Moving to Steubenville, with kids, Advice?

[PietroPaolo]

Hi Everyone,

The wife and I are considering moving to the Steubenville area. We have 3 kids under the age of 6. I know the area boasts FUS (so I’m assuming someone here probably lived there ), but how is it for raising a family? Are the schools good? Is housing available? Crime? Seems affordable. Any info would be helpful. Pax vobis.

 

[The_Bucket]

Crime rate is higher than average according to Citydata.
city-data.com/crime/crime-Steubenville-Ohio.html

Neighborhood scout is also not a fan… neighborhoodscout.com/oh/steubenville/crime/

Then of course, there was the horribly notorious gang rape of a 16-year-old girl that the high school’s football coach tried to cover up.

nydailynews.com/news/national/steubenville-coach-shield-prosecution-article-1.1292299

My brother goes to FUS. He is fine with it. He thinks Steubenville as a city is absolutely awful.

 

[PaulGH]

Crime rate is higher than average according to Citydata.
city-data.com/crime/crime-Steubenville-Ohio.html

Neighborhood scout is also not a fan… neighborhoodscout.com/oh/steubenville/crime/

Then of course, there was the horribly notorious gang rape of a 16-year-old girl that the high school’s football coach tried to cover up.

nydailynews.com/news/national/steubenville-coach-shield-prosecution-article-1.1292299

My brother goes to FUS. He is fine with it. He thinks Steubenville as a city is absolutely awful.

I have never been to Steubenville, but I too have heard that it is basically a wonderful Catholic college in a not-so-wonderful city. I have heard about environmental concerns, in that evidently there is or has been a lot of coal mining in that area. But that’s just hearsay, and may not be quite right. Again, I haven’t actually been there.

On the plus side, surely some of the professors at Franciscan University of Steubenville must be married with children, so I would expect that there are probably some strong, faithful Catholic families there.

But again, this is hearsay and speculation on my part. I have never actually been there.

 

[Domini_cane]

The city is pretty dangerous.

 

[SaintRita]

As others have mentioned its an iffy city with a fantastic college in it. I have a friend who lives there and I’m told there is a thriving homeschool community that really supports each other. That to me is a bonus. I’ve visited FUS many times - its not too far from Pittsburgh where there is a lot in the way of family activities.

I will say that every town with a bad rap still has some hidden gems… I would say its all of what you make of it.

 

[LSK]

FUS is fabulous but the city was hit very hard by the recessions and it shows. There used to be a thriving Italian Catholic Community (Dean Martin came from Steubenville) and the Church is thriving - you would be able to worship with Dr. Hahn when he is in town - but my question is - do you have a job waiting for you there?

 

[PietroPaolo]

FUS is fabulous but the city was hit very hard by the recessions and it shows. There used to be a thriving Italian Catholic Community (Dean Martin came from Steubenville) and the Church is thriving - you would be able to worship with Dr. Hahn when he is in town - but my question is - do you have a job waiting for you there?

Good question. I’ll be able to work in the Greater Pittsburgh area and I figure Steubenville is pretty close to Pittsburgh. I’m looking for an area that is 1) Affordable, 2) Catholic enough, 3) Safe, 4) Good Schools. Plus, the University is right there and who knows maybe I’ll take a couple classes or finally go for an MA or PhD in Theology!

 

[ack]

Steubenville has had a number of long-standing issues with drugs, crime, and the local economy. If, as a previous poster said, it was seriously affected by the recent recession…I can’t imagine how bad it is now because already had a lot of issues in the mid-2000s. There was also a pollution problem in the mid-2000s (horrible, sour-smelling chemicals in the air due to the nearby steel mills, polluted tap water from the industrial farms). If the recession has closed these businesses, then the pollution situation is probably improving as a side-effect.

I don’t have any direct knowledge of the public schools, but given the circumstances, they are probably not good. The area parishes are thriving and you will have no problem meeting other Catholic families, although places like this usually are pretty transient.

 

[PatriceA]

Good question. I’ll be able to work in the Greater Pittsburgh area and I figure Steubenville is pretty close to Pittsburgh. I’m looking for an area that is 1) Affordable, 2) Catholic enough, 3) Safe, 4) Good Schools. Plus, the University is right there and who knows maybe I’ll take a couple classes or finally go for an MA or PhD in Theology!

Its not THAT close. Its about 49 minutes drive time from Pittsburgh.

