Sarah I'm just a little South of you and 6.8 neutral. Ohio is the clay state, but our soil really isn't that bad. The Azaleas and Rhodies don't do for me, but Hollies are fine, and no problems with any Maples. I have a few Japanese Maples and a Paperbark Maple. They all do great. I know Oaks are planted all around Ohio although I don't have one personally. Hydrandea Paniculata and Oakleafs I can say do great here also.
Cher

I have always lived in areas with acid soil - MD now and I used to live in Akron, but NE Ohio has more acidic soil than further west.

That said, from other posts I've seen and even time I spent there, I think most of the plants except the true acid lovers like azalea, rhodies, etc will be OK.

FWIW though, as far as large maples, the Freeman maple does a little better than Red maple in neutral soils, but you have to pay a bit more attention to pruning for a good branch structure, since it has a Silver maple parent.

Most Asian and European maples as a whole are more alkaline tolerant, and Sugar maple moreso than Red as well, IIRC.

Did you post this in three forums and not respond to any of them?lol?

I responded - sorry!!

Do black maples perform better than Sugar?

Big Tooth Maples grow down here in slightly alkaline soil.

Not sure their hardiness zone so you may want to check on it. They have beautiful leaf color in the fall.

My old house st on limestone rubbles which means high pH but it didn't bother my shantung maples much. They literally thrived. I was growing compact green JM that I grew from seed. It seemed to do fine except too much sun late in the summer. Just have to make sure water drains away so there's no water standing around JMs.

You can build raised bed with acidic soil for azaleas if you can afford it.

try a silver, they grow nice in illinois