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There’s kind of this circulating rumor in the rest of the nation that Ohio is boring. While that’s not true everywhere, there’s a lot of this state that should pretty much be renamed “Boresville, USA.” Which places, you ask? We were actually just about to tell you that.
The Movoto Real Estate Blog recently looked at the most exciting places in Ohio, but it was long overdue that we found the most boring of the boring in the Buckeye State and subjected them to a good-natured ribbing. So, after some very dull research and a ton of coffee to keep us awake as we read about these spots, we had this tedious top 10 assembled:
1. City of New Franklin
2. City of Green
3. City of Trotwood
4. City of Sharonville
5. City of Springdale
6. City of Macedonia
7. City of Centerville
8. City of Clayton
9. City of Blue Ash
10. City of Oregon
Are you surprised? Heck, you’ve probably never heard of any of these before if you don’t live in Ohio, and given their boring status it’s pretty obvious why.
These are all fairly small places, but we swear we’re not small-town biased. This ranking is strictly by the numbers, as dull as that sounds. If you want to know a little more about what we mean, just read on to the next section.
How We Created This Ranking
First, we compiled a list of the most populated places in the state over 10,000 people, to save some of the smaller places from themselves. Then we used sources including the U.S. Census and business listings to gather what we decided were important criteria. Those criteria were:
- Nightlife per capita (bars, clubs, comedy, etc.)
- Live music venues per capita
- Active life options per capita (parks, outdoor activities, etc.)
- Arts and Entertainment per capita (movie theaters, festivals, galleries, theaters, etc.)
- Fast Food restaurants per capita (the fewer the better)
- Percentage of restaurants that are not fast food (the higher the better)
- Percentage of young residents ages 18 to 34 (the higher the better)
- Population density (the higher the better)
Some cities didn’t have all of that data, so if they’re omitted from the list, that could be why. Then we ranked each place in each category from one to 173, with one being the least boring. We averaged each location’s scores into one Big Deal Score, and the place with the score closest to 173 became out absolute most boring location. Unfortunately for New Franklin, they took that most dubious honor.
We’re not saying these are bad places to live. In fact, we’re willing to bet these spots have great communities, awesome landscapes, and are very safe for all sorts of people. They’re probably all about that peace and quiet thing, and loving it.
However, this list is for lighthearted fun, and it’s definitely about thrills rather than peace and quiet. Let’s look a little more in depth at why these cities are so boring, starting with our first place “winner.”
1. New Franklin
Look, we know you’re new to being a city, considering you just became one in 2005, but it’s about time to get your stuff together. The second worst non-fast food restaurants per capita ranking and the third lowest population density really don’t help your overall score here. Sure, you have the Tudor House, which is pretty cool, but other than that there’s not a lot going on here.
This place really didn’t do well in any one area. Next to no music or nightlife, and only a few parks and active life options make this our most boring spot. We know it’s very pretty there, and that there are some wonderfully welcoming communities spread throughout this little place, but exciting this spot is certainly not.
2. Green
Green looks pretty green around the gills when it comes to the thrills department. This is easily the biggest city in the top 10 at 25,699 people, so it begs the question: what’s going on here? Well, obviously nothing, but we’re simply dying to know what makes this city so boring.
For starters, this spot had basically no nightlife, music venues, or unique dining experiences. It also has few arts amenities and active life options, so there is really almost nothing to do here. There were quite a few parks in the area, many of which were lovely looking, but how exciting can it be to visit parks all the time? We’re guessing not very.
3. Trotwood
If you’re a sports fan, you honestly might be able to find something to do in Trotwood. It has plenty of minor league and rec teams, and some very decent facilities. So why is this place on our most boring list, if it’s so sporty?
The low population density and lack of thriving nightlife certainly have something to do with it. Throw in few non-fast food restaurants per capita and fewer music venues, and you have a very limited supply of fun for those who are not sports nuts. Luckily, Dayton is nearby if you’re willing to make a drive to do something, anything more exciting.
