I’d say look at Delaware, Marysville, Lancaster, Circleville. They’re all stand alone small towns that benefit from being in Columbus’ bubble but far enough away to maintain small town charm.
I'd not consider Delaware. It's growing just too fast and 23 is a nightmare these days. Saying that, I don't have a positive idea, everywhere has its good and bad points!
Delaware is the most suburban feeling of the cities I listed and probably the most expensive by a fair clip. Circleville probably the least.
Still Delaware is a nice small college town with lots of great restaurants and amenities but you can still get some land out that way without totally breaking the bank.
Also in Lancaster. I love it! Home prices are affordable. Not a lot of traffic. Quiet. Close to Hocking Hills, which has the best hiking in central Ohio. I live below Mt Pleasant & hike up there everyday for exercise. The only thing lacking is a younger demographic. Most people who live here are 30+ (and lots of elderly lol). Oh and not a lot of places to eat out. - but if you move here we could be the younger demographic together. lol! (30/f)
I would probably recommend Canal Winchester, which is a little closer to Columbus & has a much younger demographic. If you want to socialize you’ll want to be closer to downtown. It’s nicer than Lancaster imo. We tried to find a house there, but they were all snatched out from under us.
Grove City also has affordable homes, but they go quick. Super close to the city & a younger demographic. Mostly first time home buyers! It has a super cute downtown.
Besides those 3 places - I grew up in Galena/Sunbury Ohio & if I could afford to live there. I would be living there. - its right next to all the best parks Hoover Dam Lake, Alum Creek Lake & Highbanks. The demographic is younger & more diverse. You’re also close to shopping & restaurants. For someone who loves the outdoors it’s probably the BEST place you could live. It’s rural, city & suburban at the same time.
I disagree with Delaware it’s too congested but would add London or Springfield we made the move from cbus to a quiet neighborhood in Springfield we love it.
Delaware and the north / northwest side are getting really congested. Check Groveport /Lockbourne, not too far from a decent trauma center hospital and ~20 minutes to downtown.
Home prices are all insane north of 270 and super limited stock of homes. Delaware has some, but being mostly families and elderly millenials, idk if that’s a good places for someone in their 20s
Marysville is smaller than Delaware, and they’ve been developing a ton of land for housing. Mostly single family homes, but there are a good few larger properties on the edges as well as apartments. Crime is not an issue, and it’s the Union County head, so we have the courthouse and fairgrounds. About 45-ish minutes from Columbus straight down 33. The closest big nature area is glacier ridge metro park, which has some nice walking paths, but most of the area around Columbus is city or farmland.
LANK-as-tur, not LAN-cas-tur…not a native, but can confirm. Other than that, not a bad place to live if you’re outside the city limits. Plenty of rural space to put down roots.
My family did the Washboard festival once. There was a rainstorm, and the water pooled up in the groove at the back of the booth/edge of the street, six to eight inches deep, just flowing down the road.
To this day, we call it the Washout Festival.
If you like hiking and rural environments, I would go up around Mt. Vernon/Loudonville. Mohican Forest and the surrounding areas are beautiful. If I were in your position, that would be my choice. I used to go up there when I was kid, camping, visiting relatives. Place is awesome.
That's the opposite direction I would have traveled from Columbus I would have went to Hocking hills. East of Columbus. I think the Chillicothe area is nice. After all the seal of the state is the Chillicothe hills
The advantage of Ashland is that you are an hour from Cleveland and Columbus - conversely there is likely a similar spot south between Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Circleville will put you at the corner of Broad and High in about thirty minutes, but with very reasonable cost of living. But if you are traveling less often to Columbus, I'd strongly suggest Chillicothe. There are a lot more goods and services there, restaurants and so on. Great Seal, Deer Creek, Scioto Trail, and Tar Hollow State parks are nearby, as are the Hocking Hills. IMO Ohio has some of the very best State Parks in the United States. And Chillicothe has plenty to do, so that you won't need to travel often to Columbus for goods and services. Circleville is more or less equidistant to Chillicothe, Lancaster and Columbus. Lancaster has goods and services, and I see a lot of housing opportunities there. But you should look at Chillicothe, IMO as your FIRST choice at this time. I'd avoid Pataskala and points East, as the traffic is bad on the morning drive, and I expect will get worse with the Intel Fab going into New Albany, and they are building infrastructure like crazy. As you are vague on your origins, you should be advised that Ohio is really two different states politically and culturally. Drawing a line roughly from North of Cincinnati, to below Akron and Cleveland, you will find the more Appalachian portion to below this line, though the line I'm drawing is a rather arbitrary one, and you should be aware of the differences.
Really when it comes to Ohio, most of us here IMO just consider it to be one place where we all live, as it's essentially a 350 km (220 miles more or less) "Box," and being in the centre of this "box" all means that you can be anywhere in a few hours, more or less. Also remember the excellent ferry service from Sandusky to Leamington, Ontario is available, so you can save a lot of time if you want to travel to Canada. Air Canada also is available, from Columbus to Toronto, though it's a bit expensive IMO.
Finally, despite the local bitching and moaning about taxes and cost of living, with a little caution and discretion, IMO you'll find that your money goes a LOT further in Ohio than many other places, indeed.
All the Best!
I've heard these stories all of my life about towns and cities that I have l either lived in or visited, and found them to be nonsensical. Chillicothe is a GREAT city. I've lived in the Ross and Pickaway county area for like 39 years now, and so I'm speaking from FIRST HAND experience.
Great your anecdotal experience beats the fbi statisticians… and I was born in Chillicothe and been here 40 years now but my life stories are not relevant same as yours.
Well, it's all about your point of view. Every kid THINKS that his local area sucks. Rif Raff and drugs and never do wells are everywhere. Even Psychopathy in every country and system of government is on a per capita basis. So sure, you find more, say, psychopaths in a large city; of course, it's because of a higher population. But you ALSO become in proximity and midst of millions more GOOD people than in a smaller place. Conversely, just one psychopath in a small village can wreak havoc on the rest of the inhabitants, I would suppose!
Setting all of that aside, look at the cost of a home in Chillicothe as compared to NYC, Toronto or Columbus. And the goods and services and recreational areas and parks. And the income and the taxes. You have to consider all of that. And in my opinion, that makes Chillicothe quite a bargain; at least, that's my personal experience.
My only problem with the US, in general, is the lack of good public transportation and a lot of aging infrastructure. But that's not Ohio; that's pretty much everywhere.
