During WWII, the Allies needed an off-road vehicle to traverse the sandy beaches of Guadalcanal, the rocky hillsides of Northern Italy and the muddy roads of rural France. The response was a vehicle known as the Jeep — it first rolled off the assembly line in Toledo and is still manufactured at the Toledo Assembly Complex today. The company’s headquarters are there, and the brand's slogan is "Go Anywhere. Do Anything," which certainly holds true in Toledo, the fourth most populous city in Ohio and home to approximately 265,000 people.
Toledo's downtown area is the subject of ongoing revitalization, and the city has spent over $1 billion expanding its economy and infrastructure. "Toledo has experienced crazy growth in the last 10 years, and the downtown has completely transformed for the better," says Realtor Matthew Watson, who lives in the city and sells homes with RE/MAX Preferred Associates. The city is known for its Metroparks system, which won the National Recreation and Park Association's Best in Innovation Award in 2024, and its cultural scene centered around destinations like the Toledo Museum of Art and the Stranahan Theater.
Part of the city's identity is the Midwestern candor of its residents. "The people make this city great," says Watson. "It's a place where a handshake still means something."
Toledo, home of the Jeep has been manufacturing Jeeps since the 1940s.
Promenade Park located in Toledo offers live music and movies in the summer months.
The Glass Pavilion in Downtown Toledo has a hot shop where guests can watch demonstrations.
The Stranahan Theater in is a premiere concert hall located in Toledo.
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Industry has long been a part of Toledo’s story
The city was incorporated in 1837, around the time that modern industry began sprouting in the area. Commercial growth throughout the rest of the 19th century was due in part to the Miami-Erie and Wabash-Erie canals, oil and natural gas mining, railroads and a glass manufacturing industry that earned Toledo the nickname of the Glass Capital of the World.
Glass is still one of Toledo's largest industries, with Libbey Inc. employing thousands. The Port of Toledo is another major player in the city's commercial sector and is considered one of the largest harbors for coal shipping globally.
Providence Park in Toledo offers a step back in time on the Miami Erie Canal.
Norfolk Southern in Toledo is a prominent railroad company established in 1827.
Libbey Glass is a glass manufacturer located in Toledo.
The Port of Toledo is home to 13 terminals linked to global markets through the Great Lakes.
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A comparatively affordable housing market
Toledo is ranked No. 19 on U.S. News & World Report's list of the most affordable housing markets. Homes have a median price of $122,000, a fraction of the national median of about $407,000. "Toledo has everything from older places that need a lot of fixing up for $30,000 to million-dollar houses in Ottawa Hills," says Realtor Justin Spann, who sells property in the city with Key Realty. Houses in Toledo sell after an average of 49 days, and many were built over the course of the 20th century. Architectural styles reflect the era, and prospective buyers will find Colonials, American Foursquares, Craftsman bungalows and ranch-style houses. Toledo's property tax rate is 2.43%, which is higher than Ohio's median and the national median.
Historic Colonial homes can be found in Downtown Toledo.
Foursquare homes are abundant in the Old West End neighborhood in Downtown Toledo.
Well kept bungalows are a popular option for the residents of Point Place.
There are many modestly priced ranch homes in Glendale-Heatherdowns.
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Glass City recreational offerings
Toledo is in the process of expanding its outdoor attractions, including its ongoing Glass City project. The second phase of construction was completed in June 2023, an undertaking that included the Glass City Metropark, a 70-acre expanse along the Maumee River. The park has several playground areas, including the Grosbeak area, which consists of a 40-foot-tall tower with slides and a zip line. The Prairie + Pollinator Discovery area is home to tunnels, hills and nets for climbing.
Visitors can also glide across The Ribbon, a 1,000-foot-long path open for ice skating in the winter when there's typically heavy snowfall, and roller skating during the humid summer months. Glass City Metropark even has a restaurant — The Garden by Poco Piatti — housed inside of a 9,500-square-foot building that doubles as an event space. Glass City Metropark, moving forward, will be part of an ongoing project dubbed the Glass City Riverwalk, a path that will stretch more than 5 miles through six different Toledo neighborhoods. The Riverwalk is projected to be complete by 2030.
Wildwood Preserve, a 493-acre tract with more than 10 miles of trails, is also part of the Metroparks system. The Toledo Botanical Garden is notable not just for its dozens of acres of greenery but also for its sculptures, representing the most extensive public collection in the region.
Locals can head just outside of town to reach the 1,336-acre Maumee Bay State Park, located along the Maumee Bay. The park's amenities include an archery range, a public-use golf course and more than a dozen miles of trails.
Glass City Metropark has the Grosbeak Discovery Play Area near downtown Toledo.
Wildwood Preserve Metropark in Toledo was the former estate of the Stranahan family.
Toledo Botanical Garden in Toledo features more than 60 acres of display gardens.
Maumee Bay State Park in Toledo has the biggest draw
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International cuisine and a world-class zoo
Toledo also has an active food and arts scene. One of the city's claims to fame is Tony Packo's, renowned for its hot dogs. The walls of the establishment, which first opened its doors in 1932, are decorated with laminated hotdog buns signed by the likes of Art Garfunkel, Ron Howard and Walter Mondale. Many of the city's fine and casual dining establishments specialize in fresh-caught fish from the Great Lakes. And, of course, where there is surf, there is turf. Steakhouses like Mancy's have served prime cuts with fine wine for decades. Craft beer drinkers can bounce from bar to bar around the city in search of the best local brew. Breweries are especially prevalent along the riverfront.
