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The northeast corner of Ohio is bordered by Lake Erie on the north and Pennsylvania on the eastern side. The area includes the major metropolitan areas of Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown. The cities are surrounded by suburbs and rural areas, so you can easily experience the blend of lifestyles you want. Live in the city and take a short drive to the country when you want a change of scenery, or vice versa. Enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of a suburb that offers all the conveniences you want, without being in the heart of the city.

Northeast Ohio is a well-kept secret, but its value as a place to retire has been spreading. These are just a few of the reasons to retire in Northeast Ohio.

If you are looking to retire in Ohio, you should know that a study of 250 cities and towns in Ohio reported that nine of the top ten places to retire in Ohio are located in the northeastern region: Parma, Berea, Garfield Heights, Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Parma Heights, North Olmsted, Willowick, and North Canton. The list includes everything from a small, lakeside town (Willowick, population 14,171) and moderately sized suburbs to Cleveland. The list was based on cost of living, crime, things to do, weather, and population density. Niche.com ranked Akron as #2 and Cleveland as #5 on its list of “Best Places to Retire in Ohio”.

If the change of seasons is important to you, but you’d prefer the less extreme end of the scale, the northeast region of Ohio will suit you nicely. Spring is refreshing, with cool air, sunshine, and gentle breezes. Summer is lovely here, hot enough to get outdoors but not sweltering. With Lake Erie nearby, a day at the beach presents a welcome way to spend a summer day. Autumn signals the chilly weather and brings the stunning spectrum of fall foliage. Take a drive to catch the colors, stop by a farm stand for local harvest, or pick a pumpkin from a nearby patch. Winter in Northeast Ohio will bring snow and cold, but the temperatures don’t drop to the bone-chilling kind you’ll experience in other northern regions.

Cleveland’s sports fans have plenty to cheer about. The Cleveland Indians of the MLB and the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers deliver winning performances, season after season. The Cleveland Browns are a hard-hitting NFL team, getting ready for a breakout season. Residents of the Northeast Ohio region also enjoy plenty of NCAA sports, with nationally ranked Division I teams from Kent State University, the University of Akron, Cleveland State University, and Akron State University.

You’ll have more choices of things to do than you have time (even in retirement). Northeastern Ohio serves up an exceptional array of places to go and things to do. Entertainment venues are everywhere, indoors and outdoors. World-class golf courses are plentiful. Choose from just about any type of museum—art, aviation, automobiles, culture, history, natural history, science, space—and you can take your pick. The best of the best is also found in this area: Pro Football Hall of Fame (Canton), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum (Cleveland), and National Inventors Hall of Fame (Canton). Botanical gardens, parks, conservation areas, and even the covered bridges of Ashtabula County provide ways to get out and experience the scenic beauty of the region.

The cost of living around the Cleveland area is well below the national average. You can stretch your retirement savings much farther and enjoy a fulfilling retirement here.

Northeast Ohio serves up a buffet of opportunities to reward yourself with a retirement that feeds your appetite for fun, relaxation, and the lifestyle you’ve earned.