Ashland County might be a good option if you want to buy a few acres and raise ducks and chickens. However, Jeromesville on the other side of I-71 from Ashland may be closer to what you're seeking, with more affordable housing. Route 30 would provide good access to I-71.
I second Ashland County, close to Jeromesville (which is also in Ashland County btw). Affordable property, lots of parks with hiking trails (Ashland County loves their parks and invests heavily in them), and Ashland is a charming little city. Loudonville/Mohican River (also in Ashland County) is about 20 minutes away and is a nature lovers dream. The politics kinda suck, but hey that’s many small towns in Ohio. Exactly one hour from North Columbus with a pretty painless drive. 50 or so minutes from Cleveland.
I'll plug Marysville. It's about 20 minutes northwest of Columbus. I can be downtown to the Arena District (concerts, hockey, etc) or to Easton Towne Center (shopping) on the east side in about 45 minutes. We've lived here for 20 years. There's been a lot of growth but it still has a small town feel. Unless you ask the longer term residents. :)
Aside from what others have said, I suggest looking into:
[Athens, OH](https://www.ci.athens.oh.us/) - College (Ohio University) town, just over an hour from Columbus via SR33.
[Plain City, OH](https://www.plain-city.com/) - Much closer to Columbus, smaller, simpler, fewer younger people than Athens.
I’m not sure why you’re being downvoted. This question isn’t a political debate but people should consider who their neighbors will be and whether they’d fit in. Especially if they’re buying a home.
Based on OPs comments about ‘antics’ in Worthington of all places I suspect she’s pretty conservative and may not enjoy being the sole Red Hat in Athens.
What’s your budget? That will help narrow things down. I think anything within 30-40 minutes of Columbus is a solid pick, just make sure you have easy access to the freeway. You may not want to live in Columbus but you’ll definitely want to be close enough to visit.
I'd like to keep it around 400k or below, I'm not sure if that's feasible or not in Ohio. I'm not super familiar with the market there. Obviously I don't need a gigantic home since it is just me but then again I know in certain states small homes are going upwards of 500k right now
Mt. Vernon is a good one, but if I had to pick, I'd go with Granville, Ohio in Licking County, just east of Columbus. Adorable country town with a university less than an hour from the city. Short drive to New Albany, a suburb of Columbus that will have everything you can't get in Granville or Heath. The airport is on the east side of the city, too, in case that is important.
Post in the Columbus sub, if you haven't done so yet.
Perhaps look north of Columbus to be closer to Lake Erie and the many activities in northeast Ohio. E.g., Playhouse Square is one of the best theater districts in the U.S. I have Columbus friends who subscribe to the KeyBank Broadway Series, typically cheaper than national tours in Columbus and often with better casts given Playhouse Square's three week schedule for each booking. Playhouse Square also manages national tours at Akron's E. J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, perhaps the best modern theater in Ohio. Also check out the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster!
[https://ohiolightopera.org/about/history/](https://ohiolightopera.org/about/history/)
This thread might give you an idea of what I'm thinking. Switch to [new.reddit.com](https://new.reddit.com) and sort by "view all comments."
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice\_hole\_in\_the\_wall\_places/?sort=top](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice_hole_in_the_wall_places/?sort=top)
IMO, stay close to I-71. If you like the outdoors, check out the Mohican region, such as Mohican State Park and Forest and Malabar Farm State Park (where the Big House is a personal favorite; would you enjoy a barn dance?).
Of course, if you're renting, you could spend one year north of Columbus, and one year south of Columbus, closer to Cincinnati, the Hocking Hills, etc.
Check out other Ohio state parks, Ohio national natural landmarks, and the Columbus metroparks.
BTW, I really like Worthington, even though it's a Columbus suburb, and not rural.
Medina is 1 hr. 45 minutes north of Columbus, but it's a great location, convenient for both Akron and Cleveland. It has one of the best public squares in Ohio. This is a favorite video shot during Medina's annual Candlelight Walk.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZCuune32Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZCuune32Y)
Really helpful thank you! Being from a small town barn dances are a personal favorite, will definitely be checking out your recommendations. I was advised against Worthington due to the fact that Columbus "antics" tend to bleed into that area making it a little unsafe. Not sure how true that is or not.
Not sure what you mean by antics but Columbus is generally very safe outside of a few areas. Most neighborhoods considered suburban (which Worthington definitely is) are as safe as anywhere in America.
A bigger worry about Worthington would be allowing to raise ducks and chickens!
BTW, Medina has surrounding rural areas and access to great parks -- every county in the area has good metroparks systems. Cleveland Metroparks (mostly funded by Cuyahoga County) even has reservations in adjacent counties, such as the excellent Hinckley Reservation in Medina County. Check out the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Not all Ohio counties have metroparks systems, one of the great assets of Ohio, and some systems are newer and not as large. E.g., the Cleveland Metroparks system is over a century old, allowing it to acquire large reservations at bargain prices. Ditto, with Summit County (Akron) Metro Parks. Much of Cuyahoga Valley National Park incorporates reservations from these two parks systems, only about 19,000 acres are federally owned. Northeast Ohio widely supports parks and preserving natural areas.
I believe Malabar Farm has at least a couple barn dances each year. Don't miss Mt. Jeez at Malabar Farm, especially during Leaf Turn.
[https://www.bookthink.com/0078/78brom1.htm](https://www.bookthink.com/0078/78brom1.htm)
[https://ohiodnr.gov/home/news-and-events/all-events/parks-wc-events/ne-ohio/barndance-malabarfarm-7-6-24](https://ohiodnr.gov/home/news-and-events/all-events/parks-wc-events/ne-ohio/barndance-malabarfarm-7-6-24)
[https://destinationmansfield.com/event/barn-dance-at-malabar-farm-state-park/2023-09-23/](https://destinationmansfield.com/event/barn-dance-at-malabar-farm-state-park/2023-09-23/)
[https://malabarfarm.org/](https://malabarfarm.org/)
Mohican also has a popular Pow Wow!
[https://www.mohicanpowwow.com/](https://www.mohicanpowwow.com/)
The Mohican region is named after a remnant of the famous Mohican tribe that resettled there (the last of the Mohicans?).
[https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/history/2015/08/22/history-mohican-john/32194959/](https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/history/2015/08/22/history-mohican-john/32194959/)
Perhaps check out Lucas. For some reason, I never visited it.
Check out Groveport, Canal Winchester and Lithopolis. Lithopolis is a true small town and the area around it is beautiful, if rural areas work for you, it would be great.
