49. West Chester, Ohio
| AT A GLANCE | |
| Population | 63,162 |
| Median Home Price | $205,000 |
| Property Tax | $3,941 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% |
| Commute time | 23 minutes |
Located just 18 miles north of Cincinnati (and included in that bigger city’s metro area), West Chester is technically not a city at all, but a township governed by a three-member board of trustees elected to four-year terms. Top employers include the Lakota Local School District, BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Totes ISOTONER, Procter & Gamble Manufacturing Supply Technology, and West Chester Hospital (UC Health).
Summer weekends in the township mean outdoor movies in the park on Friday nights and a farmers’ market every Saturday on the Square. In early August, the Square at Union Centre, an outdoor public gathering place, plays host to the Union Centre Boulevard Bash, which attracts all manner of domestic and international musical talent. History buffs will appreciate the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in an Art Deco building. Topgolf, a 65,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor golf and entertainment center with restaurants, bars and live music, opened in July 2016.
Nearing your twilight years? Though born in Reading, Ohio, John Boehner liked this area so much he decided to retire here; the 61st Speaker of the House of Representatives now lives in West Chester Township with his wife, Debbie.