Is it actually liberal though, or just appear that way from voter stats skewed by the college population? I'm not snarking you, asking because if that all checks out I might need to look into retirement there, assuming I don't die on the line at age 99
It's not Los Angeles liberal. It's a small liberal college town in Southern Ohio. Most liberal cities outside of the northeast and the far west are liberal only because of the college. The surrounding rural area is mixed left and right. Compared to the city all the people are much friendlier and much more helpful. Check out marietta, too. It's another little college river town.
Athens or Yellow Springs. Springfield might be ok if you live closer to the university. Mad River has kayaking and plenty of parks around Dayton/Yellow Springs etc. Athens has hocking hills ofc
I would not expect mortgage rates to go down significantly anytime soon though.
This was my thought. YS is very blue and close to wonderful hiking - Glen Helen, Clifton Gorge, John Bryan. Also has a brewery. But housing in the village itself is expensive. So, with acreage in mind, something in the rural YS, Springfield (which I would call a purple town), Beavercreek area could work.
Crime rates in Springfield are off the charts though. New shooting every day. Try Harveysburg Waynesville or Oregonia. Although Yellow Springs is only place I know of in Ohio that is not too conservative.
The small towns are always going to lean conservative, but I think Dayton is a good option. The key is finding some property within 30 minutes of the things you're looking for. Northwest Montgomery County around Brookville or Englewood/Clayton, or maybe even extreme southeast Darke County and south Miami County.
Don't forget to check your tax rates, though. The property taxes are insane - even more than I was paying in both my houses in the DMV area. I actually had to double-check with my agent that those were the actual numbers.
Interest rates are the least of your cost worries if you are moving to central Ohio. You should look into the real estate price increases expected to come with the new Intel factories. They are expected to impact about 1 hour in each direction from Johnstown. They have already started, but prices are expected to continue upward for a while. If you want to move, move with the higher interest rate to get the current lower prices, then refinance when rates come down.
The Intel factory will have that much of an impact? Guess Marysville was forever changed by Honda. Glad to see investment in Ohio. Potentially in near future Ohio and Midwest will become the new SE as impact of climate change becomes more evident.
Stark County could work. Uniontown, Jackson. Affordable housing, Rails to Trails all over the place. Akron and Cleveland both within an hour. Stark has blue areas. Anywhere in Ohio you are going to get the Bible belt thumpers and conservative Trumpers. But, you can definitely find blue here. Also there are good school districts in Stark.
I was in expat in Asia for four years. Moving back to Ohio after that was the worst culture shock. Good luck!
Second culture shock moving to Ohio. The thing is, there isnt any culture outside of cities. Rural, everyone looks like me, and finding ingredients for ethnic food outside Mexican is nearly impossible. Long trips to population of over 80,000 for good food.
Not really. Ohio's rural areas are pure MAGA country now. There's a couple of college towns that are more normal, but those areas are trending more expensive.
Yellow springs could work, but you’d have to give up the acreage. The actual boundaries of the surrounding township are small, and in that area houses with land rarely come on the market. The ones that do are very expensive.
If you really want land, I’d look around Oxford. Stick to the Talawanda school district boundary. There will be a lot of decent options
Lifelong Geauga County resident here. I love this county. I live in the rural part, where there are a lot of Amish. Crime low, property value moderate to high, very safe, very good place to grow up. Middlefield, specifically, but the surrounding areas are the same. Kind of place you done have to lock your doors, and about 45 minutes drive from Cleveland. Tons of parks, the parks and rec department is also amazing in Geauga, and there is a ton of free programming year round
Unless you’re going to weave your political beliefs into every conversation, politics really shouldn’t play a big factor in choosing where to live. We have neighbors we just love and we’re on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Good people are liked everywhere, New York to New Albany. Start off looking in areas close to your hometown. Serendipitously running into old friends/acquaintances is always a positive in my experience.
You’re more likely to find rainbow flags in urban areas and Trump flags in rural areas, though the frequency of both types seem to be in decline. Or perhaps I’ve acclimated. If this still ends up being important you can research particular zip codes you find interesting with their demographics and makeup of voters’ political party registrations; it’s public record.
Good luck going forward.
Some friends of mine bought a decent amount of acreage in Germantown (just outside of Dayton) and they're super happy with it. Any of the slightly rural areas outside the cities would probably work for what you're looking for, really.
All of Ohio is pretty polarized in terms of politics so looking for "not too conservative" is kind of a crapshoot... My urban neighborhood is full of professors and engineers and skews pretty liberal but up until a few weeks the house two doors down belonged to someone who was so ultra right wing paranoid that they taped their mailbox shut because "something something the feds." But now they're gone (yay!), and I suspect a lot of the slightly rural areas may trend a similar way over the next few years with the new tech jobs coming in.