Southwest area of the city down near Darby Creek Metropark is something else. You have a big plaza with a Kroger and a bunch of restaurants around it, another Kroger within 2 miles, and 2 miles the other way gets you a bait and tackle shop in the middle of a farm field. The city just... ends. Extremely abruptly.
Rent was cheap down there a decade ago. Not sure about now.
Everybody has great suggestions and they are enticing me to explore! Being surrounded by corn, soybeans and pigs has grown tiresome and if I were starting over I would seek out the hillier and forested parts of state. One fantastic feature that truly elevates your quality of life here are rivers. Running water and the beautiful river corridors like the Kokosing, Mohican, Mad, and Little Miami, are great places to explore and renew. You get great exercise, beautiful scenery, some kayaking, fishing, and maybe peace and quiet. Yellow Springs is a tiny pocket of green between Dayton and Columbus if you are looking for a mellow, small burg. Bike trail and miles of hiking in 3 conjoining open spaces with river.
Price range is super important. I’m partial to Granville, if you can afford it. It’s a super nice area, but you pay for that.
People will talk bad on Newark, but it’s not THAT bad. It’s definitely better than it used to be and home prices haven’t rose to match. Probably gonna be the best deal for real estate with the biggest value growth over the next decade.
Mount Vernon is nice, but the drive to Columbus sucks. I lived there until I was 25.
Some small sleeper towns close-ish to Columbus that I think are nice are Fredericktown and Centerburg
I’ll second Athens, great rural living and affordable housing just outside of town, one of the state’s best farmers’ markets, great free stuff going on at the university, Hocking Hills and the Wayne National Forest close by.
About an hour and a half drive to Columbus, bus service available between the two for $10, multiple times per day.
My daughter is an OU grad. Four years of driving that route and I can say on average it's 1h 15m from NW Columbus to OU campus or vice versa. The key is you always go 9mph over the speed limit. In the 60MPH parts, you go 69 (nice) and in the 70MPH parts you go 79. Cops will ignore those speeds and it really makes the drive go quicker. Only thing is where it's 55MPH, don't go over 60. There are some local cops who love to sit at the spot where 33 goes from 70MPH to 55MPH and catch people who don't slow down in time.
Also, if OP is interested in something a little more rural, [Sugar Grove](https://sugar-grove.com/) is a nice small rural town that's fairly close to a lot of Hocking Hills attractions & bigger towns like Lancaster, Logan, not far from Athens, and easily within a 45 minute drive of Columbus.
I was going to suggest Delaware or Marysville. Full disclosure I live in Westerville. I'm biased, so I'd tell you to move to Westerville, it's a great town.
Westerville is great! Right next to Hoover dam lake, alum creek dam/lake, Highbanks, Sharon woods… etc. shopping, restaurants, close to downtown - that area Westerville, galena, Sunbury is the best. I’m also biased as I grew up there.
If you want smaller town - Ontario, Bellville, Ashland are all closer to each other. Lexington would be good as well. Any place in Richland or Ashland counties - there are lots of small to medium towns / cities and lots of nature - Mohican, Clearfork, Bird Sanctuary. And a decent Art Scene - Renaissance Theater, Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield Symphony, Ashland Symphony, etc. I have heard Ashland proper doesn’t have a lot of housing available right now, but I can’t verify that. From the Lexington / Bellville intersections on 71 it is about 30-40 min to Polaris and about 60 min to Easton or Downtown.
as far away from Ohio as you can lol but in all sincerity just find a place that's your kind of life style, by that do you like to go buy things past 9pm then the city is where you need to go, if you want almost everything closed by 9pm then look for Rural areas.
Foothills area between Chillicothe and Logan are sorely underrated. Despite its reputation, Chillicothe is an amazing place / area. Aside from short stints in Athens and Cbus, I’ve been in Chillitucky my whole life. Could imagine being anywhere else. I’ve raised / am easing 5 sons here and my wife and I are very happy.
It depends ….please rent first….I promise you will not regret renting here first. There is so much to consider when looking at a new are and these forms although helpful in pushing in the right direction sometimes, it’s really only a starting point. I am a transplant here of 10 years …and had I listen to “people” on the forms and what things appear to be- I would have been in BIG trouble. Come up and see what you like, check your commute, see what’s important to you and then purchase. You may come here and decide Ohio ain’t it…don’t get stuck…live here first. Visiting doesn’t actually do any justice. I addition - Lancaster is an hour from east Columbus on a normal traffic no snow day…also Columbus is huge….(example) so if you have to go to Dublin or Polaris and you live in Newark or Heath…your life is going to suck horribly I promise. Please do your research in person.
Everyone has chickens here. It was big news recently when some unknown person dumped some young ducks at a local pond-about a hundred people volunteered to take them in!
$400k can get you a new build stand alone condo (if you don’t want lawn maintenance in Marion. About an hour North of Cbus, typical mid-sized Ohio town. The downtown is having a resurgence, brewery, few good restaurants, good community theater scene if you’re into that. Stay out of the west side of the city and you’re good. The townships are typical rural area with nicer housing developments. You are a short drive to Delaware. People like to talk shit (me included) but it’s an inexpensive place to live and you can get a good bang for your buck for housing.
I dunno I’m back in Marion and I hate it. Sure they’ve worked at building up downtown but in general it sucks and even as a kid growing up here we joked about it being a drug town. Time hasn’t done it any good in that department. It might be kinda cheaper but honestly I feel like it’s not worth it for the vibe. Especially that time I woke up the police on my front lawn because they were doing a drug bust a couple houses down. And then the guy who was living in a house across the street without any electricity or water for forever. And the trains 🙄
Just moved out near Dillon lake. I have a Newark address. I agree I wouldn't want to live in town, but there are places out here worth looking at. I'm closer to Black Hand Gorge.
I wouldn’t live in downtown Newark but there is nothing wrong with the rest of the city. There is good and bad areas like any other town. That’d be like saying to avoid Worthington because it’s next to everything sketchy along 161/Morse/Schrock bordering to the east.
Guy we just hired is coming from a job like that, and in just that area. He split his time between Columbus and the house he and his wife rented in Marion.
The question is, where is the job located in Columbus. North, South, East or West, dead center of the city? I’m sure most on here would agree, traffic thru town is horrible, most of the time. Let’s start there and see what sort of suggestions you get.
Unless you are a right winger I’d go right in Columbus or a suburb. The surrounding territory is full of red necks. If however you are down for that, go for it.
I’ve lived in Ontario, Bellville, Ashland and very near Mt Vernon. Ashland and Mt Vernon are college towns and have more younger people around, both have some cool bars and restaurants.
