Living in Cleveland

There are a variety of favorable housing options in Cleveland and the nearby communities that are affordable on a resident’s salary. There are many rental options near Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals (UH). Real estate is reasonable and many residents have purchased single family homes or condominiums. There are options for rentals or purchase in downtown Cleveland and in the west side suburbs as well. Cleveland is affordable and accommodating city with many conveniences of a smaller community and the resources of a large city at the same time. You can live in a chic downtown apartment with a waterfront view; own your own home with a white picket fence and a good public school; or anything in between!

Cleveland is home to Playhouse Square, the second largest performing arts center in the U.S. outside of New York.  Playhouse Square includes the State, Palace, Allen, Hanna and Ohio theaters within what is known as the Cleveland Theater District. Playhouse Square's resident performing arts companies include Cleveland Play House (the 2015 Regional Theatre Tony Award winner), Cleveland State University Department of Theatre and Dance and Great Lakes Theater Festival. The center hosts various broadway musicals, special concerts, speaking engagements and other events throughout the year.

One Playhouse Square—now home to their community engagement and education programs and the headquarters for some of Cleveland's public broadcasters—was originally used as the broadcast studios of WJW (AM), where DJ Alan Freed first popularized the term "rock and roll". Located between Playhouse Square and University Circle is Karamu House, a well-known African American performing and fine arts center, founded in the 1920s.

Cleveland is home to the Cleveland Orchestra, widely considered one of the finest orchestras in the world, and often referred to as the finest in the United States. It is one of the "Big Five" major orchestras in the U.S. The orchestra plays at Severance Hall in University Circle during the winter and at Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls during the summer. The city is also home to the Cleveland Pops Orchestra.

There are two main art museums in Cleveland. The Cleveland Museum of Art is a major American art museum with a collection that includes more than 40,000 works of art ranging over 6,000 years, including ancient masterpieces as well as contemporary pieces. Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland showcases established and emerging artists, particularly from the Cleveland area, through hosting and producing temporary exhibitions.

The Gordon Square Arts District on Detroit Avenue, in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood, features a movie theater called the Capitol Theatre and an off-off-broadway playhouse, the Cleveland Public Theatre.

Cleveland's melting pot of immigrant groups and their various culinary traditions have long played an important role in defining the local cuisine. Examples of these can particularly be found in neighborhoods such as Little Italy, Slavic Village and Tremont.

Local mainstays of Cleveland's cuisine include an abundance of Polish and Central European contributions such as kielbasa, stuffed cabbage and pierogies. Cleveland is also home to the nationally-renowned Slyman's Restaurant—famous for their gigantic corned beef sandwiches. Located on the near East Side, Slyman’s is known to readers of Esquire Magazine as “America’s Best Corned Beef Sandwich”.. Another area favorite is the Cleveland-original, “Polish Boy” (also featured on Esquire’s list) which can be found at many BBQ and soul food restaurants. With its blue-collar roots well intact, and plenty of Lake Erie perch available, the tradition of Friday night fish fries remains alive and thriving in Cleveland, particularly in church-based settings and during the season of Lent. The award-winning Great Lakes Brewing Company, located across the street from the historic West Side Market, offers several locally styled beers and ales.

Cleveland is noted in the world of haute cuisine. Famous local figures include chef Michael Symon and food writer Michael Ruhlman—both of whom achieved local and national attention for their contributions in the culinary world. On November 11, 2007, Symon helped gain the spotlight when he was named "The Next Iron Chef" on the Food Network. In 2007, Ruhlman collaborated with Anthony Bourdain, to do an entire episode of his show, “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” focusing on Cleveland's restaurant scene.

The national food press—including publications Gourmet, Food & Wine, Esquire and Playboy—has heaped praise on several Cleveland spots for awards including “best new restaurant,” “best steakhouse,” “best farm-to-table programs” and “great new neighborhood eateries.” In early 2008, the Chicago Tribune ran a feature article in its 'travel section proclaiming Cleveland, America's "hot new dining city."

