Cleveland, OH

Second worst city in America, after Detroit. Bland, boring, ugly, and useless. A place where people dream of leaving, but they're too poor to actually do it.

It's a horrible place to live. The only people that will say "it's not so bad" are people that have lived here for generations and have locked up all the good jobs through nepotism and corruption. There's not much here for anyone who wants to live above the poverty line. I don't dispute Ohio's natural beauty, but if you can't afford to pay your rent then you will be spending a lot of cold nights in Ohio's wonderful wilderness. And yes, the people here are tend to be a little behind the curve when it comes to social skills. But that's what happens when the available pool of individuals is ever-shrinking. Anyone who has a shred of talent is busy working on plans to escape Cleveland. The chances of a college grad getting a decent job without having some sort of unfair advantage (mainly family), is pretty slim. I have lived all over the country, but I was born here. Back in 1990's I thought it couldn't get any worse, but the economic meltdown in 2008 is really going to put the nail in... Read more

I was in Cleveland and hardly remember it. There isn't much there and its pretty gloomy. Yes, there is the Rock n Roll hall of fame, but I didn't visit it! Cleveland isn't really a vacation destination and shouldn't be for anyone!

Cleveland Ohio is the worst city I have ever lived in (was there for a year on contract work). The obvious dreary Erie lake effect and seasonal affective feel this city has is compounded by the mean people that live there (natives). Very cold and crisp personalities and always unabashedly proud of Cleveland like it is so great. I could never get over how they put down other parts of the state (especially wonderful places like Dayton which is FRIENDLY). I wouldn't wish any outsider to this partisan and unhappy place. I was stabbed in the back by the friends I did try to make up there upon departing. The city also has racial tensions that make the mood even more foul. It is a fading city and who ever heard of relocating to live in Cleveland? Preposterous! I know a bunch of people that have left it and never looked back. Once the elder population dies off it will become even more vacant than it is now. NO ONE WOULD VOLITIONALLY CHOSE TO MOVE AND START A LIFE in such a mean town. Sorry Cl... Read more

Riverlover it sounds as if someone has stepped on your toes. Ohio is not the state that it used to be and Northeastern Ohio; Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown etc. is a shell of what it once was. What constitutes being a real Ohioian anyway? I was born and raised in Akron and could see the decline of the city from a young age until I was old enough to move out of Ohio and leave the state for myself. It isn't that hard to figure out. Sure Ohio has plenty to love about nature and I love the fact of Cleveland being a Forest City or Akron the city of seven hills. And what nooks and crannies other than the major cities in the state are there really worth talking about? The arguments are about the sad state of affairs from an urban perspective, not of the beautiful countryside. As far as New York; yes I love the skyscrapers and the way in which place is built up but I prefer Chicago where there are more than enough skyscrapers for those that want that, but plenty of single home ... Read more

hey we have to leave somewhere have have lived in cleveland ohio all my 51 years its okay but i have been at my job 22 years unskilled labor so where the heck i'm i going i love the ocean but can i get a job there at my age cleveland is alright

Haven't seen the whole city...but I've been downtown a few times. Not that great.

Do yourself a favor - Move to Pittsburgh!

There was no doubt that this area was pleasing. I do say that Ohio is the worst state in the country, but Cleveland saves it- it is the only place good in the state. Seeing how nice the Rock and Roll HOF was and the nearby Great Lakes Science Center and Clevand Browns Stadium were along the lake, I was satisfied with my visit. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was big and natural in most places. RTA Bus and the rapid trolley was reliable, but the transit wasn't totally good- there were some stations that are run down and there are delays on the blue and green lines because the switching gates are controlled by the driver instead of central control. The "Q" was classy and fine for the MAC Basketball Tourney and for the 2007 NCAA Women's Final Four. It seems that the square near Tower City and the grassy mall there are fine places to see local monuments and natural urban settings. It is just that in some places, there was construction along one of their main streets, and some areas of residence w... Read more

Cleveland is really not so bad. We just may have the finest MDs here with the Cleveland Clinic and some of the best universities such as Case Western Reserve situated here. Our restaurants have improved and there is a trendy little strip on the near west side of town called Tremont and I would be proud to take any client to some of those great night spots there. No, Cleveland is not Chicago (another great midwest city) but it may be in another 10 years and best of all it's home.

while the "sin tax" sucks, the cost of living remains relatively low. You save tons of money living here as opposed to larger cities. The economy is not the greatest and the politics of Cuyahoga County truly do suck but we have all the major sports teams - and we do have Lebron who decided to stay for at least 3 more years - cultural events, the opera....etc. plus several major universities. We also have writer Les Roberts who used to live in more trendy areas of the country but chose to live in Cleveland Heights and write books centered around Cleveland. In reality, it is probably no better or no worse than any other "city" and is more affordable.