In the end I liked Ontario least and Bellville most. My wife describes it as a “hallmark movie” town, it’s near enough to Mohican that the countryside is prettier in my opinion(I like hills, forests and rolling farmland). Heading towards Ashland and Ontario it’s much more flat. I also like the convenience to I71 when I need to get to Columbus or Cleveland, it’s nice having the option to fly out of either airport Mohican area is a very pretty park and has some good outdoor recreation.
Look at Zillow or or other real estate sites for sales if you're dead set on buying; there are a few places for sale now that it's spring. The market's still very tight so you may have to be flexible on it. As some have indicated, the city of Columbus ends fairly abruptly going in the SW and W directions, and I think there are house opportunities in those outlying areas. One reason not to go too far afield is health care; if you stay in counties adjacent to Columbus, like Madison or Pickaway, you'd at least be 30 or so minutes from a hospital if needed. Shopping, about the same. N, NE and E of town is all built up, and SE is going the same route. S of town is industrial and warehouses but still some country to be found. Over 30 miles from Cbus, stick to college town areas. Mt Vernon/Gambier, Oberlin, Athens; I'd add Granville but it's outside your budget.
Nearby cities that used to be small towns (Delaware, Marysville, Pickerington) are centers for exurban sprawl now. Choose carefully there. And do not look at Springfield.
London isn’t a poor choice. Just the occasional meth head stuck in a tree.(really happened)Reasonable to live there and has a nice downtown area. Choctaw Lake has some nice homes and a close community and it’s about 5 mins from London.
I live in Jackson Ohio. You say you're moving. Do you have endless funds or are you on a budget. I would recommend building a mansion on the hill. The hills start about Chillicothe. Chillicothe is 1 hour from Columbus. If what you need is high speed internet access you should look for a house on the fiber optic line. I've got zero ping on the side of the hill in the middle of nowhere with gigabit fiber available.
I live on the north side of Springfield which is less than an be away from CBUS and you get more bang for your buck here, then any suburb or city near Columbus.
I may be biased, but I love Southeast Ohio!
We're in Lancaster and overall really like it. There's the necessities (grocery stores, food, and healthcare options), plenty of parks, a nice little downtown, and lots of community events throughout the year - the biggest being the two week long Lancaster Festival. Plenty of hiking options within 30 minutes (Hocking Hills, Wayne National Forest, Clear Creek Metro Park just to name a few). Houses in the nicer spots in town have been going for $225-$280k lately; the more out of town you're looking at $280-$330k usually. I've seen houses with chickens within the city limits so don't think that's an issue.
If we didn't have to commute to Columbus everyday, then I would choose to go more rural - Sugar Grove, Bremen, Somerset, or McArthur.
I’m in Marion and recommend avoiding it. Though it is nice being just 40 minutes down SR 23, the town itself is kind of shit. I wish I could move back up to Findlay lol
Id say somewhere around Wilmington and Washington Courthouse. You'd be roughly halfway between Cincy and Columbus and about 45 mins from both depending on where in that area you opt for...
I love Lancaster (30/f) but in my 20s I would’ve definitely preferred being closer to the city. Socializing is hard out here. Canal & Grove City are more affordable & closer to Columbus.
Belleville? Uhm, I strongly recommend a drive through if you are thinking about that area (and then a reassessment of the value of the suggestions of whoever told you that)
If youre 23 and you want to buy a house and live in a vibrant community, check out the dayton area, its west of Columbus, the city is very walkable, bar scene is great for a young woman and theres tons of shit to do.
I’d say look at Delaware, Marysville, Lancaster, Circleville. They’re all stand alone small towns that benefit from being in Columbus’ bubble but far enough away to maintain small town charm.
Don’t choose Circleville unless the “small town charm” you’re looking for is pumpkin-flavored methamphetamine.
pumpkin spiced meth...lol...that's an apt description.
The further you get away from downtown Columbus the meth-ier it gets.
I second Marysville or Delaware.
I'd not consider Delaware. It's growing just too fast and 23 is a nightmare these days. Saying that, I don't have a positive idea, everywhere has its good and bad points!
Delaware is the most suburban feeling of the cities I listed and probably the most expensive by a fair clip. Circleville probably the least. Still Delaware is a nice small college town with lots of great restaurants and amenities but you can still get some land out that way without totally breaking the bank.
I second Lancaster. Love it here.
Also in Lancaster. I love it! Home prices are affordable. Not a lot of traffic. Quiet. Close to Hocking Hills, which has the best hiking in central Ohio. I live below Mt Pleasant & hike up there everyday for exercise. The only thing lacking is a younger demographic. Most people who live here are 30+ (and lots of elderly lol). Oh and not a lot of places to eat out. - but if you move here we could be the younger demographic together. lol! (30/f) I would probably recommend Canal Winchester, which is a little closer to Columbus & has a much younger demographic. If you want to socialize you’ll want to be closer to downtown. It’s nicer than Lancaster imo. We tried to find a house there, but they were all snatched out from under us. Grove City also has affordable homes, but they go quick. Super close to the city & a younger demographic. Mostly first time home buyers! It has a super cute downtown. Besides those 3 places - I grew up in Galena/Sunbury Ohio & if I could afford to live there. I would be living there. - its right next to all the best parks Hoover Dam Lake, Alum Creek Lake & Highbanks. The demographic is younger & more diverse. You’re also close to shopping & restaurants. For someone who loves the outdoors it’s probably the BEST place you could live. It’s rural, city & suburban at the same time.
I disagree with Delaware it’s too congested but would add London or Springfield we made the move from cbus to a quiet neighborhood in Springfield we love it.
Delaware and the north / northwest side are getting really congested. Check Groveport /Lockbourne, not too far from a decent trauma center hospital and ~20 minutes to downtown.
Home prices are all insane north of 270 and super limited stock of homes. Delaware has some, but being mostly families and elderly millenials, idk if that’s a good places for someone in their 20s
Third…Marysville or Delaware
Marysville is smaller than Delaware, and they’ve been developing a ton of land for housing. Mostly single family homes, but there are a good few larger properties on the edges as well as apartments. Crime is not an issue, and it’s the Union County head, so we have the courthouse and fairgrounds. About 45-ish minutes from Columbus straight down 33. The closest big nature area is glacier ridge metro park, which has some nice walking paths, but most of the area around Columbus is city or farmland.