Families can visit the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium, which has been a city staple since 1900. It houses over 10,000 animals of 720 species, and parents drop off their kids for ecology-themed summer camps. Other attractions include the Valentine Theatre, which screens classic films, hosts touring Broadway shows and acts as a mainstage for University of Toledo student groups.
The Mud Hens, Toledo's Minor League baseball team, plays at Fifth Third Field, which also serves as a concert venue throughout the summer. Residents can look forward to other annual events like the Greater Toledo Auto Show at Glass City Center in February, the Crosby Festival of the Arts at the Toledo Botanical Garden in June and "Fireworks in the 419" downtown for the Fourth of July. In August, the city celebrates its Jeep history with the Toledo Jeep Fest, which includes an All-Jeep Parade downtown.
Tony Packo's in Birmingham was made famous by Jamie Farr from the show MASH.
Earnest Brew Works located in Toledo serves up pints of hand crafted beer.
Demonstrations are a great way to get close to the animals at the Toledo Zoo in Beverly.
Fifth Third Field in Downtown Toledo is home to Toledo's Mud Hens.
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Travel around Toledo with TARTA
Getting around the city is fairly simple. "Traffic in Toledo is pretty much zero compared to most big cities," says Realtor Katrina Birr, who sells property with Danberry Realtors. The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority connects neighborhoods via bus stops throughout the metropolitan area. The city's Amtrak station connects to lines that stretch as far as cities like Chicago and New York. Detroit is just under 60 miles away via Interstate 75.
Air travel is available at the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport, which offers flights via Allegiant Air. Nonstop destinations include Arizona and Florida. The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, about 45 miles away, provides more commercial flight options.
Residents can access medical care at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, a 794-bed hospital with a Level I trauma center.
The Tarta bus system in Downtown Toledo provides excellent transportation.
The Amtrak train station in Toledo has fairs to Chicago, Boston and Miami.
Rossford has fast access to I-75 to get downtown with ease.
The Promedica Toledo Hospital is a medical choice for residents of Southside.
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Rockets carry high-powered influence
The University of Toledo is a public research university offering more than 300 degree programs to its roughly 11,450 undergraduate and 3,560 graduate students. It's also among the region's largest employers, and the Toledo Rockets athletic teams compete in the Mid-Atlantic Conference's Division I level.
Children can enroll in the Toledo Public Schools system, which has a C-plus Niche score. The district's 57 schools have an overall 15-to-1 student-teacher ratio and a 70% graduation rate. Toledo Early College and Toledo Technology Academy of Engineering are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on Niche's list of the best magnet high schools in the state.
Top private schools in the area include the A-plus-rated Maumee Valley Country Day School, an institution that serves prekindergarten through 12th-grade students. Maumee Valley Country Day has a 100% graduation rate and sends 99% of its graduates to four-year colleges.
The University of Toledo is home to the Toledo Rockets.
Toledo Early College offers a college preparatory program for students in grades 7-12.
Toledo Technology Academy is a Toledo public school grades 7-12.
Maumee Valley Country Day School is a private school located in Toledo.
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Improvements on crime and ConnecToledo continuing to push forward
According to FBI data, the city’s property and violent crime rates are above national figures. According to the City of Toledo, the city's overall crime rate is decreasing. They reported an 8.3% drop in crime incidents during the fourth quarter of 2023, compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. The city experienced a more than 2% decrease in violent crimes between 2022 and 2023.
A nonprofit development group dubbed ConnecToledo released a Downtown Toledo Master Plan in 2017 to help guide the area's evolution. The plan featured 12 priority action items, including “Advance a Better Connected Downtown” and “Establish Downtown Housing Incentives.” From new apartments to $70 million in expansions and renovations to the Glass City Center, formerly the SeaGate Centre, the city has made progress toward its goals. ConnecToledo updated its plan in 2023, citing the completion of the Glass City Riverwalk, the addition of more affordable multifamily homes, boosting downtown’s walkability and the addition of a food hall to the city’s farmers market as aims moving forward.
Toledo has several new apartment buildings such as Standard Lofts.
The Glass City Center in Toledo was renovated in 2022.
Glass City Metropark in Toledo has an extensive riverfront trail.
The Toledo Farmer's Market in Downtown Toledo has been a town staple every Saturday since 1832.
Binger Show is a seasoned Team Leader and Broker Owner, dynamic speaker, trainer, and real estate business coach. As the owner of Binger Show Real Estate, he oversees operations in both Ohio and Michigan. Binger holds multiple licenses and designations, including the prestigious CRS designation, and is a graduate of the Ohio Realtors Leadership Academy. His entrepreneurial spirit has driven him to successfully establish multiple businesses from the ground up.
Binger’s success in real estate enables him to give back to his community, supporting charities such as Habitat for Humanity and the Children’s Miracle Network. In addition, as Director of Foreign Missions at his church, he has led humanitarian missions to Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.
In his spare time, Binger enjoys flying multi-engine planes as an FAA-licensed pilot and practicing Tae Kwon Do, where he holds a black belt. His extensive experience, unwavering work ethic, and genuine love for people make him a respected and influential figure in his community.
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