cleveland is a good town. it has gone through the worst things any city in the country times ten has ever seen. it is a rough and tumble kind of town, you gotta be tough to live here. it is cold in winter and blazing in summer. it is fun to freeze and then sweat, i love it, it makes a man hard and tough. if you can survive clevaland you can go anywhere in the world and take what the crap they dish out to you. you wont be scarred of nothing after liveing in the industrial rust belt. weve made all the crap that makes this country what it is, i'm sick of haters hating on cleveland and thinking were just a cow town. if you think you are so great and mighty, then i dare you to come to the industrial wasteland, you won't survive one month here. the weather will tear you up if your not tough. i have gone all over the country and everywhere i have been is the same deal. people living, eating, breathing, working to make a buck and enjoy themselves. haters are nothing more than people who are je... Read more

The poor Clevelander who wrote the post below me obiviously does not get out of his city much.. I find the people in Cleveland weird and very rude.. Face Billwatterson Cleveland really does suck.. That is why so many people have left that horrible place. Cleveland is a joke.. It is depressing as hell. It did not get the names and it's jokes for nothing.. It was the Mistake by the Lake in the 70's and still is.. Cleveland = BACKWARDS!!

Cleveland is, frankly, great, and I would like to write a rebuttal to the gentleman lunatic who wrote the review right below this one. His main complaints about Cleveland--by the way, he seems to keep referring to NE Ohio rather than Cleveland, which makes me suspect he doesn't actually live IN Cleveland or visit it often--seem to fall into four categories: a) complaints about the people; b) complaints about the economy; c) complaints about expired food; d) culture. He neglects to mention any of the cultural institutions in the city, and sounds like he's not leading a very happy life--(cf. the rant about expired food). But now to address the complaints: a) The People: I lived in Cleveland for over 20 years and never had any problem with people shouting "buy American!" or religious zealots running after me (though they are creeping into some of the suburban school boards... so watch out). Or rednecks??? My recommendation would be: meet new people. Obviously, there's weirdos there... Read more

Cleveland/NE Ohio sucks BEYOND SUCK itself! I've lived in different parts of the country, and have been here 10 years now, due to my wife's long established family business being here (we can't move; yes, I must love her a LOT, eh? LOL). There are so many negatives about NE Ohio, where do I begin? * The weather SUCKS bigtime. This is the most overcast/cloudy metro area in all of the U.S. You will NOT see the sun or sunlight between December and March, except for maybe a day or two if you are lucky. It's almost as if 'god' forgot this place! SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) and depression runs high around here. * The economy SUCKS bigtime. Those that are able to find good paying, quality jobs and utilize their College educations are indeed lucky. I've met way too many degreed individuals around here that work as servers, or at places like 'Target' or 'Wal-Mart'. Answer a typical vague 'Management Position' ad from the 'help wanted' ads in NE Ohio, and you'll end up interviewi... Read more

Cleveland gets a bad rap. I thought it was a pretty cool city by the Lake.

High taxes, uneducated workforce, and an outdated loyalty to labor unions thrives. Thus, this is not a competitive place in today's economy. NE Ohio college graduates mostly move away to places like Columbus (Ohio) or move out of Ohio entirely. A few stay 'home' but they are in the minority. I moved away from NE Ohio. I have a degree, and sorry, I don't want to work in a machine shop. Memo to Cleveland: the steel mills are mostly gone. Move on like the rest of America and stop electing politicians who are nothing more than labor union stooges. There was a turnaround of the city's downtown during the 1980's and early 90's, but it has slowed down as the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party regained power. I never thought I'd see Dennis Kucinich elected again, but it happened! The ugly numbers of today's Cleveland reality are at www.city-data.com

A craphole plain and sinple. The only thing worth seeing here is the R&R; Hall Of Fame which is very cool. Rude people, bad drivers and a rundown dirty city overall, yuk!

This city has got to be one of the worst! It snows way too much and is also cloudy about 70% of the year. Your car can rust out easily because of all the salt they have to put down due to the horrible winters. They like to import used cars from the South because they have no rust. Summers are full of brief warm spells with a lot of rain and drizzle. It gets really depressing. Not only is the weather here horrible and depressing but so are the people. Cleveland (known also as the Mistake by the Lake) which lies in the Rust Belt has been the nations biggest eye sore and joke for many years. Once a city of over a million people in the early 70's has now decreased to a little under 400,000 which is smaller than Atlanta and many other fine Southern cities. The crime rate in Cleveland is also out of control. They cannot keep the city street lights on because the city cannot afford it. Nor can they afford to repair roads. Also this town is Mafia ran which seems to control everything. The town... Read more

Deffinetly gets a bad rap. Deserved or not i'm not really sure. I love great lakes cities, but people seem to judge all of them on Cleveland, which isn't fair to the rest of them.

Good city, very friendly outgoing people, but colder than a witches tit...

I feel bad for Cleveland. Its on a lake and yet The Flats cant make a city.... Rust belt cities are really harsh....im not really used to that. There is a bleakness to this city that reminds me of Buffalo....sort of a bygone town.

Thinking outside the box in Cleveland: the International Buffet.

Bleh, I hate Cleveland.

