Where's the best place to live in Ohio? (Columbus, Cleveland: apartments, for rent)

[Mini-apple-less]

Is there anywhere in Ohio that's somewhat walkable, affordable, safe and relatively socially progressive?

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

Is there anywhere in Ohio that's somewhat walkable, affordable, safe and relatively socially progressive?

What do you mean by affordable and somewhat walkable? Will you have a car? Do you want mass transit? Do you want an urban area or a small town?

Ohio is a large state with many different types of living options.

[Minervah]

Maybe but you have to narrow down the field as to what you are looking for. I know you have moved from Portland to Eugene. Are you looking for something like either one of those cities? I moved from Portland to Cleveland last year after being fed up with the ever increasing COL. I think I have found the things you are listing in my area here near University Circle but I don't know just what your definitions of "affordable" or "socially progressive" are. That's pretty vague stuff.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Maybe but you have to narrow down the field as to what you are looking for. I know you have moved from Portland to Eugene. Are you looking for something like either one of those cities? I moved from Portland to Cleveland last year after being fed up with the ever increasing COL. I think I have found the things you are listing in my area here near University Circle but I don't know just what your definitions of "affordable" or "socially progressive" are. That's pretty vague stuff.

Affordable would mean I guess, around or below the average cost of living for America in general, and socially progressive would mean that someone who is gay, poor, or non-white could feel comfortable there and not be permanently relegated to the lower level of society.

[WRnative]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

Affordable would mean I guess, around or below the average cost of living for America in general, and socially progressive would mean that someone who is gay, poor, or non-white could feel comfortable there and not be permanently relegated to the lower level of society.

I don't know the average cost of living in the U.S., but it's likely lower than in many urban areas.

Can you quantify that amount in monthly expenditures, especially rent, or are you looking to buy a residence?

Costs of living generally are low in Ohio. Greater Cleveland likely would best meet your other requirements, although reportedly Columbus has a larger gay community if that is a primary concern.

[Minervah]

Okay, then since I have moved to Cleveland I could put that on your list. I find people here very accepting. I live in the inner ring suburb of Cleveland Heights just across from the city of Cleveland itself. Cleveland Heights is from what I am told half African American, half white. There is a mix of other cultures too. In the inner ring suburb of Lakewood next to Cleveland, for example there is a large gay community. The COL in Cleveland and the Cleveland area is very reasonable.

Where I live is five minutes away from University Circle which has museums, Case Western University and other places of interest. It also has a good bunch of progressive people and when I say progressive I do not mean stuck up yuppie or phony hipster types.

I moved from Portland mainly because as a retiree I simply could not afford the ever increasing COL and live like a decent human being. Here I can. As an example, I am paying about $150 dollars a month less for rent for twice as much space here as I was in Portland.

Cleveland has other really nice inner ring suburbs and parts of the city that are very nice too. There are of course, not so great areas of the city because it is an old one and like all cities in this side of the country it has had it's share of hard times. I am originally from Chicago, 32 years there and 36 in Portland so I can understand the culture shock of the geographical areas for those who have only lived in the PNW . But once upon a time, when I moved to Portland in the late 70's it had, believe it or not, some pretty bad slum areas too. They were in North Portland which today looks nothing like it was back then.

Anyway, if you are interested, I suggest you Google Cleveland and check out Cleveland neighborhoods and inner ring suburbs. The inner ring suburbs are little cities next to the Cleveland borders.

There is also a great book called New To Cleveland" by Justin Ganville that will give you great information about all these neighborhoods. Amazon sells it.

Other than that, you might want to go on the individual Ohio city forums. I have to say that one of the best decisions I have ever made was to move out of Portland. I don't mean anything against that city, I once really loved it and people who live there now love it but it was no longer a good fit for me for many reasons and I don't believe in staying where a place no longer suits you. Cleveland suits me very well.

Good luck if you decide to relocate.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by WRnative

I don't know the average cost of living in the U.S., but it's likely lower than in many urban areas.

Can you quantify that amount in monthly expenditures, especially rent, or are you looking to buy a residence?

Costs of living generally are low in Ohio. Greater Cleveland likely would best meet your other requirements, although reportedly Columbus has a larger gay community if that is a primary concern.

I'm not gay myself, but I'd want to live in a place where people aren't narrow minded. Though, political correctness is annoying too.

[WRnative]

The Cleveland Museum of Art, one of the best in the U.S., has free general admission. Memberships are very reasonable ($55?) and offer many benefits, such as discounts in museum restaurants and gift shops and free admission to the couple major exhibits each year that do have admission charges.

The Cleveland Institute of Music has many free concerts.

Cleveland's excellent PlayhouseSquare offers $10 smart seats.

PlayhouseSquare :: Smart Seats

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Okay, then since I have moved to Cleveland I could put that on your list. I find people here very accepting. I live in the inner ring suburb of Cleveland Heights just across from the city of Cleveland itself. Cleveland Heights is from what I am told half African American, half white. There is a mix of other cultures too. In the inner ring suburb of Lakewood next to Cleveland, for example there is a large gay community. The COL in Cleveland and the Cleveland area is very reasonable.

Where I live is five minutes away from University Circle which has museums, Case Western University and other places of interest. It also has a good bunch of progressive people and when I say progressive I do not mean stuck up yuppie or phony hipster types.

I moved from Portland mainly because as a retiree I simply could not afford the ever increasing COL and live like a decent human being. Here I can. As an example, I am paying about $150 dollars a month less for rent for twice as much space here as I was in Portland.

Cleveland has other really nice inner ring suburbs and parts of the city that are very nice too. There are of course, not so great areas of the city because it is an old one and like all cities in this side of the country it has had it's share of hard times. I am originally from Chicago, 32 years there and 36 in Portland so I can understand the culture shock of the geographical areas for those who have only lived in the PNW . But once upon a time, when I moved to Portland in the late 70's it had, believe it or not, some pretty bad slum areas too. They were in North Portland which today looks nothing like it was back then.

A lot of parts of Portland are still pretty sketchy. I lived in Montavilla. While parts of it look quite gentrified and have cute shops and such, there is definitely still a lot of crime and gang activity in the area. My neighbors all seemed extremely poor too. North Portland also still feels quite sketchy and dangerous to me, despite the influx of hipsters and coffee shops.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

A lot of parts of Portland are still pretty sketchy. I lived in Montavilla. While parts of it look quite gentrified and have cute shops and such, there is definitely still a lot of crime and gang activity in the area. My neighbors all seemed extremely poor too. North Portland also still feels quite sketchy and dangerous to me, despite the influx of hipsters and coffee shops.

Yes, I know what you mean. Those areas have been in flux for years. A couple of decades ago, they were not considered good places to live but as other places considered to be bad like around Hawthorne and 28th (believe it or not it once was considered a dangerous area when I first moved there) gentrification pushed more eastward but only in pockets.

Parts of Montavilla are much improved like the heart of the strip with the fancy restaurants. I used to take my cats to the veterinary hospital that was there for decades. It was kind of burned out looking. Not as good as it looks today. A lot of it remains sketchy though. That will change depending upon how crowded the close-in neighborhoods get as the trendy areas become saturated.

North Portland is the same. You can escape to those neighborhoods today and hope to stay safe but you also have to hope that in ten years or less you will be able to afford living there. That's what happened to me although it took 28 years in my neighborhood before I finally gave up the struggle to pay the rent. I just left it to those who are willing to pay the price of 350 ft sq apartments at $1500 a month rent." No hard feelings, things change.

But I thought you liked Eugene. Are you thinking of leaving Oregon for another state?