4. Sharonville
Even with the small amount of nightlife here and the lack of music venues, this city honestly could have been worse in those categories. Now, where it really faltered was in non-fast food restaurants and arts amenities, both of which are ranked at the very bottom of our list. Good luck finding any culture or refinement here.
It is true that there’s a new hotel, a blossoming convention center, and new attractions in the works, so this place could easily drop off of our most boring list soon. But for now, it’s still just a big yawn-fest.
5. Springdale
This city barely finished behind Sharonville, but it’s pretty apparent why it did. Springdale had very few arts amenities, next to no nightlife, and few active life options.
There also wasn’t a lot of selection if you’re looking for non-fast food restaurants, and there were quite a few boring, samey fast food joints. If you’re headed this way, I hope you’re a creature of habit, because you won’t be finding variety.
There were a few hubs of entertainment, like a movie theater and a Dave and Busters, but both of those can get pretty old pretty fast. This place is a very safe little city, and it’s got a great small community, but if you want liveliness, you definitely need to look elsewhere.
6. Macedonia
At least if you’re in Macedonia, you’re close to everything. There are so many attractions nearby: museums, arts, nightlife, zoos, sports, everything you could ever want to do. But you better have a car, because you’re not going to find any of that actually in the city itself.
The population density was very low, as was the young population ranking, meaning it’s hard to find a thriving youthful vibe here. There were also no nightlife or music venues beyond a few specific spots, and there was a lot of pretty boring fast food restaurants rather than unique dining experiences. If you like to camp and aren’t bored of amusement park Fun ‘N’ Stuff yet, this might be a good fit for you, but other than that there’s really not much here.
7. Centerville
Let’s start by saying that the community here is really amazing and tight-knit. With that out the way, this is one pretty boring little city.
Few music venues and a distinct lack of nightlife means that any night owls are going to be sorely disappointed. If you’re into the arts, there were also a very limited selection of amenities and venues. Basically, if you have a favorite past time, you probably don’t have many options for it here.
Foodies will also be sorry to see few non-fast food restaurants around and quite a few boring fast food restaurants instead. Really, the only options you have if you want some excitement are parks and gyms. Well, or you could drive to another city. That honestly might be your best option.
8. Clayton
Admittedly, Clayton does have a few stronger points that we’ll mention. There was some variety in dining options, there were some active life options, and there were not many fast food joints cluttering the place up. There’s even the occasional festival. So, what makes this place boring then?
This is not a city for the young or the young at heart. Only about 13 percent of the population was between the ages of 18 and 34, and there was no nightlife scene to keep things exciting after dark. The population density was very low, as was the arts rank. In short, if you’re not a foodie or a nature-lover, you’re going to be bored out of your skull in this place.
9. Blue Ash
You may be dubious about Blue Ash making the list, but our numbers are pretty firm on this one. Yes, there is a great Fourth of July celebration here with music and partying and food, but that’s only once a year. For the rest of the time, you’re stuck just waiting for July again.
As to those numbers, this city had few non-fast food restaurants, low population density, and a decidedly older population. So unless you can find a community event, and the community here is very proud and friendly, you’ll have to find your own fun. Probably a city or two over.
10. Oregon
No, not the state. That would be far more interesting than this place. Oregon had the fifth lowest population density and a very low arts ranking. There was no youthful vibe here, as confirmed by a lack of nightlife and music venues. There were some non-fast food restaurants to pick from, but if you’re not a foodie you’ll be bored as soon as your meal is over.
So what does this place have going for it? Mostly, a whole lot of parks. While that might be relaxing and fun for some, it doesn’t exactly scream excitement. The city also has a kick-butt police and fire department, but that still doesn’t lead to tons of fun. Maybe if you like peace and quiet, in abundance, this is the place for you.
There Are Highs And Lows In Ohio
These are pretty decidedly the lower points, at least where excitement is involved. Yes, these spots may offer safety, peace, quiet, and community, but thrill seekers are not going to be able to find their fix in any of these 10 places.
So if you’re an adrenaline junkie and considering, for some absurd reason, moving to Ohio, be sure to stay clear of this yawn-inducing top 10.
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