re: Greensboro(NC) vs Akron(OH) vs Columbus(OH)

I can't speak to the other two, but I live in the country just outside of Greensboro (work in town) and like it here. If you plopped Greensboro down in another state, there probably wouldn't be much to recommend it over any other town. But I love, love, LOVE its proximity to other places, and we take full advantage of it. It really is amazing how much there is to do within a ~3 hours drive from here. Beach, mountains, rivers, lakes, Asheville/Boone, Raleigh, Charlotte, Greenville SC, etc. There are too many diverse experiences to have within easy reach to ever get bored. And then being in town day-to-day isn't bad either. Food scene is good and growing (WAY better than when I moved here 15 years ago). Traffic isn't a problem. I'm being treated for cancer and have found the health care system to be good, even with Covid shortages, etc. We have enjoyed several performances at the new performance arts center downtown. There are 4 seasons, none of which is particularly extreme. (People here complain about it being hot in the summer, but having grown up with the humidity in Baton Rouge, I do not.) I don't really have any complaints. One caveat: I know nothing about the public schools. Kid is in private school and we never explored public.

ETA: Since posting this, I've been thinking about what makes me stop short of saying that I *love* Greensboro. I think it's that I see it as a nice, vanilla town that lacks any real cultural identity. Being a native of and still very much emotionally attached to South Louisiana, I miss that.