Dayton suburb ranked No. 1 best place to live in Ohio

Public education was among the reasons several Dayton area cities were ranked in the top 100 by niche.com as the best places to live in Ohio.  JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Credit: JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Public education was among the reasons several Dayton area cities were ranked in the top 100 by niche.com as the best places to live in Ohio. JIM NOELKER/STAFF

Oakwood has been ranked No. 1 on a list of the best places to live in Ohio.

The suburb of about 9,200 residents received an overall rating of A+ by niche.com and was the only Dayton-area city to make the list’s top 10 places to the live in the state.

Niche rated Oakwood using the following categories: public schools (A+), crime and safety (grade unavailable), housing (A), nightlife (A-), good for families (A+) and diversity (B-). Oakwood is 95% white.

Oakwood created a coalition in 2020 that is focused on inclusivity and diversity. The goal is to address issues which one top official said have left a “lingering reputation of a community which is troubling.”

Some residents sought a group like the Oakwood Inclusion Coalition since last September, when a report was issued that criticized the city’s safety department treatment of minorities.

Oakwood was followed in the top 10 by Ottawa Hills, Shaker Heights, Madeira, Granville, Bexley, Solon, Montgomery, Blue Ash and Dublin, according to the website.

Nine out of the top 10 communities ranked by Niche rank in the top 5% in Ohio by median income, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

Mason was ranked 16th. Centerville (29th), Yellow Springs (48th), Springboro (55th), Beavercreek (57th), Bellbrook (63rd) and Kettering (97th) were the only other Dayton-area cities in the top 100.

Niche said the rankings were based on “a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area.” The rankings also consider several factors other factors, including housing trends, employment statistics and access to amenities, according to the website.


TOP PLACES TO LIVE IN OHIO

Niche.com rated the top places to live in Ohio. They include:

1-Oakwood

2-Ottawa Hills

3-Shaker Heights

4-Madeira

5-Granville

6-Bexley

7-Solon

8-Montgomery

9-Blue Ash

10-Dublin

Others in area on list:

16-Mason

29-Centerville

48-Yellow Springs

55-Springboro

57-Beavercreek

63-Bellbrook

97-Kettering

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