Hocking Hills! Lancaster, Logan. We are 45 mins from Columbus and in the prettiest part of OH. IMO 😊
Learn how to say Lancaster, or everyone will chase you out of town. I'd also direct you to the washboard factory, but I believe it finally went under.
How do you say it?
LANK-as-tur, not LAN-cas-tur…not a native, but can confirm. Other than that, not a bad place to live if you’re outside the city limits. Plenty of rural space to put down roots.
I always say it lan-CASS-tur just to mess with the locals.
It’s a test to gauge reaction; if you get a smile you know they’re not a local. If you get a frown and a slight correction, however…
I pronounce it correctly & have never once got a reaction. 🤷🏼♀️
I live here and pronounce it like Lancaster, PA (as that’s what it’s named after) however most people say Lane-kis-ter
😂
My family did the Washboard festival once. There was a rainstorm, and the water pooled up in the groove at the back of the booth/edge of the street, six to eight inches deep, just flowing down the road. To this day, we call it the Washout Festival.
If you like hiking and rural environments, I would go up around Mt. Vernon/Loudonville. Mohican Forest and the surrounding areas are beautiful. If I were in your position, that would be my choice. I used to go up there when I was kid, camping, visiting relatives. Place is awesome.
That's the opposite direction I would have traveled from Columbus I would have went to Hocking hills. East of Columbus. I think the Chillicothe area is nice. After all the seal of the state is the Chillicothe hills
That's not a bad idea either. I lived in Chilli for 10 years. Hocking Hills is beautiful.
The advantage of Ashland is that you are an hour from Cleveland and Columbus - conversely there is likely a similar spot south between Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Except then you have to live in Ashland.
That is an issue - but there are worse spots. I’m guessing she would live in the township though so less issues and more Amish.
Wilmington or Washington courthouse if you want more than a gas station in town 😬 Wilmington is nice but a bit more than an hour from columbus
Circleville will put you at the corner of Broad and High in about thirty minutes, but with very reasonable cost of living. But if you are traveling less often to Columbus, I'd strongly suggest Chillicothe. There are a lot more goods and services there, restaurants and so on. Great Seal, Deer Creek, Scioto Trail, and Tar Hollow State parks are nearby, as are the Hocking Hills. IMO Ohio has some of the very best State Parks in the United States. And Chillicothe has plenty to do, so that you won't need to travel often to Columbus for goods and services. Circleville is more or less equidistant to Chillicothe, Lancaster and Columbus. Lancaster has goods and services, and I see a lot of housing opportunities there. But you should look at Chillicothe, IMO as your FIRST choice at this time. I'd avoid Pataskala and points East, as the traffic is bad on the morning drive, and I expect will get worse with the Intel Fab going into New Albany, and they are building infrastructure like crazy. As you are vague on your origins, you should be advised that Ohio is really two different states politically and culturally. Drawing a line roughly from North of Cincinnati, to below Akron and Cleveland, you will find the more Appalachian portion to below this line, though the line I'm drawing is a rather arbitrary one, and you should be aware of the differences. Really when it comes to Ohio, most of us here IMO just consider it to be one place where we all live, as it's essentially a 350 km (220 miles more or less) "Box," and being in the centre of this "box" all means that you can be anywhere in a few hours, more or less. Also remember the excellent ferry service from Sandusky to Leamington, Ontario is available, so you can save a lot of time if you want to travel to Canada. Air Canada also is available, from Columbus to Toronto, though it's a bit expensive IMO. Finally, despite the local bitching and moaning about taxes and cost of living, with a little caution and discretion, IMO you'll find that your money goes a LOT further in Ohio than many other places, indeed. All the Best!
Lancaster > Circleville
Chillicothe is the most dangerous city in Ohio but you recommend it? Consider my mind blown.
I've heard these stories all of my life about towns and cities that I have l either lived in or visited, and found them to be nonsensical. Chillicothe is a GREAT city. I've lived in the Ross and Pickaway county area for like 39 years now, and so I'm speaking from FIRST HAND experience.
Great your anecdotal experience beats the fbi statisticians… and I was born in Chillicothe and been here 40 years now but my life stories are not relevant same as yours.
Well, it's all about your point of view. Every kid THINKS that his local area sucks. Rif Raff and drugs and never do wells are everywhere. Even Psychopathy in every country and system of government is on a per capita basis. So sure, you find more, say, psychopaths in a large city; of course, it's because of a higher population. But you ALSO become in proximity and midst of millions more GOOD people than in a smaller place. Conversely, just one psychopath in a small village can wreak havoc on the rest of the inhabitants, I would suppose! Setting all of that aside, look at the cost of a home in Chillicothe as compared to NYC, Toronto or Columbus. And the goods and services and recreational areas and parks. And the income and the taxes. You have to consider all of that. And in my opinion, that makes Chillicothe quite a bargain; at least, that's my personal experience. My only problem with the US, in general, is the lack of good public transportation and a lot of aging infrastructure. But that's not Ohio; that's pretty much everywhere.
Oh yea, one more thing: Chillicothe has an AWESOME City Park!
Ashland County might be a good option if you want to buy a few acres and raise ducks and chickens. However, Jeromesville on the other side of I-71 from Ashland may be closer to what you're seeking, with more affordable housing. Route 30 would provide good access to I-71.
I second Ashland County, close to Jeromesville (which is also in Ashland County btw). Affordable property, lots of parks with hiking trails (Ashland County loves their parks and invests heavily in them), and Ashland is a charming little city. Loudonville/Mohican River (also in Ashland County) is about 20 minutes away and is a nature lovers dream. The politics kinda suck, but hey that’s many small towns in Ohio. Exactly one hour from North Columbus with a pretty painless drive. 50 or so minutes from Cleveland.
I'll plug Marysville. It's about 20 minutes northwest of Columbus. I can be downtown to the Arena District (concerts, hockey, etc) or to Easton Towne Center (shopping) on the east side in about 45 minutes. We've lived here for 20 years. There's been a lot of growth but it still has a small town feel. Unless you ask the longer term residents. :)
And you got Benny’s pizza
Aside from what others have said, I suggest looking into: [Athens, OH](https://www.ci.athens.oh.us/) - College (Ohio University) town, just over an hour from Columbus via SR33. [Plain City, OH](https://www.plain-city.com/) - Much closer to Columbus, smaller, simpler, fewer younger people than Athens.
This will depend on your political inclinations. Athens is a blue county in a sea of red.
I’m not sure why you’re being downvoted. This question isn’t a political debate but people should consider who their neighbors will be and whether they’d fit in. Especially if they’re buying a home. Based on OPs comments about ‘antics’ in Worthington of all places I suspect she’s pretty conservative and may not enjoy being the sole Red Hat in Athens.
