Miss it Every Day - 5/27/2018

I lived in Columbus from age 18 - 40. I've since moved a lot for my career: Westchester NY (NYC), Washington DC, Jackson MS, Irvine CA, Salt Lake City UT, and Pittsburgh PA. So I feel like I have a good representative sample. I also travel a lot and have been to every US city and state. And although I am a bit of a homer (I went to Ohio State) I have to say that Columbus is the only place I think of when I think of "home." So let me start out with the negative things about Columbus that I don't think anyone is going to debate: 1) The winters are cold and unbearable, and there is really nothing to do outdoors between December and April. 2) There are not mountains or beaches nearby; it is largely surrounded by farmland to the north and west and Appalachian foothills to the east and south. 3) Sports revolve around Ohio State. 4) There are a lot of chain restaurants in the suburbs (although where isn't this the case?). Now for the good, which I could spend days writing about: 1) Traffic is easy. Some people complain about it, but that is because they grew up in the countryside where the biggest issue was getting past tractors. Anyone that has lived in other metro areas knows how easy traffic is in Columbus. And while there are some bottlenecks (70 east, for example) they are easily avoided for the intelligent. 2) Convenience: You can get anywhere in the city in 20 minutes. The outerbelt and highways are in perfect symmetry. In other cities I have to take a half-day just to go to the doctor. Here I can knock out the dentist, doctor, and oil change in 2 hours. And if you have kids, no more driving for hours on end to get to soccer practice. It is so easy to get around here. 3) Suburban towns with character. Before we get into the city itself, lets talk about the adorable suburban towns and activities. They all have a New England colonial flare. Dublin, Worthington, Upper Arlington, Bexley, Westerville, Powell, Hilliard...every one has a unique town center with its own distinctive character. Fun to live in and fun to visit. No other city has it so good! 4) So many other cities nearby. When I lived in Salt Lake, I felt so isolated. Nothing within a 5-hour drive. In Columbus, if you want to get away for a weekend you have so many driveable options: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Dayton, Cincinnati, Detroit, Lexington, Louisville, Nashville, Washington DC, Chicago even, all within reach. Plus all of the other interesting and cultural things: Amish country, Hocking Hills, Cedar Point, The Wilds (pet a rhino!), the Great Lakes, rafting in WV, the list goes on and on and on. For a place situated in middle America, you will NEVER run of new and fun things to do. 5) Sports. Ok, I get it, you're not an Ohio State fan. But if you are a college sports fan, nothing beats a game at the 'Shoe. And that aside, there is so much to do in the city and nearby: Blue Jackets (NHL) have (in my opinion) the best arena in all of sports (even Sports Illustrated agreed!). The Columbus Crew has the first soccer-specific stadium in America. Columbus is an annual stop on the PGA Tour with the Memorial Tournament, which some call the "5th major". And if you love tennis, the last ATP Tour stop before the US Open is just a 90 minute drive away in Mason, OH. Football? Besides Ohio State, you have the Steelers, Browns, Bengals, Colts and Lions all within short drives. Basketball? Besides Ohio State you have the Cavs, Pacers and Pistons nearby. Baseball? Columbus has the best minor league park in America (no joke, look it up). And if you want MLB, the Reds, Pirates, Tigers and Indians are not far. Columbus is the bullseye on the sports map! 6) Activities for kids. So many fun and affordable things to do. Columbus has the top-rated zoo in America run by Jack Hannah, and also has a nearby waterpark. Two of the best amusement parks in America (King's Island and Cedar Point) are a short drive. COSI is one of the best science centers, and only 60 minutes away is the US Air Force museum with the largest collection of planes in the world. Couple that with numerous, welcoming groups, sports, and other activities, and Columbus is one of the best places to to raise a family in America. 7) Great schools. OK the city schools aren't great (when is that not the case?), but within a 10-15 minute drive outside the city you have some of the best suburban public schools districts in America (see towns listed above). 8) Great outdoor activities. So, again, lets caveat that with the fact that winter is harsh and there aren't mountains, but the urban bike paths are the best I've ever seen. The Olentangy Bike trail blows my mind, and can get you all the way to Cincinnati. It is just perfect. And the metro parks are just amazing (especially Highbanks). If you're a hockey player, Columbus has the best adult rec program in the country, no questions asked. The same goes for most other indoor sports as well. And the outdoor sand volleyball in summer...how is it that Columbus has a better sand volleyball scene than Newport Beach?! It is the best! 9) Boating. Lots of lakes, rivers and reservoirs for the kayakers, fishers, sailers and boaters out there. And don't forget that Lake Erie is a short drive north. 