Do you find this to be true? Is it nice to visit/live? Basically, I am trying to ask what you like about it.
Edit: And what made you want to leave Portland?
Well, it appears WRNative beat me to part of my response which is good because you can't get a better idea of what Cleveland has to offer as far as visiting goes. So ditto to that and more of what he has posted about Cleveland's many attributes. I would like to add though that in Cleveland there is so much to do and see I don't think you can ever run out of things. Portland offers some very nice opportunities too but not nearly as much and not as much variety. Also being near so many major cities, it's a short trip to other large cities from Cleveland that offer much more. I have relatives in Toronto and that's a great place to visit.
Crime is as anywhere. I lived the first half of my life in Chicago. I am 72 years old so that's a pretty long half. I never experienced crime there because as in any city, Chicago or Cleveland there is crime to be found in some neighborhoods more so than others. I stayed away from the worst.
The crime in Cleveland in the safer neighborhoods would probably be more like the typical property crime that comes with gentrification. That's true everywhere including Lakewood, the suburb where I now live that borders Cleveland as it becomes a more and more popular place to live. What I would do if I were moving to a new city is to look at neighborhoods I might think suitable and then find the crime stats online.
There is a discussion now on the Portland forum about increasing crime there. It's mostly about the property crime they are talking about so the more violent crime doesn't seem to be increasing and that of course is a good thing. But since you asked for my own personal take on the situation I will offer it.
I lived in Portland for nearly forty years, I had begun to feel less and less safe as time went on. I was accosted downtown often by very aggressive street people while just trying to get to and from the bus to work. Once the cops had to intervene. You must always be on your guard. Unfortunately, this situation has spilled into some of the more popular neighborhoods. It's not uncommon for violent protests to block downtown streets preventing traffic from leaving the area. It's one of the reasons, besides economic that as a senior citizen, I wanted out of that town. I just did not feel safe.
Again, I want to emphasize this is my experience and mine alone but I feel I would be remiss if I didn't mention it. I am no shrinking violet, having lived on my own practically all my life I have always been pretty fearless but I would never want to live in a place like Portland where I didn't feel I could enjoy the downtown area without always having to look over my shoulder.
Columbus wins for everything except snowboarding and hiking. It is often underappreciated for its offerings. The people are friendly and welcoming to be a Midwest city, and it is easy to get around. Great economy and more for your money. You are also much closer to other large cities for trips.
Columbus is not far from the Appalachian chain and Red Rvier Gourge. Arguably some of the most beautiful hiking in the USA.
To me this boils down to Portland having some core features that Columbus has no answer to-beautiful river with natural scenery, one of the best light rail systems in the country, easy access to the ocean. I don't see this working the other way around-anything Columbus has Portland has at least some answer to. When you see people mentioning things that are like 3 hours from Columbus as Columbus amenities...well, that's really all you need to know.
I see Cleveland was mentioned-if this was Cleveland vs Portland, completely different story. It wasn't though, so Portland.
Columbus puts you within a day's drive of about half the pro sports teams in the country, just everything from Boston to DC to KC to Green Bay. Then there's all the college sports in the same region. An easy drive to the mountains of PA, WV, VA for snow sports and mountain biking.
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To me this boils down to Portland having some core features that Columbus has no answer to-beautiful river with natural scenery, one of the best light rail systems in the country, easy access to the ocean. I don't see this working the other way around-anything Columbus has Portland has at least some answer to. When you see people mentioning things that are like 3 hours from Columbus as Columbus amenities...well, that's really all you need to know.
I see Cleveland was mentioned-if this was Cleveland vs Portland, completely different story. It wasn't though, so Portland.
Yes, the OP asked me specifically about Cleveland as well because I lived in Portland for many years and am now living in the Cleveland area so maybe Cleveland is on the table.
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