Another relocation question - Asian area? (Columbus, Cleveland: safest neighborhood, school, university)

[CobaltDragon]

I am relocating to the Cleveland area for my job in Twinsburg (I live in the Ellet area of Akron now and am tired of the 40 minute commute).

I want to be close to my job, but I also want a more diverse area, especially more Asian people - I'd like my son to go to school with some other Asian kids and perhaps even have friends in the neighborhood that are Asian. I've been looking at Stow, Macedonia, Solon (I lived in Solon during my last 3 years of HS and then moved to Columbus and then Akron), etc. They aren't exactly diverse areas. Anyone have any ideas, I'm not coming up with anything from my limited knowledge of the areas' ethnic makeup.

[Abasi]

Little Italy is starting to have quite a diverse population with many Asian people. That is not super close to Twinsburg though.

[BelieveInCleve]

Sadly, there is not that large of an Asian population in the Cleveland area, but it is continuously growing.

Some areas where there are a large number of Asians are:
Cleveland neighborhoods: Chinatown in downtown, Goodrich-Kirtland Park, Little Italy, University Circle, Edgewater, Cudell, and West Park (Riverside, Puritas-Longmead).
Suburbs: Shaker Hts. (western), Solon, Mayfield/Mayfield Hts., Highland Hts. Richmond Hts., and Westlake.

[hubz1124]

hudson

[CobaltDragon]

Originally Posted by hubz1124

hudson

Not sure I can afford Hudson or really want to live there - my brother lives in Hudson and his neighborhood is as white as you can get.

I sometimes attend the Vietnamese church in Akron and asked a couple people there if there was an area where Vietnamese or Asians tended to concentrate...but, they said there isn't too much, except near downtown Cleveland and I really don't want to be that far from work again.

Guess we'll just have to make do or move to a larger, more metropolitan area of the country.

[jam40jeff]

The problem is not so much Cleveland, but that the suburban areas of any city tend to be less diverse. You should check out Shaker Heights for a diverse population, and you won't be that far from Twinsburg. What is unfortunate is that your job is in Twinsburg.

[costello_musicman]

If we're talking diversity...lakewood is about as diverse as it gets when it comes to school. I remember reading somewhere that Lakewood High has like 30-40 languages spoke it in. Lincoln- West in Cleveland is also known as having a lot of kids from all sorts of background.

The only neighborhood I can think of with heavy Asian influence in Cleveland's Chinatown...there are at least 15-20 establishments with signs not written in English...signifying a decent local population.

[mikemeatball]

Assuming you are looking for area with maximal possibility of East Asia population, and they are or have kids.

The answer is Solon, same as your old school.

[CobaltDragon]

Originally Posted by mikemeatball

Assuming you are looking for area with maximal possibility of East Asia population, and they are or have kids.

The answer is Solon, same as your old school.

You may just be right...checking demographics data...most burbs in the Cleveland/Akron area have 1.5-3% Asian population, Solon has 5%. I guess I have to add it to the list, even though it's not one of my favorite places (didn't really like the HS too much, though it has certainly changed since the mid 90s) - I often find the people in Solon to be very much in the mode of doing anything and everything to keep up with the Joneses - a bit overly pretentious. It would fit the bill for proximity to work and a higher Asian population.

[jam40jeff]

Originally Posted by CobaltDragon

You may just be right...checking demographics data...most burbs in the Cleveland/Akron area have 1.5-3% Asian population, Solon has 5%. I guess I have to add it to the list, even though it's not one of my favorite places (didn't really like the HS too much, though it has certainly changed since the mid 90s) - I often find the people in Solon to be very much in the mode of doing anything and everything to keep up with the Joneses - a bit overly pretentious. It would fit the bill for proximity to work and a higher Asian population.

As much as I dislike pretty much everything about Solon, I have a feeling it may be your best bet. Unfortunately, many of the wealthier outer suburbs have that "keeping up with the Joneses" feel, especially Solon, Bainbridge, and Hudson. However, your job being in Twinsburg greatly limits your possibilities if you don't want a large commute (although I have to say that the reverse commute isn't all that bad). Asiatown really would be your best bet. It's one of the safest neighborhoods in Cleveland and has a mixture of different Asian ethnicities living there, as well as a Dave's Supermarket and some nice renovations going on, such as Tyler VIllage. It is the only area around Cleveland where you will see numerous authentic Asian restaurants and specialty stores (although there is one I can think of outside of Asiatown, CAM Asia Supermarket right across the street from the now defunct Randall Park Mall).