10) Ohio State. Yeah yeah, you hate the Buckeyes. That aside, having one of the largest and most prestigious universities in the countries in the heart of the city isn't a bad thing. Take advantage of everything it has to offer! 11) High Street. It runs north to south and bisects the city, and is its cultural hub. The amazing and distinct districts, shopping, restaurants, breweries, and coffee houses along it cannot be beat. If you ever get a chance, get your bike in and start in Worthington (north end of the city) and ride all the way to south of downtown. You'll pass through Columbus' amazing cultural points: Old Worthington, Clintonville (my favorite!), Park of Roses, University District, Victorian Village, Short North (amazing shopping and culture), Arena District, downtown, and German Village (probably one of the most unique cultural destinations in the country). 12) Airport. It isn't Heathrow, but where else in America can you leave your home an hour before your flight, park at the airport and be at your gate before the flight even boards? Nowhere but here. It may not have a ton of direct flights, but it is the most convenient airport on earth. 13) The people. The friendliest people you'll ever meet. Of course Columbus has its bad parts, but if you stay north of German Village and west of Interstate 71, you'll be just fine. 14) The economy. Where to begin? Being the state capital, having the largest US university, and tons of big business...Columbus is always booming. There are so many large companies headquartered here that people didn't even realize: Cardinal Health (Fortune 15), Wendy's, Abercrombie, L Brands (Victoria's Secret), Bath and Body Works, Big Lots, Rocky Boots, Huntington Bank, Scotts Miracle-Gro, Nationwide Insurance, AEP, Hexion, Worthington Industries, Bob Evans, and so many more. It is an amazing place to work and thrive. 15) Civic engagement. Unlike other cities that are closed off to outsiders, Columbus is very welcoming (both at the local level and city level) and there are numerous opportunities to get involved and make a difference in your community. The same can be said for philanthropic activities: Pelotonia is the largest charitable bike ride in the world and has raised over $100 million for cancer research. And that just scratches the surface. People in this city are so generous. 16. Natural beauty. So yeah, no mountains. But go walk along the river walk downtown, or through the many parks, or through neighborhoods in spring when the trees are blooming, or during summer when the lightning bugs appear. So beautiful. And the 4th of July fireworks...best in America. 17. Golf. Columbus was ranked the second best golf city in America. No joke. Sure, you can't golf in winter, but when April arrives, get out those sticks! 18. Affordability. Having bought 6 different houses across America, Columbus is the best for affordability. Don't pay any attention to those aggregate statistics you see, they don't tell the real story. The big question is: Where can I get a nice 4 bed, 3 bath for my family in a good school district, close to downtown, and for how much? In Columbus, look at the Scioto Run development along the river in Hilliard Schools with a 15-minute drive to downtown (or anywhere for that matter). $300,000 for a NICE house. And I mean NICE. In Salt Lake that house costs $600,000, in Westchester it is $1.2 million, in Irvine it is $1.5 million. But in those cities you aren't making enough to justify the cost. I got a 20% pay increase when I moved to Westchester, but my house cost 4x as much. Columbus is ridiculously affordable. 19. Breweries and restaurants. Where do I begin? So many great ones. Go get your brewery stamp book and spend a weekend touring around. And the restaurants in German Village, Short North and all the small little towns are just great. Jeni's Ice Creams is consistently rated the best ice cream in the country (try the goat cheese!). Brother's Drake is the largest meadery in America. And you have to stop by the North Market, get some grub, and then walk over to Goodale Park, one of the most beautiful spots in the city. I've eaten all of the world, but I always crave the Columbus restaurant scene. So vibrant, delicious, and fun. 20. Arts and culture. Home to four world-class downtown theaters, and thriving music scene, a monthly gallery hop in the Short North, and numerous other activities, there is always something fun going on. Pick up a Cbus Magazine and see for yourself! 21. Healthcare. No brainer with the OSU Medical Center nearby, but the the Ohio Health system and others make this one of the best cities for healthcare. 22...boy I could go on for hours but I have to leave now to take the kids to soccer practice because it is going to take an hour to drive them 10 miles. I miss Columbus! For those that don't enjoy Columbus, I just don't understand. Did you move to the east side of town and just sit around Olive Garden on the weekends? Get out, get active, challenge your comfort zones and enjoy everything this amazing city has to offer. Once I'm done working I'm moving back in a heartbeat.