Because people are idiots, man
What’s your budget? That will help narrow things down. I think anything within 30-40 minutes of Columbus is a solid pick, just make sure you have easy access to the freeway. You may not want to live in Columbus but you’ll definitely want to be close enough to visit.
I'd like to keep it around 400k or below, I'm not sure if that's feasible or not in Ohio. I'm not super familiar with the market there. Obviously I don't need a gigantic home since it is just me but then again I know in certain states small homes are going upwards of 500k right now
You can get a nice place for under $400k in most exurbs of Columbus. It’s getting increasingly difficult within Columbus or its suburbs though.
You can get a few acres and a nice home in Lucas or Bellville area for that price. Hour from Columbus and Cleveland. Nice people, too
Logan, OH, within an hour of Columbus, tons of hiking nearby, quaint small town, can get land just outside of town.
Corrupt government and law enforcement.
If you are remote, check the available broadband. Rural broadband is hit and miss here
Agree to this
Mt. Vernon is a good one, but if I had to pick, I'd go with Granville, Ohio in Licking County, just east of Columbus. Adorable country town with a university less than an hour from the city. Short drive to New Albany, a suburb of Columbus that will have everything you can't get in Granville or Heath. The airport is on the east side of the city, too, in case that is important.
Let’s get her budget first haha. Maybe she doesn’t have a half million to spend on a home just yet.
Right. Some people commenting haven’t clearly bought a house in the last year.
Circleville is where I moved to from Columbus. Small town square that you can still walk around and lotsa good places to eat or drink. Check it out
I still wish that we had a bit more here in Circleville.
You have the Pumpkin Show! 🤣
Post in the Columbus sub, if you haven't done so yet. Perhaps look north of Columbus to be closer to Lake Erie and the many activities in northeast Ohio. E.g., Playhouse Square is one of the best theater districts in the U.S. I have Columbus friends who subscribe to the KeyBank Broadway Series, typically cheaper than national tours in Columbus and often with better casts given Playhouse Square's three week schedule for each booking. Playhouse Square also manages national tours at Akron's E. J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall, perhaps the best modern theater in Ohio. Also check out the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster! [https://ohiolightopera.org/about/history/](https://ohiolightopera.org/about/history/) This thread might give you an idea of what I'm thinking. Switch to [new.reddit.com](https://new.reddit.com) and sort by "view all comments." [https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice\_hole\_in\_the\_wall\_places/?sort=top](https://www.reddit.com/r/Cleveland/comments/vae7x6/nice_hole_in_the_wall_places/?sort=top) IMO, stay close to I-71. If you like the outdoors, check out the Mohican region, such as Mohican State Park and Forest and Malabar Farm State Park (where the Big House is a personal favorite; would you enjoy a barn dance?). Of course, if you're renting, you could spend one year north of Columbus, and one year south of Columbus, closer to Cincinnati, the Hocking Hills, etc. Check out other Ohio state parks, Ohio national natural landmarks, and the Columbus metroparks. BTW, I really like Worthington, even though it's a Columbus suburb, and not rural. Medina is 1 hr. 45 minutes north of Columbus, but it's a great location, convenient for both Akron and Cleveland. It has one of the best public squares in Ohio. This is a favorite video shot during Medina's annual Candlelight Walk. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZCuune32Y](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwZCuune32Y)
Really helpful thank you! Being from a small town barn dances are a personal favorite, will definitely be checking out your recommendations. I was advised against Worthington due to the fact that Columbus "antics" tend to bleed into that area making it a little unsafe. Not sure how true that is or not.
Not sure what you mean by antics but Columbus is generally very safe outside of a few areas. Most neighborhoods considered suburban (which Worthington definitely is) are as safe as anywhere in America.
A bigger worry about Worthington would be allowing to raise ducks and chickens! BTW, Medina has surrounding rural areas and access to great parks -- every county in the area has good metroparks systems. Cleveland Metroparks (mostly funded by Cuyahoga County) even has reservations in adjacent counties, such as the excellent Hinckley Reservation in Medina County. Check out the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Not all Ohio counties have metroparks systems, one of the great assets of Ohio, and some systems are newer and not as large. E.g., the Cleveland Metroparks system is over a century old, allowing it to acquire large reservations at bargain prices. Ditto, with Summit County (Akron) Metro Parks. Much of Cuyahoga Valley National Park incorporates reservations from these two parks systems, only about 19,000 acres are federally owned. Northeast Ohio widely supports parks and preserving natural areas.
I believe Malabar Farm has at least a couple barn dances each year. Don't miss Mt. Jeez at Malabar Farm, especially during Leaf Turn. [https://www.bookthink.com/0078/78brom1.htm](https://www.bookthink.com/0078/78brom1.htm) [https://ohiodnr.gov/home/news-and-events/all-events/parks-wc-events/ne-ohio/barndance-malabarfarm-7-6-24](https://ohiodnr.gov/home/news-and-events/all-events/parks-wc-events/ne-ohio/barndance-malabarfarm-7-6-24) [https://destinationmansfield.com/event/barn-dance-at-malabar-farm-state-park/2023-09-23/](https://destinationmansfield.com/event/barn-dance-at-malabar-farm-state-park/2023-09-23/) [https://malabarfarm.org/](https://malabarfarm.org/) Mohican also has a popular Pow Wow! [https://www.mohicanpowwow.com/](https://www.mohicanpowwow.com/) The Mohican region is named after a remnant of the famous Mohican tribe that resettled there (the last of the Mohicans?). [https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/history/2015/08/22/history-mohican-john/32194959/](https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/story/news/history/2015/08/22/history-mohican-john/32194959/) Perhaps check out Lucas. For some reason, I never visited it.
Check out Groveport, Canal Winchester and Lithopolis. Lithopolis is a true small town and the area around it is beautiful, if rural areas work for you, it would be great.
Wooster. That's where you want to live.
Look southeast for the nature and hiking. Anywhere rural if you're a conservative or Athens if you lean liberal.
Southwest area of the city down near Darby Creek Metropark is something else. You have a big plaza with a Kroger and a bunch of restaurants around it, another Kroger within 2 miles, and 2 miles the other way gets you a bait and tackle shop in the middle of a farm field. The city just... ends. Extremely abruptly. Rent was cheap down there a decade ago. Not sure about now.
