Geography is very important to living an affordable and enjoyable life. With the cost of living going up tremendously in several states, families are looking to move to areas that are on the cheaper side of things.
Unfortunately, the cost of living is not the only thing that goes into a move. That would be too easy, right? For example, Ohio is one of the cheapest states in the country right now. Homeowners insurance in Ohio is affordable, and auto insurance can also be pretty cheap.
Yet there are several negatives to moving to the Buckeye State. Gun laws are incredibly lax, with the state government allowing teachers to bring these weapons to the classroom with just 24 hours of firearm training. LGBTQ+ rights are decent in Ohio, but not compared to more progressive states like Washington, Oregon, and California.
These are some of the pros and cons of raising your family in Ohio. We’ll try to cover as many as we can below.
Pro – Affordable Insurance
Ohio has some of the cheapest auto insurance in the entire country. If you are someone who drives a lot and wants to do so affordably, doing so in Ohio is a great choice. You may be wondering why auto insurance is cheaper in Ohio than in other places.
There are a lot of rural areas with low population density in Ohio. This means there are fewer people on the road and fewer accidents that occur. States that have a lot of traffic put their drivers at risk of getting hurt.
If you live in a big city like Cleveland or Cincinnati, you should know the rates of auto insurance go up. These states are still more affordable to get insured in than somewhere like Los Angeles, California, or Miami, Florida.
Homeowners insurance is also cheaper in Ohio than in a lot of other areas around the U.S. This is mainly due to the lack of natural disasters compared to other places. There aren’t a large number of hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, or earthquakes in Ohio. This makes your home less risky to insure for an insurance company.
You can also be confident and comfortable raising your family in a state where they are not at risk of getting hurt from one of these weather-related incidents.
Con – Gun Laws
The increase in gun violence around the U.S. has led to some controversial opinions and proposals from people who work in politics. The governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, signed a bill into law that allows teachers and students who are 18 years or older to carry a firearm on a school campus with 24 hours of training.
This law was perceived by those in Congress as an act to help protect teachers and students from potential threats on campus, but many people worry that it will only escalate the situation if something bad happens. More guns in people’s hands who are not very experienced with firearms is a concerning situation.
If you are planning on moving your family to Ohio, it’s important that you decide whether you are comfortable with the gun laws in the state. They are lax and encourage more guns rather than weapons in the hands of authorities.
States on the western side of the country with more Democratic politicians and voter bases have more background checks, more required training, and stricter permits. They certainly don’t have any laws that allow for teachers to carry guns onto a school campus.
If you like other things about Ohio but are afraid of the gun safety laws as they pertain to school, you can think about homeschooling your children. This is a safe way to control the environment they are in and brings more fun into the home classroom.
Pro – Passionate Sports Fans
Watching sports may seem like just a way to blow off steam or relax with your family on the weekends, but Ohio’s teams are part of the fabric and culture of the state. Football is the most popular sport in the state, with high school football and Ohio State college football dominating Friday and Saturday night entertainment.
The NFL’s Cleveland Browns are also a major draw on Sundays despite being one of the more unsuccessful teams in the league. Because so many people feel so passionate about football in Ohio, you can connect with strangers over your love for these teams. It’s a great way to make new friends and become one with your new community.
Professional athletes also have a tremendous effect on a city’s bottom line due to their fame and ability to garner attention all around the world. Basketball legend LeBron James was estimated to add $500 million to the Cleveland economy when he returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team in the summer of 2014.
He now plays in Los Angeles, but James has played over a decade of his career in the Buckeye State. Considering he is one of the most recognizable people on the planet, his presence makes Cleveland a tourist destination and a place where families can enjoy bonding over sports.
Having an idol like LeBron, someone kids can look up to while growing up in Ohio, is a great way to get your child interested in sports. This will make them healthier and potentially happier. There are so many reasons why you should try new sports. The good weather in the state during the spring and summer helps for playing outdoor sports and watching the teams that we talked about above.
Con – LGBTQ+ Rights
Basic LGBTQ+ rights in Ohio are decent. Same-sex marriage and same-sex relationships are both legalized, but discussions around these topics are being censored. House Bill 616 was a proposed law that would make sure teachers can’t discuss sexual orientation or the history of the queer experience in any public school setting.
This is a startling regression that would limit the education students can receive on diversity. If you are a parent of an LGBTQ+ child, or you are just someone who wants their kids to learn about people who are different from them, Ohio is looking like it’s not the best place to live.
You can see there are plenty of pros and cons to living in Ohio. You need to weigh the social aspects and dangers of going to school in Ohio with the upsides of the state like its affordable cost of living.
Photo by DJ Johnson on Unsplash