People don't give my hometown area enough credit - it's suprising nice, and anyone who visits tends to agree that we have a very nice City and metropolitan area to live in. Culture is great, CWRU and CSU (the two big universities) are looking to become major partners in regenerating interest in the city beyond the rust belt days into the tech economy, and anyone who still thinks of it as the Mistake on the Lake is either from Pittsburgh :) or hasn't been to the city since the 70s.

A city with a terrific atmoshphere. Lots of places to entertain yourself whether it be in the Flats or Downtown. Plus you have the Indians, Browns, and Cavs all within 10 blocks of each other

Cleveland is a surprisingly fun place to spend a weekend-pretty neighborhoods (Lakewood, the Westside area, University Circle) the best museums between Chicago and the East Coast, good restaurants; and of course don't miss 'The Flats'. Together with one of the best hospitals in the world, and several respectable universities, Cleveland is getting by just fine. But while Cleveland has managed to survive as a coherent entity (unlike Detroit or St. Louis) I don't think it will ever return to its glory days, for all the talk of 'renaissance' and 'revitalization'. The continued stagnation and decline of most of Cleveland (outside the neighborhoods noted above) cannot be blamed entirely on its god-aweful mayor. Excepting Chicago (which had the unique advantages of being a gigantic metropolis, and the nation's transportation hub) no other rustbelt city has managed to thrive in the late 20th Century, and regain the prosperity and importance it once enjoyed. In other words, survival and st... Read more

Cleveland is much improved from what it was 20 years ago when I remember it being quite an unpleasant place to visit. The downtown area is quite a place with the RRHOF, the sports venues, and good nightlife. Outside of the downtown area, the Cleveland Museum of Art on the east side is a must see attraction for visitors. One of the best museums I've been to period. Cleveland is presently an OK city that over time could evolve into a great city if more of the old neighborhoods continue to be revitalized.

I have spent alot of time in Cleveland and even though it has its problems as every other city, it is a very fun city to spend time in. I currently live in Pittsburgh, the boring and depressed capital of the world, and Cleveland is by far a million times more fun a much better area to live. I cant wait to get out of Pittsburgh. CLeveland is great and has alot of potential. Pittsburgh is a has been city and is spiraling down so fast it isnt even funny.

Its merely ok. About 90 miles from me, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is about the best thing here. The Jake is ok, and the Cleveland Clinic is world renound, but really, it is pretty basic.

Actually, I wish I could give Cleveland 3 1/2 stars. The biggest problem about Cleveland is the unjustified obsession the locals have about their hometown. They can't seem to talk about anything beyond the perimiters of the People's Republic of Ohio. The local newspaper is by far the worst example of journalism that I have ever read. (Plain Dealer) There is incredible brain-drain: the best academic and cultural minds leave for greener pastures. What's left is Ohio-centrist people with tunnel vision who think they're big-time because they live in a big city. Having said that, Cleveland does have a terrific nightlife: people who complain about the flats puzzle me. . .you can park your car and party all night. Cops usually don't mess with drivers coming home from the flats b/c the town wants to foster the atmosphere of being a friendly and cheap place to party. This is a very affordable city. . .restraunts are as good as anywhere in bigger areas. The locals are very approachable... Read more

Yes Cleveland is a nice city and all but in light of the fact that it's the dropback for that horrible, horrible "Drew Carey Show" it gets two stars. P.S. Drew: You stink.

One of my fave cities to go to. Even though I live in Buffalo, I was born and raised here and still have family on the West Side, heading out towards Avon. The various Heights---Shaker, Cleveland, University, Mayville, Warrensville, Parma, etc.---each lend their own diversity to a very dynamic city. A fantastic medical center in the Cleveland Clinic (one of the planet's finest). Dynamic theatres and museums thrive along Euclid Avenue. And of course, my beloved INDIANS. CSU is a nice urban campus, and CCC is a decent juco. The Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame is here as well. To paraphrase Drew Carey (also a hometown boy): "CLEVELAND ROCKS! CLEVELAND ROCKS! CLEVELAND ROCKS!!!! O-H-I-O!!!!!"

The city has come a long way from the burning river days. But what about outside the tourist areas? Is that going to be revived too? Transit workers were very rude. Loved Terminal Tower and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!, Cleveland Rocks!

Cleveland is a great place to live and raise children. It has real neighborhoods, with corner stores and coffee shops and affordable restaurants... It's becoming an ever-more-integrated community, so if you care about teaching your children the value of diversity it's a living laboratory... If you can get a ticket to an Indians game, you'll have a ball! And if you can't, you can take the kids to the Akron Aeros, or a WNBA Rockers game, or soccer, or hockey... Around University Circle there is a lot of international community, film, music...

Cleveland does not rock. Cleveland is OK - it is there and it is cold and there are a lot of cheesey people in Cleveland. i think the whole underdog thing rooting for Cleveland as a cool city has passed us by. Just one of those places that made a push, but will only draw people from Ohio to live there. Not much of an international or business presence there. The Cleveland Browns say meow meow.

The people in Cleveland are really friendly and welcoming. The cultural institutions are terrific.

I love Cleveland. People don't give it enough credit.