Cleveland's major professional sports teams include the 2016 World Champion Cleveland Cavaliers (National Basketball Association), the 2016 American League Champion Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball) and Cleveland Browns (National Football League). It is also home to the 2016 Calder Cup Champion Cleveland Monsters (American Hockey League) and Stipe Miocic, the current Mixed Martial Artist UFC Heavyweight Champion of the World.  Add the Cleveland Gladiators (Arena Football League) and this city has all the sports entertainment one needs.  All these teams and Stipe Miocic play at our local sporting facilities: Progressive Field, First Energy Stadium, Quicken Loans Arena and the Wolstein Center.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by superstar LeBron James, won the 2016 NBA Championship.  They defeated the Golden State Warriors in the decisive and final 7th game of that best of 7 games series.  They are the first team in NBA history to win the championship title after trailing in a series 3 - 1.  LeBron James said it best and it rings true for the mentality of Cleveland sport fans today, "Nothing is given, everything is earned.".  Lebron James, Kevin Love, JR Smith and Tristan Thompson have already started the 2017 season strong and look poised to make another NBA Championship run.   The Cleveland Cavaliers play all their home games at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Cleveland Indians were the 2016 American League Champions and represented the American League in the World Series against the Chicago Cubs.  Like the Cavaliers, the deciding game of the World Series came down to the 7th game of that best of 7 games seires.  The deciding game went into the 10th inning with the Chicago Cubs defeating the Cleveland Indians by a score of 8-7.  It is considered by many sport journalists as one of the top 10 greatest World Series games of all time.  Some have said it may have been the best ever.  It was a classic matchup of two teams and cities desperate for a baseball championship.  Chicago last won it all in 1908 while the Cleveland Indians last won the title in 1948. The Cleveland Indians, led by manager Terry Francona, will have their core players back for the 2017 season and are considered title contenders again.  They play at Progressive Field directly across from Quicken Loans Arena.  Between 1995 and 2001, Progressive Field (then known as Jacobs Field) sold out 455 consecutive games, a Major League Baseball record until it was broken in 2008.

The Cleveland Browns are historically among the winningest franchises in professional football.  The Browns were founded in 1945 and entered into the All America Football Conference (AAFC), a league that lasted only four years. The Cleveland Browns won the championship each year of the AAFC and compiled a 47 - 3 - 3 record during that time.  In 1950 the Cleveland Browns joined the NFL and won the NFL Championship that inaugural year.  They returned to the NFL championship game and won in 1954, 1955 and 1964.  After the 1995 season, the team was moved to Baltimore, Maryland and became known as the Baltimore Ravens.  The City of Cleveland fought to keep the team name, colors, logo, history and tradition with the NFL in hopes of landing another NFL team.  The NFL granted the city of Cleveland's requests and the Cleveland Browns were welcomed back into the NFL as an expansion team in 1999.  Since that time, the team has struggled to find success and capture the glory of days past.  The Cleveland Browns play at First Energy Stadium.

Public Schools

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is the largest K–12 district in the state of Ohio, with 127 schools and an enrollment of 55,567 students during the 2006–2007 academic year. It is the only district in Ohio under direct control of the mayor, who appoints a school board.

Approximately one square mile (2.6 km2) of Cleveland—adjacent the Shaker Square neighborhood—is part of the Shaker Heights City School District. The area, which has been a part of the Shaker school district since the 1920s, permits these Cleveland residents to pay the same school taxes as the Shaker residents, as well as vote in the Shaker school board election.

Private schools

• Benedictine High School
• Birchwood School
• Cleveland Central Catholic High School
• Eleanor Gerson School
• Montessori High School at University Circle
• St. Ignatius High School
• St. Joseph Academy
• Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School
• Urban Community School
• Saint Martin de Porres
• The Bridge Avenue School

Airports

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is the city's major airport and an international airport that formerly served as a main hub for United Airlines. It holds the distinction of having the first airport-to-downtown rapid transit connection in North America, established in 1968. In 1930, the airport was the site of the first airfield lighting system and the first air traffic control tower. Originally known as Cleveland Municipal Airport, Hopkins was the first municipally owned airport in the country. Cleveland Hopkins is a significant regional air freight hub hosting FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, United States Postal Service and major commercial freight carriers. In addition to Hopkins, Cleveland is served by Burke Lakefront Airport, on the north shore of downtown between Lake Erie and the Shoreway. Burke is primarily a commuter and business airport.

Roads

Cleveland's road system consists of numbered streets running roughly north–south, and named avenues, which run roughly east-west. The numbered streets are designated "east" or "west", depending where they lie in relation to Ontario Street, which bisects Public Square. The numbered street system extends beyond the city limits into some suburbs on both the west and east sides. The named avenues that lie both on the east side of the Cuyahoga River and west of Ontario Street receive a "west" designation on street signage. The two downtown avenues ,which span the Cuyahoga, change names on the west side of the river. Superior Avenue becomes Detroit Avenue on the west side, and Carnegie Avenue becomes Lorain Avenue. The bridges that make these connections are often called the Detroit-Superior Bridge and the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge.

Walkability

In 2011, Walk Score ranked Cleveland the 17th most walkable of the fifty largest cities in the U.S. As of 2014, Walk Score increased Cleveland's rank to being the 16th most walkable U.S city., with a Walk Score of 57, a Transit Score of 47 and a Bike Score of 51. Cleveland's most walkable areas can be found in the downtown, Ohio City, Detroit-Shoreway, University Circle and Buckeye-Shaker Square neighborhoods.