2019 Best Places to Retire in OhioAbout this List

Bellbrook

• Suburb of Dayton, OH
• 16

Current Resident: Very safe Community. Great school system, sidewalks everywhere. Very little night life and the cost of living in Bellbrook is extremely high. Their are many different clubs and activities to enjoy in Bellbrook like the Sugar Maple Festival and the Lions Club Festival. Great Place to live!
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A+

• 7,103 Population

Centerville

• Suburb of Dayton, OH
• 43

Former Resident: Centerville, Ohio is a beautiful town with an old classic feel. It is safe for people of all ages and offers monthly downtown walks. These walks have artwork, sales, and events! The holiday season is beautiful with trees laced with solar-powered lights. I have always felt welcomed in Centerville, Ohio.
Read 43 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 23,847 Population

Beachwood

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 32

Former Resident: I moved from from Los Angeles to Cleveland at the age of six. My only memory of moving is hugging our cute house goodbye. Los Angeles was much "cooler" than Cleveland in the eyes of an eight-year-old. My mom knew she was sick and wanted me to grow up in a smaller community. When she passed away the community got together and planted a tree in memory of my mom.
When it was time to go to college I wanted to leave Ohio and went to the University of Arizona. I loved the idea of starting fresh and being away from the cold Cleveland weather.
Now that I am about to turn 24 I look back on my childhood and smile. It is hard to appreciate decisions parents make as a child. I was upset about growing up in Cleveland but now that I am old enough to understand why my mom decided to move I feel grateful.
Cleveland is a place filled with caring and supportive people that are there to help others in need. The only thing I would change about Cleveland is the bitter, cold winters!
Read 32 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,743 Population

Mulberry

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 3

Niche User: I believe Milford / Miami Township area has great schools, affordable housing, low crime rate and just an overall wonderful place to live. If I had kids I feel this is a place where I'd want them to grow up. Family friendly atmosphere.
Read 3 Reviews

• A-

• A

• A+

• 3,761 Population

Wetherington

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 13

Niche User: I would choose Wetherington to live over and over. Especially with the mall being built in walking distance, the area is becoming beautiful and we bought at the perfect time!
Read 13 Reviews

• A

• A

• A+

• 1,398 Population

Westlake

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 47

Current Resident: Westlake is a welcoming community that is great for families. I'm so glad that I've had the chance to grow up here. The school system and public services are excellent. The library has a wide variety of resources, and the passport services that they offer are very helpful. The city is always clean and safe. I would recommend Westlake!
Read 47 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 32,387 Population

Kenwood

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 11

Current Resident: Kenwood is a lovely city in Cincinnati. I personally love it because it's in the middle of some of the larger areas of Cinci, like downtown or Mason/West Chester, so it makes for easy access anywhere. I attend college near downtown, and my husband works near Mason, and our commute time is almost the same.
Finally, it's just cute! The neighborhoods are well maintained, whether the area has wealthier houses or not, and the school districts are good (opinions from friends, I attended school elsewhere).
I know my husband and I plan to buy a house here--it's quiet, accessible, and can accommodate any price range.
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 7,313 Population

Fairlawn

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 12

Parent: Fairlawn is one of the best places I've lived. It is a very well kept area, people take good care of their lawns and the roads are in good condition. The atmosphere is a peaceful one, yet it is extremely convenient to a wide variety of shopping and restaurants. The city services are fantastic! Our neighborhood side street is plowed by 5:00AM when it we experience a heavy snowfall. The police force is courteous and helpful, and they do a great job of patrolling. I used to live in West Akron and the city services were practically non existent. The snow had to melt off of the street, regardless how much accumulation there was, the police would only come right away of there was a gang related problem, otherwise they would come assist you in two hours. The panhandlers would harass you at practically every intersection.

Fairlawn, to the contrary, has a very good city government where reason prevails and the police genuinely want to help people. I believe this area will remain vital and vibrant for years to come!
Read 12 Reviews

• A

• A-

• A

• 7,463 Population

Sylvania

• Town in Ohio
• 42

Current Resident: I loved growing up in Sylvania. The schools and the neighborhood is great. We live in a neighborhood where everyone looks out for each other and we have a lot of fun having neighborhood parties. The Sylvania school system is a great place to grow up in and attend. The teachers are great and very helpful. Whenever you need help with something, they always made time to be available for you. There is always something to do in Sylvania like sporting events, shopping and parks. We have one of the nicest parks called Wildwood Preserve Park. It is very clean and beautiful. I would recommend it for anyone visiting Sylvania!
Read 42 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A

• 18,857 Population

Lyndhurst

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 24

Current Resident: We moved here last year from the West Coast. Bought a shockingly affordable house in a nice, quiet and very safe neighborhood. Immediate access to amenities is good, and we're just a short drive to all sorts of interesting activities. It's an older, sleepy suburb. Schools are decent. Some great park options close by. Overall, pretty good for families.
Read 24 Reviews

• A

• B-

• A

• 13,678 Population

Blue Ash

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 33

Former Resident: A great place to raise children! Great schools, friendly neighbors, extremely safe! Very diverse in terms of religion and ethnicity resulting in a great melting pot community.
Read 33 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 12,096 Population

Upper Arlington

• Suburb of Columbus, OH
• 42

Current Resident: Upper Arlington is a small and safe town that is a suburb of Columbus, OH. It has given me an extraordinary base of education and core values that are second to none. Upper Arlington High School has a vast variety of opportunities to explore from varsity athletics, shop classes, school magazine/yearbooks, to a world-class concert orchestra and drama club. All of these opportunities have been a starting point for notable alumni Beverly D'Angelo – Actress, George Smoot - Nobel Prize Winner, Erin Moriarty - News correspondent for 48 Hours, and all-time great golfer Jack Nicklaus. Upper Arlington is a town that gives you opportunities to succeed in any path you choose.
Read 42 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 34,943 Population