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Not for the individual. Great for herd mentality. - 3/10/2018

If you move to Columbus for Olive Garden there is something seriously wrong with you..(seems like any good restaurant turned into a chain and quality went downhill) Columbus already has one of the most overweight populations in the countries. It's true. Wonder why establishments have so many handicapped parking spots? Not for the injured or elderly, but for those who can't keep their mouth hole closed. You often find these areas littered with scooters, little rascals, personal mobility devices or whatever you call them. Why would a person ever get so fat? A glandular condition needs a fuel to feed on. I like food as well, but I stop eating when food no longer goes down my throat voluntarily. If you're looking for traveling Broadway shows with second rate talent you've hit the jackpot. Remember, these are actors that couldn't 'Make It There'. Schools, yes the suburban schools are probably better, but that's cause voters/homeowners pass levys that better fund the schools. Columbus City Schools have a higher ratio of transient parents. That means kids move with them and have to start all over again. If sports is your life (why?) this might be for you although locals can't find enough to keep them from their families. More second rate sports are brought in to fill the void for lack of pro (real sports) teams. Why can't Columbus pull in another Pro team? Cause nobody wants to move here. Even the soccer team is leaving... This would partially explain why college (amateur) sports waste so much local news time. Cup stacking, hacky sack and putt putt golf are included in this category. Don't get me wrong, college is big business here, some of those kids even graduate. The ever-growing health care system continually needs bodies to fill the constantly under construction hospitals. In 20 years the OSU campus will be surrounded by health care facilities. The graduates won't have far to walk when school ends. Columbus has a beltway more or less surrounding Franklin County. What can you see as you drive this beltway? Nothing of interest. If you enjoy driving past car dealerships you're in luck. If you enjoy traffic backed up at every exit, continual roadwork and construction this is your place. Very little of this roadwork is beneficial to the average citizen. Most of it is designed to get you from one retail area to another just a little faster. Maybe. Inside the beltway it gets exciting. Miles and miles of strip malls, fast food, apartments and maybe a car dealership. In a five mile radius of where I live there are two CVS a mile apart on the same street. A conservative estimate of 25 pizza places, two Kroger, two Target, a walmart of course, too many fast dining places, a dozen or so small shopping centers, some fitness centers, about four large car dealerships, and new houses. Lots of new houses. Also a bunch of useless crap that makes me ill every time I see it cause my tax dollar may have help to fund it. Fully half of this stuff didn't exist 15 years ago. It used to be disused farmland. Farmer died, kids got rich. These were the last of the small farms in the area, but we were already in fully developed suburbs. Urban sprawl sucks. Columbus is a tiny fish in the pond of real cities. This might be a booming metropolis if you are from Wheeling, but if you've ever spent time in a real city you'll wonder why the hell you stopped here. 20 years ago I moved here under the premise we would move after a few years. We didn't. Hence my growing disdain for the little town that should concentrate more on the residents that stay than building gleaming spires that attract none. Btw, I'm leaving it all and moving to the desert....

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Awful Stats - 1/26/2018

I would love to live in Columbus, however the stats on this website are not helpful.

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Great Place to Raise Kids - 12/26/2017

I loved living in Columbus. There are tons of activities for children (see the book "Kids Love Columbus). There's a great sense of community and the citizens have good midwestern values. I hated to leave!

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Columbus, OH - 8/29/2016

have lived in Columbus for about 9 yrs now. Moved here because my husband was born & raised here and had good memories of the place from the '70's. I can't stand this city. The drivers are all maniacs. The only good things I can come up with are: an outstanding library system and the Franklin Conservatory (which costs about $12 bucks to walk thru!! My husband died last year and if I had the money to move, I would be seeing Columbus in my rear view mirror pronto!

