Did anybody live in Columbus Ohio?

[Anonymous]

We are relocating to Columbus, Ohio and I am interested in what areas are good for families (safety, schools). Also how is the weather? I heard it's overcast and rainy for a great part of the year?

[Anonymous]

Uh, the weather is fairly similar to here. Maybe just a touch cooler. But it's really very similar.

[Anonymous]

My parents grew up in Columbus and moved here in the late '60s but we all go back often and find Bexley, Ohio very similar to some of the MD suburbs here in the DC area. The area is lovely: beautiful homes, nice people, not too far from downtown Columbus, etc. Hope that's helpful!

[Anonymous]

Upper Arlington, Bexley are both good areas. The weather is similar to here. It's flatter there. It has a reputation of being a very good place to raise children; you will hear that constantly. It's extremely commutable.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Columbus from middle school throughout college. Like PP, Upper Arlington, Bexley are good areas, add in Worthington. There are also great neighborhoods north of the outer belt, but they were developing when I left and I can't recall the names now. The Short North, Brewery District, German Village are great city neighborhoods but I'm not sure how the school are around there. The climate is very similar to hear, I don't ever recall a rainy season.

Columbus is a good place to live, there is a lot to do and you will of course find the cost of living to be much less than the DC metro area.

[Anonymous]

I went to high school in Columbus, Worthington actually. Bexley is going to give you a feel most similar to here. Worthington also was nice. I lived in the neighborhood right by Worthington Hills Country Club. It was very family-oriented. The schools are excellent. Because it is such a huge college town, there is a decent amount of arts and culture downtown. But it is still middle America though, so I wouldn't expect as much diversity on any level.

[Anonymous]

I did as well. Your dollar will go a LOT further there than it will here in the real estate market.

PPs are right. Bexley, Upper Arlington, parts of Grandview and Worthington are probably the areas with the greatest consolidation of upper middle class in traditional neighborhoods with older homes closer in to the city ( agree that Bethesda is a good comparison). You can also get pretty large homes and more land if you move into places like New Albany, northeast Westerville and parts of Powell or Dublin. The area north of I-270 is beginning to sprawl with communities built around golf courses or country clubs. School districts in all of these areas are good. The main parts of Gahanna and Westerville are nice, and have good schools as well, but probably more like Herndon in terms of feel. Houses built in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. The schools in all of these areas are very solid. Agree that German Village, Victorian Village and Short North are probably more hip and urban areas to live, but don't know how child-friendly they are.

Avoid anyplace south of I-70, including Reynoldsburg, Pickerington and Hilliard (although I've heard that parts of Hilliard have cleaned up, but I can't confirm that firsthand).

If you're interested in private schools the options are much more limited. Columbus Academy is co-ed, as is The Wellington School. Columbus School for Girls is obviously single sex. All three are PK-12. All 3 are highly regarded, although Academy and CSG have longer histories and are generally considered the top two. Independent Catholics include St. Charles (boys), St Frances De Sales, Bishop Hartley and Bishop Watterson. Then there are a few random private religious-based schools.

If you don't like Ohio State, you need to learn. Year-round, OSU football or basketball makes the front page of the Columbus Dispatch daily. Yes, I'm serious. Columbus-ites are also proud of the Columbus Zoo, COSI (Center of Science and Industry, great museum for kids), being the home of Wendy's fast food and The Limited Company (including Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie and others). Lots of good golf courses.

I wouldn't describe the climate as overcast and rainy. Climate-wise, it's not totally dissimilar but winter is a bit longer on either end (for comparison, highs were around low 60s in Columbus yesterday compared to 70 here), and you definitely get more snow (but people know how to drive, they don't shut down for 2" on the ground). The summers do get quite hot. Tornadoes and thunderstorms are more prevalent than here. From a gardening perspective, DC is in the 7a-b zone, Columbus is in zone 6 if that helps you compare seasons.

Down sides. No meaningful public transportation. Huge generalization that people are friendlier than here, but also generally more overweight and less active than here. In my mind, far too many chain restaurants and not enough interesting ones. Not the case closer into the city, but more so in the suburbs. You decide whether the lack of focus paid to world events and politics (as compared to here) is good or bad. It isn't the driving force of the economy.

Overall, a nice place to raise a family. Not exciting, but solid.

[Anonymous]

Agree with previous comments--The weather is similar to here in terms of number of overcast days and rainy days. Winter is colder there, with more snow, but slightly less freezing rain. The summers are not as hot. Columbus has some nice parks in the area. It's a smaller metro area than here, which is generally better in terms of housing prices and commutes.

[Anonymous]

Former Clevelander here. While Cleveland is overcast and rainy because of Lake Erie, Columbus has a much nicer climate. The weather between the two are surprisingly different.

[Anonymous]

I can't give you any specific info, but several of my married friends (some with kids) have actually moved from DC to Columbus and they are really happy there. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I lived in Columbus for five years, 1996-2001, attending grad school at Ohio State.

Loved the weather, spring and fall were lovely, not a whole lot of rain, snow, but it got pretty cold (I prefer DC winters).

Everything was so much cheaper there, but the public transportation sucked, and there was more homogeneity to the population the farther you got from campus (I prefer DCs diversity).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Former Clevelander here. While Cleveland is overcast and rainy because of Lake Erie, Columbus has a much nicer climate. The weather between the two are surprisingly different.

Another ex-Clevelander. Yes, OP, the person who told you this may be confusing Columbus with Cleveland. Don't worry.

[Anonymous]

Avoid anyplace south of I-70, including Reynoldsburg, Pickerington and Hilliard (although I've heard that parts of Hilliard have cleaned up, but I can't confirm that firsthand).

Lots of Hillard is actually quite nice and safe and it has a Tim Horton's. Iced Cappuccino. Yum.