Montgomery

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 13

Current Resident: I grew up living in Montgomery and going to school here and I loved the neighborhood. There are a lot of families in the area and lots of forests, parks, and greenery so it is a very welcoming and friendly neighborhood. This also means there's a lot of wildlife so beware that deer, raccoons, squirrels, birds, and the occasional fox will be around the yards and woods. The area is very expensive to live in if you're looking to buy a house, however there are a few apartment complexes nearby which are more affordable.
Read 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 10,587 Population

Ottawa Hills

• Town in Ohio
• 10

Current Resident: Great schools, great neighborhoods. A lovely, walkable community, with many beautiful, historic homes; large meadows with a creek winding through; village police force and services (trash & recycling).
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 4,469 Population

St. Clairsville

• Town in Ohio
• 18

Nearby Resident: Safe and quaint town. Everyone knows everyone! Family oriented area. Saint Clairsville highschool is great. The downside is lack of activities... bowling, mall, movie theatre is all!
Read 18 Reviews

• B+

• B-

• A

• 5,092 Population

Forestville

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 35

Niche User: I rank my current residence as a great place to live. I live in a nice suburban area, with a good school district, and a safe and comfortable place to live. If I were to go back in time are relive my first 18 years of life I would definitely choose to live where I grew up and currently live. I have enjoyed my hometown and have been blessed with an amazing community to grow up around. My community is very generous, caring, and involved. People of my hometown come around for high school sporting events and have great pride of where they came from. Compared to the rest of the country, I live in a pretty average community where people have two stories, four bed room homes, and nice sized yards. However, my community also has some lower end neighborhoods that give out area diversity and character. In the future I see my residence growing more and becoming a place where people seek to live. Even today I can tell the interest that is arising given the new neighborhoods being built and the new restaurants and businesses emerging. I truly believe that my area will continue to grow and become an even better place to live.
Read 35 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 10,829 Population

Worthington

• Suburb of Columbus, OH
• 35

Current Resident: I like a lot about Worthington. Although it is not perfect, there is a lot of things to like about it. It has everything you would want to live a peaceful, normal life. It is nearby a lot of good things to do. It feels constantly growing and is a great place to live. I think the schools are good. They are great places to go to school because they have good teachers and are overall safe. The houses are going up in price in some areas, but you can find affordable places. I see a lot of job openings so you should be able to find work pretty easy.
Read 35 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A

• 14,442 Population

Rocky River

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 68

Current Resident: Rocky River is a great city that once use to be filled with residents that have had generations live there, but now there is a younger family crowd starting to come in. This is great for the community to see how the city is changing with time because it is shifting from so called "old money only" to a younger, fresh crowd of residents. The public schools are awesome, nightlife is usually in Lakewood, Ohio, but there could always be more diversity. It is a predominately white middle to upper middle class, so there could more diversity with the new families and couples that are moving to the area.
Read 68 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 20,273 Population

Sharonville

• Suburb of Cincinnati, OH
• 15

Current Resident: I like that there are a lot of great stores and restaurants in the area. Housing is somewhat limited, but the pricing is consistently the same as other neighbouring areas. The school district is very good and it is a quiet suburb of Cincinnati. I love the fact that major highways are close so it is easy to get to other areas quickly. There is not much of nightlife in this area. It is mainly geared to the working families.
Read 15 Reviews

• A

• B

• A

• 13,974 Population

Chagrin Falls

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 15

Current Resident: A very safe, quaint town in the suburbs of Cleveland. Great for families, especially those looking for a good school districts for their children. Lots of activities in the summer- Blossom festival, Art by the Falls, live music every Thursday night. Farmers Market on Sunday mornings! Overall a great town.
Read 15 Reviews

• A

• A+

• A

• 4,081 Population

Huron

• Town in Ohio
• 9

Former Resident: Beautiful lakes and great country living. It is filled with a wide range of diverse locals ranging from Amish to Quakers, to very friendly neighbors and visiting entertainers such as actors, actresses, comedians, and so much more. There are very good colleges such as Bowling Green nearby. The cost of living is very low, and one can enjoy the generous amounts of employment available for both skilled and unskilled workers. It is a great place to visit but even a better place to work and live.
Read 9 Reviews

• A-

• A-

• A

• 6,988 Population

Ontario

• Town in Ohio
• 10

Current Resident: Very safe, very accepting, great schools, great parks, great housing opportunities! No better place to live and raise a family.
Read 10 Reviews

• B+

• A-

• A

• 6,105 Population

Devola

• Town in Ohio
• 3

• B+

• C+

• A

• 2,589 Population

Shaker Heights

• Suburb of Cleveland, OH
• 64

Current Resident: Great place to raise a family, and the Home Prices are very affordable for the size and convenience. Some of the homes require updating (electric especially), however is well worth the investment!
Read 64 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A

• 27,749 Population

Beavercreek

• Suburb of Dayton, OH
• 132

Current Resident: I have grown up in Beavercreek. I've loved everything about it. From being a short drive to neighboring cities like Xenia or Bellbrook, to playing Softball in the summers. There is nothing to hate about the city of Beavercreek. There are semi- affordable houses and really nice expensive houses. Anything you might need is right here in this city. It's even a short drive to downtown Dayton when taking the highway. The Greene and Fairfield make the city have excellent choices for food or shopping and even night-life.
Read 132 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A

• 46,255 Population