Toledo is better than exciting, it's happy. Because nothing is more conducive to unhappiness than taking yourself seriously, and taking yourself seriously is difficult when you're baseball team is the Mud Hens. -Author: P. J. O'Rourke
Toledo has a thriving arts scene in all media, but has a special emphasis on both commercial and artistic glass. Its Museum of Art includes a world-renowned Glass Pavilion and major glass manufacturers employ many of the city’s populace.
Here's a local on the pros of living in Toledo:
*The local food scene in Toledo is TOP NOTCH. I haven't found food as good in any other city yet. And I've been to San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, and dozens of other places. Seriously, check out even the most in-the-wall places. People in Toledo know what dining and drinking is all about.
*- Toledo is a very progressive, liberal, blue city in a very mixed state.*
- The film/art scene is hot! Check out the art museum, film festivals, concerts, zombie walks, and lots of downtown events!
- You are literally 15 minutes away from Michigan and the highway will audibly let you know when you've crossed state lines. Ann Arbor and Detroit are in your backyard.
- Hockey is life. What's “"basketball?” Mudhens or bust.
- Be nice to everyone and you'll make tons of toledoean friends.
For more reviews of what living in Toledo is like from locals check out: The Buzz
Growth is a tricky thing. If you're in a city that is growing then everyone complains about the growth (see every city in Montana). If on the other hand you're in a city that is stagnant then that's a problem as well. Investment requires tax base and so for Toledo to increase services and amenities it needs to work on some growth. You get lower costs for that lack of growth but again, for the overall city future you'd like to see some expansion.
**Here's the pov of a local who moved to Columbus on the cons of Toledo: **
I don’t see the city growing, in fact probably the opposite. The thing I like more about Columbus is we get new stuff often, better concerts, the airport is super easy to fly out of (not a ton of direct flights), strong labor market, so easy to find a new job. But, housing cost more, significantly. I was shocked when I moved down here and had to up my housing budget by $100k to get what I wanted.
Toledo is first and foremost a great place to raise a family. Many mid-sized, midwestern cities can make the same claim but Toledo has the advantage of also boasting a robust set of cultural amenities of much larger cities without having to fight any madness to get to them. This includes a world-class zoo the aforementioned art museum, a Children’s Art Museum, and the wonderful Toledo Symphony. Just as important though is Toledo’s proximity to cool places like Ann Arbor (20-30 minute drive) and incredible water activities via Lake Erie.
If you want to see what Toledoans do for fun and culture check out the calendar of events: https://www.downtowntoledo.org/events/
Toledo started as the Glass Capital of the country but has since transitioned to being more of a mix of industrial giants like Owens Corning and LIbbey Inc, auto manufacturing with auto plants for General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler surviving the rust belt decline, emerging industry growth in the Green Industry and a banking and finance sector that serves northwestern Ohio. It can be a tricky city to find work if you move here and lose your job but Detroit and the entire Southeastern Michigan economy 60 mins or less away so options are available.
Toledo is affordable, and like a lot of midwestern cities is experiencing a renaissance of work-from-homers looking for a pleasant, family-friendly, cheaper option. Like any city its size, there’s plenty to do and lots for families to enjoy. Finally, if you have midwestern sensibilities about what is close, then you'll find the drives to Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville or Pittsburgh easy for a weekend trip.
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Toledo has historically not had a great neighborhood for young professionals. Downtown is where the biggest push is happening to build a more vital place to live and go out at night. A development effort is making progress in building that culture and it has a lot going for it. Two professional sports teams play there, a significant art community is growing there, restaurants and bars are going up, and even more significantly several thousand residential apartment and condo units have gone up to house the newbies excited to live within walking distance of there they work and now can go out.
