In order to have a healthy life, you need to have a good work-life balance. Too much work and you are stressed out all of the time. It is important to give yourself enough time to unwind and relax or your life will pass you by while you are busy working. Keeping work and life balanced can be tricky, but your location factors into this balance. Ohio is a relatively laid back state when compared to some others in the union, yet weather can be stressful and so can the daily grind. In order to discover which Ohio cities are the best to live into promote a healthy work-life balance, statistics were examined related to work hours, commute time, income, cost of living and nearby recreation facilities. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Americans work an average of 1,790 hours per year, and 11 percent of those people work over 50 hours per week. Here is a list of Ohio cities rated by work-life balance from best to worst.
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Hudson is a small community that is a suburb of Akron; however residents consider it to be a separate community. It is between Akron and Cleveland not far from the border of Summit and Cuyahoga counties. Hudson ranked number one in quality of life out of all the neighborhoods in Ohio. It has 22,262 residents, and the center of town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city has several parks including Wildlife Woods which is part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Close to Interstates 480 and 80, Hudson is in a great location for commuting to Akron, Cleveland, or other suburbs for work. The city actively keeps the historic area clean and fresh, and the area is lush with greenery. Median home sales price is $285,000; median household income is $109,955; 94 percent of residents are homeowners.
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Brecksville is along the Interstate 77 corridor that travels between Akron and Cleveland. At the last census, the community has 13,656 residents in this suburb of Cleveland. The center of Brecksville is stately in appearance as all of the buildings are built in a classic style with red brick and white woodwork. Adjacent to Brecksville is the Brecksville Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks giving residents easy access to parkland for walking, biking or horseback riding. Two golf courses are located inside the reservation, and two of the area’s most popular ski resorts, Brandywine and Boston Mills, are just outside this community. Median home sales price is $208,000; median household income is $97,125; 95 percent of residents are homeowners.
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Gahanna is located in Franklin County outside of Columbus. It is in the northeast corner of the county, and is a larger community with a population of 33,248. Gahanna is bordered on one side by Big Walnut Creek which provides part of the 775 acres of parkland within the community. Parks give residents ample opportunity to relax playing golf, biking, skating and walking their dogs close to their homes. Gahanna is in a great location for commuting to work either inside Columbus or in other nearby suburbs. Columbus has an access road, Interstate 270, which makes it easy to get to many communities in the vicinity. Median home sale price is $179,000; median household income is $63,467; 74 percent of residents are homeowners.
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Dublin is a neighborhood that spans three counties, Franklin, Delaware, and Union. It is famous as a stop on golf's PGA tour for the Memorial Tournament. Dublin is a large community with a population of 41,751. As you might guess from the name, Dublin holds one of the largest Irish-American festivals each year, the Dublin Irish Festival. Dublin is also the headquarters of several large corporations including Wendy's International, and has sizeable representation of others including Nationwide. These local companies employ a large portion of the Dublin population making a commute to work a snap. The Scioto River runs through Dublin bringing a peaceful setting for walking and hiking. Residents have river access from three points in Dublin for boating or just exploring. The community also has other parks for recreation, including Ballantrae Community Park, which has delightful spray fountains for children to play in during the hot summer. Median home sale price is $232,000; median household income is $92,188; 78 percent of residents are homeowners.
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Beachwood is an eastern suburb of Cleveland which can be accessed from two points on Interstate 271. It has a population of 11,953. Beachwood, although a small community is the home to Ahuja Medical Center, a satellite of University Hospitals and Beachwood Place shopping center, a retail two-story mall. There are many businesses in Beachwood, but the most well-known business is Eaton Corporation. Commuting to Cleveland is easy from Beachwood, either by driving directly west or by getting on a highway. It is also a simple commute outside the community due to the direct access to I 271. Beachwood is known for its top-notch school system; however it doesn't have a lot of parkland. It does have a large swimming pool and playground in the center of the community and nearby community Shaker Heights has several parks within 15 minutes drive. Median home sale price is $184,000; median household income is $102,054; 92 percent of residents are homeowners.
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Bexley is a tree-lined suburb of Columbus in Franklin County just east of Franklin Park Observatory. It is a historic community that is the home of the Governor's Mansion and the home of the President of The Ohio State University. It is within the inner circle of Columbus suburbs, making it an ideal place to live for anyone that works in the city. Population of Bexley is 13,057. Due to its history, Bexley is the home of several local landmarks including the 1930s-built Drexel Movie Theater and 1950s-built Rubino's Pizzeria which are both still in business. Bexley has several parks most notably Schneider Park, which runs along Alum Creek, and 40-acre Jeffrey Park, which contains Jeffrey Mansion and woodland trails for walking and hiking. Median home sale price is $282,500; median household income is $104,031; 81 percent of residents are homeowners.