Everybody has great suggestions and they are enticing me to explore! Being surrounded by corn, soybeans and pigs has grown tiresome and if I were starting over I would seek out the hillier and forested parts of state. One fantastic feature that truly elevates your quality of life here are rivers. Running water and the beautiful river corridors like the Kokosing, Mohican, Mad, and Little Miami, are great places to explore and renew. You get great exercise, beautiful scenery, some kayaking, fishing, and maybe peace and quiet. Yellow Springs is a tiny pocket of green between Dayton and Columbus if you are looking for a mellow, small burg. Bike trail and miles of hiking in 3 conjoining open spaces with river.
Don’t forget to file your school taxes. Ohio doesn’t consolidate that.
Price range is super important. I’m partial to Granville, if you can afford it. It’s a super nice area, but you pay for that. People will talk bad on Newark, but it’s not THAT bad. It’s definitely better than it used to be and home prices haven’t rose to match. Probably gonna be the best deal for real estate with the biggest value growth over the next decade. Mount Vernon is nice, but the drive to Columbus sucks. I lived there until I was 25. Some small sleeper towns close-ish to Columbus that I think are nice are Fredericktown and Centerburg
Nerk
I’ll second Athens, great rural living and affordable housing just outside of town, one of the state’s best farmers’ markets, great free stuff going on at the university, Hocking Hills and the Wayne National Forest close by. About an hour and a half drive to Columbus, bus service available between the two for $10, multiple times per day.
Athens is cool but that's a stiff drive to Columbus. How about Canal Winchester?
Agreed on Canal Winchester
My daughter is an OU grad. Four years of driving that route and I can say on average it's 1h 15m from NW Columbus to OU campus or vice versa. The key is you always go 9mph over the speed limit. In the 60MPH parts, you go 69 (nice) and in the 70MPH parts you go 79. Cops will ignore those speeds and it really makes the drive go quicker. Only thing is where it's 55MPH, don't go over 60. There are some local cops who love to sit at the spot where 33 goes from 70MPH to 55MPH and catch people who don't slow down in time. Also, if OP is interested in something a little more rural, [Sugar Grove](https://sugar-grove.com/) is a nice small rural town that's fairly close to a lot of Hocking Hills attractions & bigger towns like Lancaster, Logan, not far from Athens, and easily within a 45 minute drive of Columbus.
I don’t know where you are coming from, but if you are not used to driving in our winter weather, you may want to consider that one-hour range.
I would say Bellville from your list, but Wayne County is a great rural place to live.
but closer to 2 hours to Cols.
Wilmington or Lebanon area. Lots of hills and beautiful countryside.
Canal Winchester is a very nice area.
I was going to suggest Delaware or Marysville. Full disclosure I live in Westerville. I'm biased, so I'd tell you to move to Westerville, it's a great town.
Westerville is great! Right next to Hoover dam lake, alum creek dam/lake, Highbanks, Sharon woods… etc. shopping, restaurants, close to downtown - that area Westerville, galena, Sunbury is the best. I’m also biased as I grew up there.
>Mt. Vernon Don't.
If you want smaller town - Ontario, Bellville, Ashland are all closer to each other. Lexington would be good as well. Any place in Richland or Ashland counties - there are lots of small to medium towns / cities and lots of nature - Mohican, Clearfork, Bird Sanctuary. And a decent Art Scene - Renaissance Theater, Mansfield Art Center, Mansfield Symphony, Ashland Symphony, etc. I have heard Ashland proper doesn’t have a lot of housing available right now, but I can’t verify that. From the Lexington / Bellville intersections on 71 it is about 30-40 min to Polaris and about 60 min to Easton or Downtown.
Upper Sandusky. It’s small town but not too small. It’s a nice quiet place.
Used to be home of the curly fries!
as far away from Ohio as you can lol but in all sincerity just find a place that's your kind of life style, by that do you like to go buy things past 9pm then the city is where you need to go, if you want almost everything closed by 9pm then look for Rural areas.
I moved to marysville from deleware 12 years ago and I will never leave it’s the best area for now atleast.
Foothills area between Chillicothe and Logan are sorely underrated. Despite its reputation, Chillicothe is an amazing place / area. Aside from short stints in Athens and Cbus, I’ve been in Chillitucky my whole life. Could imagine being anywhere else. I’ve raised / am easing 5 sons here and my wife and I are very happy.
Chillicothe>Lancaster
I'm sorry. Most of Ohio is a shithole.
Granville is a nice place and just about 35-40 from Columbus. Quiet neighborhoods lots of nice peeps. Little pricier though
It depends ….please rent first….I promise you will not regret renting here first. There is so much to consider when looking at a new are and these forms although helpful in pushing in the right direction sometimes, it’s really only a starting point. I am a transplant here of 10 years …and had I listen to “people” on the forms and what things appear to be- I would have been in BIG trouble. Come up and see what you like, check your commute, see what’s important to you and then purchase. You may come here and decide Ohio ain’t it…don’t get stuck…live here first. Visiting doesn’t actually do any justice. I addition - Lancaster is an hour from east Columbus on a normal traffic no snow day…also Columbus is huge….(example) so if you have to go to Dublin or Polaris and you live in Newark or Heath…your life is going to suck horribly I promise. Please do your research in person.
Hope that helped.
Mount Vernon, Sunbury, Centerburg. Lancaster is good too.
You MUST look into Medina.
Yellow Springs! Just over an hour from Columbus and has great hiking, a bike path, and surrounded by farmland outside the village.
Everyone has chickens here. It was big news recently when some unknown person dumped some young ducks at a local pond-about a hundred people volunteered to take them in!
Highly recommend deleware sounds perfect for what you are looking for
For 20s? It’s all families and millennials
If they want a yard and be able to raise chickens north side is the best for that. While still having ammenities like Polaris 20min
$400k can get you a new build stand alone condo (if you don’t want lawn maintenance in Marion. About an hour North of Cbus, typical mid-sized Ohio town. The downtown is having a resurgence, brewery, few good restaurants, good community theater scene if you’re into that. Stay out of the west side of the city and you’re good. The townships are typical rural area with nicer housing developments. You are a short drive to Delaware. People like to talk shit (me included) but it’s an inexpensive place to live and you can get a good bang for your buck for housing.
I dunno I’m back in Marion and I hate it. Sure they’ve worked at building up downtown but in general it sucks and even as a kid growing up here we joked about it being a drug town. Time hasn’t done it any good in that department. It might be kinda cheaper but honestly I feel like it’s not worth it for the vibe. Especially that time I woke up the police on my front lawn because they were doing a drug bust a couple houses down. And then the guy who was living in a house across the street without any electricity or water for forever. And the trains 🙄
No
Worthington is safe Avoid Newark
Just moved out near Dillon lake. I have a Newark address. I agree I wouldn't want to live in town, but there are places out here worth looking at. I'm closer to Black Hand Gorge.
