Like me, I’m sure most of our readers have a competitive edge in them. Years of sports and playing board games with family have given me a drive to succeed and be the best (even if it is just winning a game of Phase 10 occasionally).
Sure, receiving accolades and awards is great, but over time I’ve come to realize that success can be measured in other ways. The connection you create with your teammates, the fun you have riding bikes throughout your neighborhood, the safety you feel shooting hoops outside, the pride you feel tending to a community garden. Those small things all add up to a pretty great life.
So while our annual Best Places to Live issue features information on the best schools, safest towns and more, in my mind there are no winners — or losers.
Especially after the year we’ve all had, the Cleveland Magazine edit staff felt it was important to cover all 77 suburbs we rank and share the joy, triumphs and love their residents have for the places they call home.
Phrases like “small-town feel” and “close-knit community” were repeated often by the individuals we talked to, but if you take a deeper look, those words are just skimming the surface of what it truly means to be a part of where you live.
Elle Muhlbaum, who recently moved to University Heights with her family, has quickly learned to appreciate the East Side suburb. “Our street feels like a microcosm of University Heights,” she says. “It’s a diverse area, and it’s also really generationally mixed — a couple of snowbirds, some younger grandparents and some young families, as well as folks who don’t have kids.”
For others, like longtime Bedford Heights resident Roderick May, it had paid dividends putting down roots in one city. “The community, the people and services here are great,” he says. “I wouldn’t move even for a million dollars.”
If you’re looking for the right place to call home, build a family and connect with others, we’ve got 77 great options for you. That feels like a win to me.
