My wife is looking at a medical position in Tipp City and I'm a carpenter. We're in Mansfield right now, and we'd be looking to move sometime in the fall. We're thinking Springfield since she would have a reasonable commute and I would be able to pursue work in Columbus or Dayton. We have no knowledge of the area and are looking for any kind of helpful info(neighborhoods/rental resources/etc) anyone could offer. A little info on us: we're in our mid 30's, no kids (yet) and 2 dogs. We'd prefer to rent a house to get started, and go from there (our budget would be up to $900/1k/mo if real nice). Thanks for any info in advance!

Mansfield and Springfield are comparable so I'd say look for the area around Wittenberg University/North on Limestone Street.  They have some solid houses there and I'm sure rentals.  Plus, it is close to US 68 Expressway which will help your wife's commute to Tipp City.  Arguably Springfield's best neighborhood overall, Elmwood Place, is on the eastside and will probably take you only 5 minutes to reach I-70 for whatever way you want to go.

 

Honestly though, if you're wife is going to be working in Tipp City and you'd be able to find work in the Dayton area, Troy is the best option.  Troy has a wonderful downtown (far more active than Springfield's) and some nice neighborhoods.  But if you DO find work in the Dayton area, I'd prefer you to live IN Dayton (St. Anne's Hill, Oregon District, McPhersonTown, etc).  If you have any other questions, I'll try to help!

That's good stuff ColDayMan, thank you!

What kind of carpentry do you do?  I used to work for a custom millwork company in Dayton and could point you in the right direction if that is of interest to you. 

 

And my opinion is that downtown Tipp City itself has charm galore and is worth a look but I would choose McPherson Town if I were able to live in Dayton.

Thanks to everyone who responded, but my wife has been presented with an offer to work in North Canton (closer to both of our families and friends than Dayton) and we've decided to pursue that.

Hey, in this economy, that's a blessing!