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Columbus overall - 3/5/2016

After living in the Columbus area for 2 years, I think I can give an impartial review of the city. So, here goes: Pros: Low cost of living compared to many other places. I have no statistics, but there seems to be a good employment rate in a variety of fields. Many shows, concerts, festivals, etc. Good system of metro parks that are connected via a paved biking/walking path. Good library system with multiple branches Decent hospitals Good restaurants. Ohio state university and some good small colleges. Cons: Sprawl- Everything is spread out. The public transportation is not good. A car is pretty much a necessity, and this leads to traffic. Many drivers are overly aggressive. Many drive too slowly and do not pay attention. This is a bad combination. The weather is often dreary, humid, or rainy. Lots of littering. Hard to find a good neighborhood. Most decent areas are surrounded by urban decay. The northern suburbs are better, but they are bland, more expensive, and probably farther from your job. City schools are bad. You will find a lot of close minded people that are very set in their ways. Not much scenic beauty unless you like flat land and strip malls.

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cost of living - 3/5/2016

low compared to many other places

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Just the Right Size - 10/10/2015

Columbus may not be the biggest city but it certainly isn't the smallest. For comparison, I have spent time in both Chicago and Dayton, cities on either side of the city size spectrum and I can say without a doubt that Columbus is the best of the three. While Chicago may have more sports teams and famous landmarks and other points of interest downtown, the cost of living was outrageous and the population was just plain rude and don't even get me started on the God forsaken traffic. Columbus on the other hand has a great cost of living compared to cities all across America and for the most part people are generally nice and pleasant and traffic is better than you would expect. Once you take the time to learn the general traffic patterns of the city, its not too hard to get where you need to go and quickly. Columbus also has a decent amount of points of interest and there is plenty to do in and around the city. Dayton on the other hand couldn't be more boring and depressing. After going from Columbus to Dayton, I could slowly feel myself being drained due to the general lack of things to do. It felt like someone tried to build a copy of Columbus but ran out of money halfway through. With the exception of Wright-Patt AFB, it was hard to see any real job growth in the city. This is why I feel that Columbus is just the right size. Its big enough to be interesting and have plenty of opportunities but also not so big that it costs you an arm and a leg just to pay for the gas to get to work. I know there have been times that talking to friends in Chicago while I was in Columbus where gas has been 75 cents to a dollar cheaper per gallon. Another great thing about Columbus that many people overlook is its park system and green-space. All over downtown are parks and bike trails and places like the Scioto Mile, The Oval, and the Park of Roses which offer plenty of recreation areas. In the suburban areas, the Columbus Metro Parks system is top-notch and offers beautiful nature parks for everyone to enjoy. Another great perk of Columbus is its library system. Columbus has one of the best library systems in the country and it is integrated with the surrounding suburban libraries giving everyone in the city and its suburbs access to everything the combined inventory of all the libraries regardless of what part of the city they live in. Columbus also has excellent healthcare facilities. Both Ohio Health and Mount Carmel have large hospitals all across the city and OSU Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Childrens Hospital are nationally ranked Level 1 trauma centers. There are just so many more reasons to live in a city than whether or not its a "famous big city" and Columbus is able to cater to people of all ages, interests and professions.

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Great place to raise a family! - 9/19/2015

There are many opportunities for physical activity in Columbus, Ohio. There are programs for children, adults, and the elderly. There are walking paths and bicycling paths. The YMCA has branches across the city.

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Depends on what you're looking for, but it's not a - 3/30/2015

Columbus is a great size, it's affordable, it has a lot of opportunities, some arts & culture, a lot of college related sports, and a few other professional athletic teams. I don't personally like the cold (I wouldn't mind never seeing snow or changing seasons again.) The winters are very gray here and that can make them feel long and tedious. However, we have a lovely spring, a crisp fall, and a hot summer. We have a large number of top rated medical facilities and doctors. The suburbs are nice and there are plenty of different neighborhoods to choose from, all with their own unique vibes. It is a decent place to live, people are friendly, and opportunities are here for the taking if you're looking.

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Pros and cons - 3/28/2015

Pros: stable economy, educated people, cultural activities, housing, friendly people, cost of living, restaurants and shopping, ethnic diversity. Cons: little natural beauty, gray climate, hostile weirdos downtown, small airport.

