By Vince Mancuso, Storage.com
If you’re relocating to Columbus, Ohio, you’re in for a good life. The city has a 4.3% unemployment rate (which is 1.4% lower than the national average) and houses many nationally-recognized corporations. There’s also a great dining scene, opportunities for higher education, and beautiful suburbs.
Let’s take a look at some of the things to know about Columbus before relocating.
1. MAKE YOUR MARK.
Columbus was recently named the best city to make your mark by Forbes. With a median home sales price around $99,000 and plenty of job opportunities, it’s the perfect place to settle down. Though Columbus has more than 820,000 residents, it’s still got a hometown feel. Families will want to check out Upper Arlington, New Albany, and Powell, all of which placed in the top ten best suburbs in America, and those looking for employment have a number of companies to choose from, including commercial and investment banker JPMorgan Chase & Co., auto manufacturer Honda, and fashion parent company L Brands.
2. CULTURE FOR EVERYONE.
Looking for culture? Let’s see…there’s the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Performing Arts Center (CPAC), ComFest (known as the “Community Festival” to outsiders), annual Doo Dah Parade (featuring the marching Fidel Castros), Matsuricon (a three-day Japanese anime convention), the Ohio State Fair, a rockin’ underground music scene at The Tree Bar, and…whew, tired of all of this awesome culture yet?
3. A WELCOMING HOME FOR U.S. VETERANS AND SOMALIS.
When you move to Columbus, there’s a good chance your neighbors may be veterans or Somalis. Due to its mix of government, industry, and education, Columbus was rated the sixth best city for veterans to find employment by the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) this year. As for the Somali population, Columbus is home to the second largest Somali population in the United States, as well as the Somali Community Association of Ohio, a nonprofit that advocates and promotes self-sufficiency through employment, economic empowerment, and education for the Somali community.
4. COLLEGES, COLLEGES, AND MORE COLLEGES.
The Columbus area hosts 62 universities and colleges, which educate more than 140,000 students each year. But, of course, the big school in the area is Ohio State University, which enrolls nearly 60,000 students alone. (Quick tip: Come Buckeye football season, it’s best to stay off the roads before and after any Ohio State football games. On the plus side, the roads will be all yours while the game is going. But why miss out? You could join in and do some tailgating each week during the fall!)
Attend OSU and need summer storage? Find a storage unit near Ohio State University.
5. PRO TEAMS GALORE—JUST TAKE YOUR PICK.
Professional sports are all over Ohio. Though Columbus only hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL), people throughout the city have other teams they support, including the Cleveland Browns (NFL), Cincinnati Bengals (NFL), Cleveland Indians (MLB), Cincinnati Reds (MLB), and Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA). Just watch out for those pro football and baseball rivalries, especially since you’ll probably have to pick a side.
6. HUNGRY, ANYONE?
Like eating? Columbus is home to some good eats! There’s City Barbeque, an award-winning barbecue joint that got its start as a competitive BBQ team (and there are plenty of locations spread throughout the city). Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, which was named the best ice cream in America by U.S. News & World Report, also calls Columbus its home (Try the Brambleberry Crisp or famous Salty Caramel!). We should also mention that Columbus is a test market for big companies like Starbucks and Wendy’s, which means you’ll get to sample new ideas before the rest of the country.
7. THE GREAT OUTDOORS.
Whether you’re a full-blown nature lover or just a casual park stroller, there’s something for you. Nature lovers can hit up the Glen Echo Ravine near OSU for birdwatching or bike the Olentangy Trail, a 14-mile trail from Worthington Hills to Downtown Columbus. Casual park strollers, on the other hand, can check out the gardens in the Columbus Park of Roses in Clintonville or Topiary Park in Downtown Columbus, which features a landscape modeled after the famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by French post-impressionist Georges Seurat.
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If you’re planning to move to Columbus and need storage space to help with the transition, view Storage.com’s directory of storage units in Columbus, Ohio to find, compare, and rent self storage in the area.
All images used in the post are licensed under the Creative Commons license.