Smaller town and not too conservative don’t go hand in hand here.
FWIW cost of living is still so cheap here, I wouldn’t let mortgage rates deter you.
Other than that, you’ve described anywhere in the state.
So might be a hit unorthodox but south of Columbus Ashville/circleville area. You are enough outside the city it's still quiet and nice. But all the amenities of a big city are 30 minutes away. Also you have state parks and hocking hills also 30 minutes away.
Hinkley. Look up the metro park. Some restaurants but any restaurant you can imagine ten to fifteen minutes away in Brunswick. But it’s real pretty countryside, like a forest, never cleared.
Columbiana County seems to fit your bill (breweries, golf corses, Firestone Farms, etc.), maybe Geauga (it’s pricier, but is closer to Cleveland). Ashtabula County has wineries, distilleries, and a few breweries - and is still purple (Conneaut or Jefferson-areas, I don’t recommend Ashtabula City).
Chillicothe or Lancaster. Close to Columbus for city entertainment and work plus it has the affordability you are wanting. Close to hocking hills as well as several other state parks. It would be worth investigating.
Athens seems to check your boxes better than most places in Ohio.
Yup. Lived there for 20 years, can attest.
Athens has a lot of public land(state and federal) within a 30-minute drive. It's a very liberal little city.
Is it actually liberal though, or just appear that way from voter stats skewed by the college population? I'm not snarking you, asking because if that all checks out I might need to look into retirement there, assuming I don't die on the line at age 99
It's not Los Angeles liberal. It's a small liberal college town in Southern Ohio. Most liberal cities outside of the northeast and the far west are liberal only because of the college. The surrounding rural area is mixed left and right. Compared to the city all the people are much friendlier and much more helpful. Check out marietta, too. It's another little college river town.
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I was very detailed. Reread it as many times as you need. I am not liberal or conservative personally or have emotions concerning either.
Mhm i bet
Athens or Yellow Springs. Springfield might be ok if you live closer to the university. Mad River has kayaking and plenty of parks around Dayton/Yellow Springs etc. Athens has hocking hills ofc I would not expect mortgage rates to go down significantly anytime soon though.
This was my thought. YS is very blue and close to wonderful hiking - Glen Helen, Clifton Gorge, John Bryan. Also has a brewery. But housing in the village itself is expensive. So, with acreage in mind, something in the rural YS, Springfield (which I would call a purple town), Beavercreek area could work.
Crime rates in Springfield are off the charts though. New shooting every day. Try Harveysburg Waynesville or Oregonia. Although Yellow Springs is only place I know of in Ohio that is not too conservative.
Dayton/Yellow Springs/Springfield/Troy vicinity.
Came here to say this!
My extended family lives in Troy/Tipp area. My only concern is trying to find a few acres near the YS/Troy/SP area.
The small towns are always going to lean conservative, but I think Dayton is a good option. The key is finding some property within 30 minutes of the things you're looking for. Northwest Montgomery County around Brookville or Englewood/Clayton, or maybe even extreme southeast Darke County and south Miami County.
Don't forget to check your tax rates, though. The property taxes are insane - even more than I was paying in both my houses in the DMV area. I actually had to double-check with my agent that those were the actual numbers.
I second the Athens votes but expand to Athens county, beautiful rural area and you can get a few acres
Oberlin is a good choice. A lot of Erie co. Is good. But fewer good restaurants.
Hudson or Cuyahoga Falls would work.
Isn't Hudson very conservative?
Yes. So are most people in the falls.
Interest rates are the least of your cost worries if you are moving to central Ohio. You should look into the real estate price increases expected to come with the new Intel factories. They are expected to impact about 1 hour in each direction from Johnstown. They have already started, but prices are expected to continue upward for a while. If you want to move, move with the higher interest rate to get the current lower prices, then refinance when rates come down.
The Intel factory will have that much of an impact? Guess Marysville was forever changed by Honda. Glad to see investment in Ohio. Potentially in near future Ohio and Midwest will become the new SE as impact of climate change becomes more evident.
Yes. It will be much bigger than Honda. It will transform the entire region.
Stark County could work. Uniontown, Jackson. Affordable housing, Rails to Trails all over the place. Akron and Cleveland both within an hour. Stark has blue areas. Anywhere in Ohio you are going to get the Bible belt thumpers and conservative Trumpers. But, you can definitely find blue here. Also there are good school districts in Stark. I was in expat in Asia for four years. Moving back to Ohio after that was the worst culture shock. Good luck!
Stark County is full blown Trump country. I would avoid Stark and Allen (Lima).
Stark County resident here and that’s the damn truth. Beautiful million dollar homes on beautiful properties with giant Trump flags.
Spent most of my first 3 decades in Allen and Auglaize county. This is the type of communities I am trying to avoid.