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Little big city - 9/21/2014

Although Columbus seems to suffer from a mild inferiority complex and is always trying to prove itself as a 'big city' it is fine the way it is, in my opinion. It has a stable economy not dependent on manufacturing, great recreational opportunities and greenspace and plentiful cultural opportunities. Its a manageable size ( it can be driven across in 20 mins, 40 mins at rush hour ) with many distinct neighborhoods to please any homebuyer. Some lament the domination of sports by Ohio State events but I've never considered professional sports a necessary part of the city I live in. The presence of The Ohio State University does provide Columbus with many academic and scholarly programs, lectures and opportunities it might not otherwise have. We have a vibrant arts community and a vital arts district in an old warehouse district called the short north. We have a reasonably good symphony orchestra and a great theatre company. I find it a very comfortable town to live in. It reminds me soewhat of Albany,NY in that it is somewhat overshadowed by other cities in its state but is the seat of state government and the home of the main campus of its dominant university

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Lack of good mass transit in the Columbus, Ohio ar - 8/8/2014

The public transportation system in the Columbus, Ohio area, does not compare with the mass transit systems in other cities. For years, it used antiquated buses, which were not on a par with buses in other cities. For example, the New York City Transit Authority had buses, whereby the passengers could exit via the rear door, by opening the door after the bus stopped. For years, the Columbus buses lacked that device, and passengers had to depend on the whim of the drivers to let us off. I tried to tell one nasty driver that he couldn't see the passengers at the rear, if the bus was crowded. He became incensed and started becoming belligerent and pointing his finger in my face. Those devices were finally installed, after many years. Unfortunately, the cushioned seats which were once prevalent were replaced with plexiglass seats, which are very uncomfortable. Also, those seats really are not wide enough to comfortably seat two passengers. In addition, the buses are rarely cleaned, and they smell badly. The drivers run those buses at a snail's pace. One time, I actually observed a driver reading a booklet, while driving his bus, on a major thoroughfare. Another time, a driver actually had the gall to ask some foreign born passengers to move to the rear of the bus, as he didn't like to hear them speaking in Russian. There was a strike which lasted nearly a month. After the strike was over, the drivers gained very little, and still had the same bad attitudes and chips on their shoulders, once the strike was concluded. Last, it isn't always safe to go on the buses, as there have been instances of gangs perpetrating assaults on the buses, and gunfire being directed at the buses. The alternative is driving; however, I try to stay off the roadways during rush hour. The reason that there is so much vehicular traffic on the streets and the roads, is because the mass transit system, as outlined above, is not that great. When driving, one has to deal with Columbus drivers who love to tailgait, even at a high rate of speed; they also love to pass cars in front of them, with only inches to spare. There have been instances where drivers who have been going very slow in the right lane, will intentionally speed up, to prevent a motorist in the left lane from passing them. Other specialties of Columbus motorists include going through stop signs, red lights, driving cars with defective mufflers, inoperable brake lights and head lights, cracked windshields, wheels which are out of balance, failure to yield the right of way, racing down residential streets, at a speed way over the speed limit, playing loud boom box music from their cars, and throwing cigarettes and other debris out of their cars. Outside of the above, transportation in the Columbus, Ohio area, is an absolute delight!

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Drivers' in Columbus, Ohio - 7/30/2014