I would look at some of the areas closer to the actual city of Pittsburgh that meet your criteria. Pittsburgh has some great parishes in and around the area. Some great school districts, safe neighborhoods, affordable housing. FUS isn’t the only Catholic university close to Pittsburgh either if you’re thinking about going back to school.

I wouldn’t advise someone to settle in Stuebenville just to be close to the university. That’s my best opinion.

 

[on_the_hill]

I see your location is between Heaven and Hell, which means you’re probably halfway to Steubenville.

I’m from the Western PA/Pittsburgh area originally. Never been to Steubenville, If you’re going to be working in Greater Pgh area, I can think of about 163 nicer places to live than Steubenville that are right in and around Pgh.

Plus, if you’re looking for a Catholic university, Duquesne and LaRoche are both right there, and you’ll hardly find a more Catholic city than Pittsburgh. As I always like to say, when I was a kid everyone I knew was either Catholic or Jewish. I didn’t meet a practicing Protestant until I was in college.

 

[HouseArrest]

I see your location is between Heaven and Hell, which means you’re probably halfway to Steubenville.

I’m from the Western PA/Pittsburgh area originally. Never been to Steubenville, If you’re going to be working in Greater Pgh area, I can think of about 163 nicer places to live than Steubenville that are right in and around Pgh.

Plus, if you’re looking for a Catholic university, Duquesne and LaRoche are both right there, and you’ll hardly find a more Catholic city than Pittsburgh. As I always like to say, when I was a kid everyone I knew was either Catholic or Jewish. I didn’t meet a practicing Protestant until I was in college.

And I will add, from driving around lost in Pittsburgh enough times, you do not want to come into the city from that end of town. It is a traffic bottleneck from the airport (which is west of Pittsburgh) all the way into town.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

A friend of mine sent his older daughters to FUS and was planning on moving the whole family to Steubenville just to be close to the university, figuring that the town must be as wonderful as the college. Then he visited. They didn’t move.

 

[PaulGH]

Good question. I’ll be able to work in the Greater Pittsburgh area and I figure Steubenville is pretty close to Pittsburgh. I’m looking for an area that is 1) Affordable, 2) Catholic enough, 3) Safe, 4) Good Schools. Plus, the University is right there and who knows maybe I’ll take a couple classes or finally go for an MA or PhD in Theology!

As others have said, if you are taking a job in Pittsburgh, you might be better off finding a decent neighborhood in Pittsburgh or in some suburb or town near Pittsburgh – other than Steubenville. You would still be reasonably close to Steubenville if you wanted to send your kids to college there eventually, without having to worry about them being too far from home. Maybe you would even be close enough to take a few classes there yourself. (But I don’t know; it sounds like the commute might be a bit much.)

Now if you are just looking for any good city to live in (from a Catholic perspective), and if you do want a bigger city rather than a smaller city or town, I would recommend that you consider St. Louis. I have heard good things about the Catholic community there, and I know that they have a beautiful cathedral and a recent history of very good bishops. St. Louis also has lots of good activities for families with kids. We enjoy the City Museum, the Magic House, and the zoo. The City Museum particulary is a must-see. I have also heard good things about the science center, Grant’s Farm, and a few other attractions. And of course, if you like baseball, the Cardinals are great.

Nashville is also a place you might consider. The percentage of Catholics there is small, but Nashville has some good parishes, a small but good Catholic homeschooling community, and several good Catholic schools thanks especially to the Nashville Dominican sisters. And they have Aquinas College, which is a small but orthodox Catholic college, also run by the Dominican sisters. Nashville also has good live music (and not just country), and it has a decent economy and a reasonably-priced housing market for a big city.

 

[PatriceA]

As others have said, if you are taking a job in Pittsburgh, you might be better off finding a decent neighborhood in Pittsburgh or in some suburb or town near Pittsburgh – other than Steubenville. You would still be reasonably close to Steubenville if you wanted to send your kids to college there eventually, without having to worry about them being too far from home. Maybe you would even be close enough to take a few classes there yourself. (But I don’t know; it sounds like the commute might be a bit much.)

Now if you are just looking for any good city to live in (from a Catholic perspective), and if you do want a bigger city rather than a smaller city or town, I would recommend that you consider St. Louis. I have heard good things about the Catholic community there, and I know that they have a beautiful cathedral and a recent history of very good bishops. St. Louis also has lots of good activities for families with kids. We enjoy the City Museum, the Magic House, and the zoo. The City Museum particulary is a must-see. I have also heard good things about the science center, Grant’s Farm, and a few other attractions. And of course, if you like baseball, the Cardinals are great.