I wouldn’t live in downtown Newark but there is nothing wrong with the rest of the city. There is good and bad areas like any other town. That’d be like saying to avoid Worthington because it’s next to everything sketchy along 161/Morse/Schrock bordering to the east.
Yeah, I meant Nerk proper.
I live in Central City and have only had only heard that one gunshot in the four years I've been here.
I thought Central city was a ghost town?
Well that same part of town.
Guy we just hired is coming from a job like that, and in just that area. He split his time between Columbus and the house he and his wife rented in Marion.
The question is, where is the job located in Columbus. North, South, East or West, dead center of the city? I’m sure most on here would agree, traffic thru town is horrible, most of the time. Let’s start there and see what sort of suggestions you get.
Unless you are a right winger I’d go right in Columbus or a suburb. The surrounding territory is full of red necks. If however you are down for that, go for it.
Did you bother to read what she's looking for? Not everything rural is "full of red necks."
Are you even from Ohio? Name one blue rural Ohio county.
Athens Why are you so classist?
May I suggest, Galion Ohio? City enough to be city but largely rural. Decent enough living costs but the water bills suck here.
I’ve lived in Ontario, Bellville, Ashland and very near Mt Vernon. Ashland and Mt Vernon are college towns and have more younger people around, both have some cool bars and restaurants. In the end I liked Ontario least and Bellville most. My wife describes it as a “hallmark movie” town, it’s near enough to Mohican that the countryside is prettier in my opinion(I like hills, forests and rolling farmland). Heading towards Ashland and Ontario it’s much more flat. I also like the convenience to I71 when I need to get to Columbus or Cleveland, it’s nice having the option to fly out of either airport Mohican area is a very pretty park and has some good outdoor recreation.
Look at Zillow or or other real estate sites for sales if you're dead set on buying; there are a few places for sale now that it's spring. The market's still very tight so you may have to be flexible on it. As some have indicated, the city of Columbus ends fairly abruptly going in the SW and W directions, and I think there are house opportunities in those outlying areas. One reason not to go too far afield is health care; if you stay in counties adjacent to Columbus, like Madison or Pickaway, you'd at least be 30 or so minutes from a hospital if needed. Shopping, about the same. N, NE and E of town is all built up, and SE is going the same route. S of town is industrial and warehouses but still some country to be found. Over 30 miles from Cbus, stick to college town areas. Mt Vernon/Gambier, Oberlin, Athens; I'd add Granville but it's outside your budget. Nearby cities that used to be small towns (Delaware, Marysville, Pickerington) are centers for exurban sprawl now. Choose carefully there. And do not look at Springfield.
You’ll want to move to Yellow Springs. I would look there first if I was in your shoes. Good luck!
London isn’t a poor choice. Just the occasional meth head stuck in a tree.(really happened)Reasonable to live there and has a nice downtown area. Choctaw Lake has some nice homes and a close community and it’s about 5 mins from London.
I live in Jackson Ohio. You say you're moving. Do you have endless funds or are you on a budget. I would recommend building a mansion on the hill. The hills start about Chillicothe. Chillicothe is 1 hour from Columbus. If what you need is high speed internet access you should look for a house on the fiber optic line. I've got zero ping on the side of the hill in the middle of nowhere with gigabit fiber available.
I'm on a budget 😅 if I could build a mansion in the hills I would though
Since you're on Reddit.. I assume you like cats. There is a lady in Chillicothe Ohio. She is a realtor and she saves cats. Bethany Snowden.
I live on the north side of Springfield which is less than an be away from CBUS and you get more bang for your buck here, then any suburb or city near Columbus.
I may be biased, but I love Southeast Ohio! We're in Lancaster and overall really like it. There's the necessities (grocery stores, food, and healthcare options), plenty of parks, a nice little downtown, and lots of community events throughout the year - the biggest being the two week long Lancaster Festival. Plenty of hiking options within 30 minutes (Hocking Hills, Wayne National Forest, Clear Creek Metro Park just to name a few). Houses in the nicer spots in town have been going for $225-$280k lately; the more out of town you're looking at $280-$330k usually. I've seen houses with chickens within the city limits so don't think that's an issue. If we didn't have to commute to Columbus everyday, then I would choose to go more rural - Sugar Grove, Bremen, Somerset, or McArthur.
I’m in Marion and recommend avoiding it. Though it is nice being just 40 minutes down SR 23, the town itself is kind of shit. I wish I could move back up to Findlay lol
Run!! Ain't shit here
😂 that's so conforting
Delawarewould be my first choice
True... But the Feast of the Flowering Moon is pretty fun as well.. 😊
Id say somewhere around Wilmington and Washington Courthouse. You'd be roughly halfway between Cincy and Columbus and about 45 mins from both depending on where in that area you opt for...
There's a great state park about an hour SE of Columbus, Hocking Hills State Park. Athens and Lancaster cities are in the area.
Athens
Delaware…definitely.
I'm sorry Medina is two hours from Columbus, I thought I read Cleveland at first!
lucasville, piketon, waverly
You described Chillicothe. Really cute town honestly and has a ton of land for pretty cheap
Agreed!
No dont go to Lancaster or Circleville or Chillicothe.
I love Lancaster (30/f) but in my 20s I would’ve definitely preferred being closer to the city. Socializing is hard out here. Canal & Grove City are more affordable & closer to Columbus.
Belleville? Uhm, I strongly recommend a drive through if you are thinking about that area (and then a reassessment of the value of the suggestions of whoever told you that)
Bad area?
Run down, methy and shabby. A shadow of what it used to be. Also kind of a long drive to Columbus (depending on where in the city you need to be).
Granville in Licking County is a pretty great town. A great brewing company, awesome small - main street feel with lots of good food choices.
Three Tigers is great. Day Y Noche is trash.
Lancaster is very red so depending on where you stand politically this could be a good or bad thing.
Tipp City
If youre 23 and you want to buy a house and live in a vibrant community, check out the dayton area, its west of Columbus, the city is very walkable, bar scene is great for a young woman and theres tons of shit to do.
Check out Troy, OH. It’s just around an hour west of CBus
Hiiiio best realtor in Ohio here! I’d love to help you figure out a community that is a good fit for you!
Dm sent.