Better-than-Average Large Midwestern City
-
1/15/2010
I moved to Columbus after grad school and have spent about 25 years here in a professional career, raised a family, etc. I have also done a lot of traveling both in the U.S. and abroad, and I have experienced many other cities and countries. By almost anyone's standards, Columbus is a clean, modern, attractive, and hassle-free city which offers good employment and educational opportunities along with a relatively low cost of living. Does it have the energy or diversity of NYC, LA, Chicago or Miami? Of course not -- it's in the middle of the Midwest, for God's sake! But it is far from dead, boring, or stifling. We have lots of good restaurants, exciting arts organizations, and job opportunities. Above average racial and cultural diversity (by Midwestern standards). A plethora of colleges and universities. A city symphony, ballet, opera, jazz, early music and chamber music groups, local drama troupes, art museum; surprisingly large gay community; Some very excellent and interesting urban neighborhoods (e.g., German Village, Short North). Several very good medical centers. The housing is very affordable and traffic problems are practically non-existent for a city of this size. Lots of decent parks and bike trails. Good shopping. But there are some deficiencies: the city is more or less devoid of geographical interest (no mountains or beaches); it lacks a major airline hub (so it's hard to get direct flights anaywhere); there are too many dreary gray winter days in Jan-Feb and too many uncomfortably humid days in August; it has no professional football or baseball (but there is an NHL hockey team). Public transportation (bus) can only be described as poor. Without a doubt this is a more comfortable, livable and aesthetically pleasing city than Cleveland or Cincinnati. All in all, a sprawling better-than-average midwestern city with plenty of interesting things going on, but young people expecting a Manhattan lifestyle or perfect climate will probably not be happy here.
Dennis | Columbus, OH