Previously, I've commented about the terrible driving habits of Columbus motorists. However, I realized that I omitted some habits which I'd like to add to the list. There have been occasions when some motorists, for whatever reason, will choose to travel in either the right or left lanes, at a speed well below the legal limit. Then, when one attempts to legally pass them, using directional signals, and allowing plenty of room to change lanes, those despicable motorists will deliberately accelerate, and attempt to prevent one from passing them. It appears to be a sadistic habit, of which there is really no logical explanation. Another terrible habit of Columbus motorists, especially in residential neighborhoods, is their habit of backing out of a driveway, even when they don't have the right of way, and a car is approaching from the opposite direction. One can honk their horn from today until tomorrow to warn them; it won't do any good, as they will insist upon backing out into the middle of the street, even if there might be a pending collision! In addition, Columbus motorists are just too lazy to dispose of their used cigarettes in their automobile ash trays. Instead, they toss their used cigarette butts out of the windows, thus adding to the dirt on the city streets. They could care less about the littering laws. If they engaged in such conduct in Singapore, at least a $500.00 fine would be imposed. Columbus motorists also love to exceed the speed limit in many residential neighborhoods, often flying down the street between 40-45 miles per hour, when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour. More often than not, people have visitors in the residential areas, who could care less about parking laws. I've seen cases of people leaving their cars parked longer than 72 hours on the street, even though there are laws against that. Also, people like to park closer than five feet to a driveway, in spite of the fact that is also forbidden. Last, I've noticed the proliferation of not only boomboxes in some cars, but cars driving with cut off mufflers, which make a very loud, grating, and unpleasant sound. The government of the City of Columbus never ceases to amaze me. It was only the other day, that it sent several sweeper trucks sweeping the empty streets, when their services weren't really needed. However, during the winter, when the snow piles up, and residents need their streets plowed and salted, snow plows are not to be found on city residential streets. Residents should not have to drive down the equivalent of an ice skating rink, because the city officials wish to save money on salt, equipment, and labor costs.

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bad city people - 5/26/2014

I get blammed for my great grand parents owning black slaves, but that is wrong because I was told your great grand parents owned Chinese people because they are better workers. I got jumped at a walmart today by one white punk kid and a black kid.walmart does not wont to get involved because of the gang members around the area.i went shopping after the cops took a report and I saw 5 mexicans ripping shirts out of plastic bags and putting those shirts in there pants.i told a walmart superior about it and I was told it does not do any good to call the police because all they do is take reports and those mexicans dont understand English. No wonder Columbus Ohio is turning into another Detroit Michigan. A corrupt plane and the non guilty people are charged.

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I love Columbus - 5/21/2014

After a divorce and losing my job, I relocated to Columbus for more opportunities since Cleveland, Oh was on the decline. I fell in love with Columbus. In general, the people were more friendly and willing to help with anything from driving directions to who was hiring. This may not seem like a big deal to you if you are moving from the south but as a woman moving from Cleveland, this spoke Volumes! Its very diverse here, which I love too. the public schools may not be what I cheer for, however, there are many Great options for alternative, private or chartered schools! Stop waiting... if you are ready to move here! COME ON! no regrets!

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Addendum to review of Columbus, which was written - 4/22/2014

In my prior review of Columbus in 2012, I commented then, pertaining to the substandard snow removal program, which Columbus has. I might have well predicted the winter of 2014, in Columbus, as the nearly 58 inches of snow, which Columbus received this past winter and early spring, was not removed very well. There was ice and snow (including black ice), which stayed on the ground for weeks. Sure enough, we heard the same nonsensical excuses, which I've heard for forty two years. Now, it appears that snow plows which were on order, didn't arrive in time, and the city officials promised to have more snow plows in time for the winter of 2015. Unfortunately, I heard the exact same excuse in 1978, following the blizzard, which struck that year. In 1979, the snow plows which we were ordered, never arrived in time. Also, even if the additional snow plows arrive in time for next season, it won't make any difference, since many of the older plows will be retired. Also, to this date, the city of Columbus still has not officially revised its obsolete policy of ignoring the residential side streets, until the snow reaches four inches. The fact of the matter, is that Columbus has ignored its own policy and has failed to spread salt and plow residential streets, even when the snow has reached four inches. Indianapolis has the same amount of miles of streets as Columbus does (about 6,000), yet it has over three times the amount of snow plows (over 300, counting ones provided by private contractors). On the other hand, Columbus has barely 100, counting private contractors. Until this town decides to devote a higher priority to snow removal, the quality of life, in the winter, will continue to be abysmal.

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Columbus is a Joke, STAY AWAY! - 1/17/2014

I have lived in Columbus for 4 year now and there is definitely more BAD then GOOD. Sure, it's a city with things to do BUT the people are weird. A lot withdrawn, fake, insecure, and FAT people. OMG there are so many nasty people here it's funny and sad. Diversity is great if you like to feel the racial tension in the air. NO ONE knows how to drive, horrible. I live in a good area and my car has been broken into 3 times and my brother in laws truck was stolen. The crime here is outrageous. Way worse than any place I have ever lived. Sure it's a little cheaper here but so is the pay. Downtown if that';s what you want to call it has some things to do but it gets old quick. I have lived in a lot of different places in my life but the people here seem to be the worse. There's seems to be a disconnect to it, kind of hard to describe. Maybe it;s the crap weather. I can;t wait to move in February and never come back. If you visit, take a drive down Sullivant Avenue, it's the best! LOL, this place is seriously a joke. The only reason it's growing is because of the cheap, low income housing everywhere and the foreigners. Good Luck!

