Columbus or Cleveland (Gahanna, Hilliard: rent, crime rates, how much)

[Mo4]

Hello.
We are family of 6 (4 kids) and relocating to Ohio.
We need your help to choose - Columbus or Cleveland.
Could you please answer our questions?
1.Wich city has more snow?
2. Wich has more crime?
3. Where is better schools?
Thank you for your time and effort.

[Supergrrl7]

1) Cleveland has a LOT more snow, especially if you are on the east side. They get lake effect snow.

2) I have no idea. I lived in Cleveland briefly and felt safer in Columbus, but that could have just been familiarity and the fact that I lived in a just beginning to gentrify neighborhood in Cleveland. I am sure you can google stats on this.

3) Are you talking about City schools or suburban schools? Both have some very good suburban schools.

The vibe of the two cities is just very different. Have you visited? Cleveland feels a lot more like...Chicago. Lots of eastern European influences, lots of catholics, a bigger blue collar feel to the city overall. Columbus feels more like a younger, new city. A lot of the housing here is newer, lots of people did are new to Columbus and did not grow up here, where Cleveland seemed to have more people whose families have been in Cleveland forever. Columbus has Ohio State which is a much bigger college than Case Western Reserve, so it can feel more like a college town (a BIG college town). It also feels like the population of Columbus has generally a higher level of education (again, just a feel, I don't know if stats bear that out) because so many people come here for OSU and stay.

[Jbeechuk]

Cleveland gets double the amount of snow than Columbus...even more if you live in the snow belt.

Crime...I don't think one is more safe than the other. Always pockets of bad parts of town to avoid.

Schools are always much better in suburbs than Cleveland or Columbus school systems. Of course, the parents must be involved on their end.

Columbus has a much better economy and is growing, and is a newer city. Cleveland is older and has a more ethnic feel to it. There are more museums and better culture in Cleveland, too. Columbus is the biggest college town in the county. Everything here revolves around Ohio State and the Buckeyes. Cleveland has 3 sports pro teams. Columbus has 1 (I don't include soccer). Columbus has more of a Midwestern feel to it, while Cleveland is more like a Northeastern city.

I have lived in both cities. I like Cleveland better, but my job is in Columbus now. I miss Lake Erie and the better overall scenery of Cleveland. Not much of that in Columbus.

Where are you from?

[bjimmy24]

If you don't want too much snow- columbus. Cleveland is much snowiest and usually colder than columbus. Especially cold down by the lake.

[Natural510]

The city of Cleveland has more crime but once you reach the suburbs, it's the same as anywhere else. Same with schools, once you reach suburban districts...just depends where you want to live and, frankly, how much money you have to spend on rent or mortgage.

[Lowkeykennyg]

Most people have already hit up on the differences, Cleveland having a big cultural background, Columbus rapidly growing. I know that the Columbus housing market is much hotter than Cleveland, due in part to the rapid growth. And Cleveland has more crime per capita, and is known for being more dangerous, however you don't just get mugged on a regular day.

I know Cleveland has fantastic private schools, and Columbus tends to lean more towards public suburban schools(which are excellent). If you want affordable housing (for your families size) with good schools, I would look into Hilliard and Gahanna. There are great neighborhoods in the city, but with kids it gets tricky with the school situation.

Realistically you will be happy in both. They both have a lot going for them, and things to do. I would decide based on where you can get a well paying job.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Mo4

Hello.
We are family of 6 (4 kids) and relocating to Ohio.
We need your help to choose - Columbus or Cleveland.
Could you please answer our questions?
1.Wich city has more snow?
2. Wich has more crime?
3. Where is better schools?
Thank you for your time and effort.

Cleveland gets between 2x-4x more snow on average than Columbus because of lake effect.
Crime rates are much higher in Cleveland, especially violent crime, which is about double the rate of Columbus.
There are good and bad districts and individual schools in both cities. It's going to come down to location.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

Cleveland gets between 2x-4x more snow on average than Columbus because of lake effect.
Crime rates are much higher in Cleveland, especially violent crime, which is about double the rate of Columbus.
There are good and bad districts and individual schools in both cities. It's going to come down to location.

Like any older industrial city there is an entrenched underclass of blacks living in certain 'hoods that spike Cleveland's crime rates. One needs to simply avoid these areas.

[Rocco Barbosa]

move to Cleveland.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Like any older industrial city there is an entrenched underclass of blacks living in certain 'hoods that spike Cleveland's crime rates. One needs to simply avoid these areas.

Crime is based largely in poverty, not race. Regardless, I do agree that there are dangerous areas and not dangerous areas, but the OP asked which had more crime. The answer is Cleveland.