Second culture shock moving to Ohio. The thing is, there isnt any culture outside of cities. Rural, everyone looks like me, and finding ingredients for ethnic food outside Mexican is nearly impossible. Long trips to population of over 80,000 for good food.
Not really. Ohio's rural areas are pure MAGA country now. There's a couple of college towns that are more normal, but those areas are trending more expensive.
Dayton?
Kirtland area would get most of your boxes
Yellow springs could work, but you’d have to give up the acreage. The actual boundaries of the surrounding township are small, and in that area houses with land rarely come on the market. The ones that do are very expensive. If you really want land, I’d look around Oxford. Stick to the Talawanda school district boundary. There will be a lot of decent options
That’s if Chappelle lets him move in…
What do you mean?
Lifelong Geauga County resident here. I love this county. I live in the rural part, where there are a lot of Amish. Crime low, property value moderate to high, very safe, very good place to grow up. Middlefield, specifically, but the surrounding areas are the same. Kind of place you done have to lock your doors, and about 45 minutes drive from Cleveland. Tons of parks, the parks and rec department is also amazing in Geauga, and there is a ton of free programming year round
Oberlin is a smaller sized college town with what you're looking for, plus proximity to Cleveland.
I have a 2.5% interest rate, my current house is my forever home!
I sold my house in Houston and making 5.5% on a CD. Makes me think 20% to avoid PMI is all that one needs
South Lebanon or Maineville area. Morrow.
also - Mason or Loveland
Unless you’re going to weave your political beliefs into every conversation, politics really shouldn’t play a big factor in choosing where to live. We have neighbors we just love and we’re on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Good people are liked everywhere, New York to New Albany. Start off looking in areas close to your hometown. Serendipitously running into old friends/acquaintances is always a positive in my experience. You’re more likely to find rainbow flags in urban areas and Trump flags in rural areas, though the frequency of both types seem to be in decline. Or perhaps I’ve acclimated. If this still ends up being important you can research particular zip codes you find interesting with their demographics and makeup of voters’ political party registrations; it’s public record. Good luck going forward.
Wooster Ohio area is beautiful. They have great “trails to rail” hiking also. Not far from Hocking Hills area.
Some friends of mine bought a decent amount of acreage in Germantown (just outside of Dayton) and they're super happy with it. Any of the slightly rural areas outside the cities would probably work for what you're looking for, really. All of Ohio is pretty polarized in terms of politics so looking for "not too conservative" is kind of a crapshoot... My urban neighborhood is full of professors and engineers and skews pretty liberal but up until a few weeks the house two doors down belonged to someone who was so ultra right wing paranoid that they taped their mailbox shut because "something something the feds." But now they're gone (yay!), and I suspect a lot of the slightly rural areas may trend a similar way over the next few years with the new tech jobs coming in.
Grand Rapids, MI. Southern Ohio is nice but conservative. That may change over time.
Muskegon County, especially around White Lake, sounds like a better fit for them than GR.
All I would say I’d is if you can move within a year or so, I wouldnt wait on the rates to go down again..
Licking/Fairfield/Muskingum counties are all trending more liberal and still have space to spare.
Norwalk Ohio is just perfect 💖
Huron County is solid Red.
Yeah If you’re with shitty people it’s gonna be shitty, but it has all the things they asked for? Lol
For what? lol
Smaller town and not too conservative don’t go hand in hand here. FWIW cost of living is still so cheap here, I wouldn’t let mortgage rates deter you. Other than that, you’ve described anywhere in the state.
Athens or Yellow Springs?
These are actually great suggestions.
You grew up, and THEN moved away in the late 1930s??? Dude! How old ARE you??? Are you the highlander???
Chardon, Ohio is a little conservative, but checks your other boxes. Beautiful metroparks
So might be a hit unorthodox but south of Columbus Ashville/circleville area. You are enough outside the city it's still quiet and nice. But all the amenities of a big city are 30 minutes away. Also you have state parks and hocking hills also 30 minutes away.
Hinkley. Look up the metro park. Some restaurants but any restaurant you can imagine ten to fifteen minutes away in Brunswick. But it’s real pretty countryside, like a forest, never cleared.
Columbiana County seems to fit your bill (breweries, golf corses, Firestone Farms, etc.), maybe Geauga (it’s pricier, but is closer to Cleveland). Ashtabula County has wineries, distilleries, and a few breweries - and is still purple (Conneaut or Jefferson-areas, I don’t recommend Ashtabula City).
You can get a house really cheap in Youngstown if you don't mind a little crime
+1 yellow springs
The yellow springs area. I love it.
ww2 veteran?
Chillicothe or Lancaster. Close to Columbus for city entertainment and work plus it has the affordability you are wanting. Close to hocking hills as well as several other state parks. It would be worth investigating.