Nashville is also a place you might consider. The percentage of Catholics there is small, but Nashville has some good parishes, a small but good Catholic homeschooling community, and several good Catholic schools thanks especially to the Nashville Dominican sisters. And they have Aquinas College, which is a small but orthodox Catholic college, also run by the Dominican sisters. Nashville also has good live music (and not just country), and it has a decent economy and a reasonably-priced housing market for a big city.

Now, now, let’s not get into what city is better.

Pittsburgh is an AWESOME city, and very Catholic too. Its a great place to raise a family and we have all the attractions that any other city can boost about.

 

[PietroPaolo]

And of course, if you like baseball, the Cardinals are great.

You aren’t suggesting the Cardinals are better than the Pirates are you?

Seriously, though, thanks for the suggestions, I’ve never thought of St Louis or Nashville as Catholic hot spots!

 

[agapewolf]

St. Louis is called “the Rome of the West”

 

[Joe_5859]

As others have said, if you are taking a job in Pittsburgh, you might be better off finding a decent neighborhood in Pittsburgh or in some suburb or town near Pittsburgh – other than Steubenville. You would still be reasonably close to Steubenville if you wanted to send your kids to college there eventually, without having to worry about them being too far from home. Maybe you would even be close enough to take a few classes there yourself. (But I don’t know; it sounds like the commute might be a bit much.)

Now if you are just looking for any good city to live in (from a Catholic perspective), and if you do want a bigger city rather than a smaller city or town, I would recommend that you consider St. Louis. I have heard good things about the Catholic community there, and I know that they have a beautiful cathedral and a recent history of very good bishops. St. Louis also has lots of good activities for families with kids. We enjoy the City Museum, the Magic House, and the zoo. The City Museum particulary is a must-see. I have also heard good things about the science center, Grant’s Farm, and a few other attractions. And of course, if you like baseball, the Cardinals are great.

Nashville is also a place you might consider. The percentage of Catholics there is small, but Nashville has some good parishes, a small but good Catholic homeschooling community, and several good Catholic schools thanks especially to the Nashville Dominican sisters. And they have Aquinas College, which is a small but orthodox Catholic college, also run by the Dominican sisters. Nashville also has good live music (and not just country), and it has a decent economy and a reasonably-priced housing market for a big city.

The advantage of being in Steubenville when your kids are college age is their commuter grant program. Kids graduating from area high schools (including home schools) get 50% off tuition at FUS. Of course, the OP has a bit of time before that’s an issue.

 

[PaulGH]

Now, now, let’s not get into what city is better.

Pittsburgh is an AWESOME city, and very Catholic too. Its a great place to raise a family and we have all the attractions that any other city can boost about.

Oh, I didn’t mean to denigrate Pittsburgh in the slightest, or to imply that St. Louis is better. It sounded to me like maybe the original poster was just looking for *some *good Catholic city somewhere in the U.S., but not necessarily in any certain part of the country. And I know a lot about St. Louis, having been there many times, therefore I could recommend St. Louis based in part on personal experience. I have never been to Pittsburgh, so I just can’t say much for or against it, but I have heard that it is a nice place to live.

 

[PaulGH]

The advantage of being in Steubenville when your kids are college age is their commuter grant program. Kids graduating from area high schools (including home schools) get 50% off tuition at FUS. Of course, the OP has a bit of time before that’s an issue.

Wow, that’s great. I did not know that. If I hadn’t heard so many bad things about Steubenville, I would consider moving my family there, since FUS is definitely in our top five or top ten colleges that we would like our kids to attend.

Do you know if any other orthodox Catholic colleges have programs like that?

 

[haedron]

I was born & raised in western PA and currently live about an hour south of Pittsburgh in WV.

I concur with an earlier post - Steubenville would not be a fun commute to anywhere in the greater Pittsburgh area, even if you’re working somewhere on the west side.

Pittsburgh seems to have survived the decline of manufacturing and reinvented itself in other industries (high tech in particular). The rest of the OH valley, especially west of the city, not so much. Wheeling, Steubenville, Weirton, etc…not places I would want to raise a family if I had other options to choose from.