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Dispelling Ignorant Columbus, OH Myths - 9/28/2013

As someone who lives in Columbus, I'd like to dispel a lot of ignorance that has been posted to this board, especially from one poster about a year ago whose comments overused phrases like "extremely boring" and "nothing to do" since it seems this person never left his/her house. Columbus is a very diverse city. To the Clevelander who posted that nearly everyone was from West Virginia--I only laugh at this since a. it's not a fact and b. it's a very, very ignorant and prejudiced observation. Columbusites have their own prejudices about the aging city of Cleveland, so I guess turnabout's fair play (and I won't get into disparaging that city by stating some facts). 2013, Columbus was ranked the most intelligent city in the United States by the Intelligent Communities Forum, so I think that speaks for the so-called "brain drain". We did have an issue with that some years ago, however, since we've been growing at an average rate of 7% over the past few years, we've made up for it. Traffic in certain areas can indeed be bad. Anything near the East side (i.e. I70) is a rough trek. The Polaris area is also notorious for bad traffic, but this is all part of living in a big city. Columbusites can be, for the msot part, somewhat aloof. We're not overly friendly and we're not overly rude. Most people are quite polite, so to say that people are "awful" is again blanketing the city based on people you've met (whom aren't all from West Viginina ...). Comments about the food scene are also hilarious. Yes, like any other city, Cbus has chain restaurants. However, go down to the Short North and to the downtowns of the suburbs and even downtown Columbus and you'll find many non-chain restaurants of high caliber from creative and talented chefs. The Mitchell establishments and others have won awards. I guess the person who stated this missed Restaurant Week the entire time he/she was here. Grandview, Upper Arlington and other inner suburbs have great restaurants. Go above and beyond an Olive Garden, please. Things to do: Columbus has a nice Museum of Art, sports (pro hockey with the Jackets; Ohio State is the biggest college sports scene) and many, many recreational facilities. I can't even name them all ... Our Metroparks are amazing. Bike and leisure trails galore, from the city out to the country. Cricket and soccer fields. I could go on. If you're outdoors-y, you're within a half hour of countryside and maybe about an hour to camping. Not to mention Hoover Reservoir, which is popular for water sports. The cost of living is pretty amazing here. The tax is under 7%, housing is very reasonable and it's easy to get around. The City school district is working to do better, but it's not that great. Meanwhile, many suburban school districts are very good, even the inner ring 'burbs. There are many, many neighborhoods to choose from depending on your style, desired atmosphere and, of course, your pockets. We also have many stable companies here, which helps to keep our average unemployment at a very reasonable rate as compared to other parts of the country (Nationwide Insurance, Limited Brands, Tween Brands, Deloitte, JP Morgan Chase ... just to name a small few.) The weather can indeed be sketchy. We joke that if you don't like the weather in Cbus, wait five minutes. And it is true that our winters are hard to predict. One year it can be long and unbearable and the next, hardly any snow with warmer temps. Our fall can be cool and crisp one day, but then we have a late heat wave a few days. It really varies as will your utility bills as a result. In short, if you review an entire city, please get out of your house and actually experience it before posting limited knowledge on the web.

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Columbus, Ohio: Great City - "AWFUL PEOPLE" - 9/21/2013

First, let me say Columbus is a very nice city to live in. there is a lot to do and the city is easy to get around in a relative short time. There are activities for all and the city is rebuilding. We cannot wait to retire and leave this city because the people for the most part are terrible. At first they seem nice but if they find out you are not a native of the city they are either very cold or they are sarcastic and verbally abusive. If you even mention the state Michigan they are obnoxious and just plain mean. They will insult people from different states and they are also verbally abusive to visiting fans. It is a real shame they treat people in such a disdainful manner because the city is actually very nice.

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