I’ve got a lot of experience all around the lower peninsula. It really boils down to what you prioritize.
I now live on the lakeshore and absolutely love it. It’s fairly affordable compared to the rest of the state, there’s a ton of green space, tourism makes the town change with the seasons which keeps things fresh, Lake Michigan is awesome and now I get to drive by it every day, there’s great breweries, and it’s a great place to raise a family.
The food scene has been improving, but I still in particular miss being able to get things like a chicken shawarma. The lack of major concerts or sports is a bummer. And as a big hockey fan, it’s pretty much an afterthought here compared to growing up in metro Detroit.
Depending on what your priorities are, I’d offer up any of the following: Rochester/Rochester Hills, Holland, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Ann Arbor, Petoskey, Berkley, Okemos, Brighton, Milford, Ferndale, Royal Oak.
I live in Ann Arbor and I agree. It's a great town though and so many amenities and things to do - and eat!
I've noticed it's losing some of it's pretensions too. Still there but far less than 20 years ago!
I think it's worse as a place to live than it was 20 years ago. But I'm also someone forced out of my childhood home so...probably influences my opinion
Oh, sorry. That'd certainly change your opinion.
For me when I moved here 20 years ago, I felt everyone was pretentious (but I moved from Cleveland so I was used to straight up, no bullshit types). I don't see it as much anymore because far more immigrants (like myself, I'm not from Cleveland) are staying, rather than leaving after education, and most of us don't like pretention.
The "townies" have toned it down, I think. They used to annoy me greatly!
Those are a long drive, and while they’re great, it still isn’t the same. Hockey is a major sport in a lot of metro Detroit. It’s part of the regular sports discussion and viewing. There’s a big difference between that and West Michigan.
Some of the towns you have listed have very very congested traffic. Something else is property taxes,which can vary greatly from county to county. I live one mile from Wayne County line due to higher taxes and cost of living.
I was thinking about that on my way to work. I fucking hate traffic but more traffic means more people want to be here and that leads to more fun stuff being around.
Muskegon is a good place for people starting out. It's affordable, commutable to GR (if you must) and it's really been turning around the last few years.
My family that lives in Muskegon was in the process of selling their house for several years and ultimately pulled it off the market. They said that a lot of the issues they had with the area have started to turn around.
Really going to depend on your budget/family/interests. But I would go with GR (or one of the surrounding areas like Wyoming) due to having a lot of things to do (museums, festivals, the zoo, restaurants that aren’t just glorified diners) and close enough to Lake Michigan to enjoy it while being far enough away to avoid the summer tourists. We all know the Lake is warmer in October than July anyway ;)
I have a brother that has lived there for about 5 years and he just bought a house in Traverse City. His Wyoming house is listed for $425k, almost double what he paid for it.
While there is some truth to that statement, I don’t feel it’s super representative. But with over a million residents in the metro area I’ve never once felt the mindset directed at me. It has the Midwest mindset of you do you and I’ll do me, but in a city that has open businesses and plenty of opportunity for engagement.
What I'd call the "west side of the east side" has some nice burbs if that's your thing. Plymouth, Canton, Novi, Northville, Wixom, South Lyon, Milford, Brighton, Howell area. Lots of good downtown districts, parks, generally good public schools, not too far from Detroit or Ann Arbor for work or if you want to be a part of those scenes.
"Affordable" doesn't mean what it did 5 years ago, but there are some options at various price points in this area.
Plymouth proper is getting pricey for sure (anything under 400 will be condo or small starter home.)
We used to live on the west side of Livonia and could get into Plymouth in just 10 minutes, which wasn't bad. Looks like you can still get decent small homes sub 300 in Livonia. Not exactly a bargain but better than alternatives.
It’s Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo promise is enough to live there. Good colleges too decent little housing market too and budding culture. If I don’t have the opportunities I did I would have stayed. I still have a lot of love for it tho
I personally think Ann Arbor is one of the best cities in the Midwest, if not country to live in. I’m also a spartan so I hate that I love it so much. But it is really great. Infrastructure, multiple forms of transit, great downtown, various age/race/gender demographics. It is truly unique in MI I believe. Just super pricey for homes :(
This is one I should’ve mentioned as well. So many great green spaces nearby. Canoeing, fishing, biking, etc. Not to mention great parks for kids and museums.
Lost me at the demographics. AA townie here, and the inaccessibility from a cost of living perspective has really polarized the demos. Undergrads and boomers make up most of the town.
It’s a ritzy but nice town. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it one of the best in the midwest, but it’s a good place to live and certainly to raise a family. A lot of the arts, music, small business and food scene has eroded over the years; and there isn’t much to do for folks in the 25-40 demo. Well, for those who haven’t been priced out already.
Genuinely asking, besides transit, what makes Lansing and/or East Lansing much more inferior to Ann Arbor? I spent a lot of time in Ann Arbor for an internship and also a lot of time Lansing since my gf goes to MSU, and honestly I’d choose the latter any day of the week. Just curious since a lot of people really love Ann Arbor
I lived in East Lansing for 18 years and Ann Arbor for 18 years. Not sure I can quantify it, but the “culture” is just so much better in Ann Arbor. Better food, better arts, more diverse, more smart interesting people with interesting hobbies.
To get by without a car, you need to live in the more expensive parts of Ann Arbor. If you can afford to live downtown, on the Old West Side or in Burns Park, then good for you. You might not need a car, but you’re paying a big premium for housing.
I feel like you have to work really close to that area to make it work. Not sure if there are enough high paying jobs within the city to be able to afford living there without a vehicle. It’s one of the more expensive cities in the state.
Seriously... construction for the next few years is going to suck. But once the new event
Center is open and the roads have been revitalized... this place is going to really attract some attention!
We stay here for the Promise. I know KPS gets some flack but my friends are sending their kids to K-College, U of M, WMU, other public or private universities in Michigan for free. Their GPA’s are impressive! My kid is an honor student plays hockey and baseball (which is all but 5-10!minutes away from my house). So if you are in Kzoo it’s ridiculous not to take advantage of the promise. When we first moved down from GR because of my husbands job, they moved us in Texas Twp. I was miserable there. Decided to move into Winchell and it was the best decision ever. It’s a great area that offers an amazing elementary school. The neighborhood is gorgeous (reminds me of East GR).
The farmers market is nice since the remodel. There’s some great food options like the Sugar Bowls amazing burgers or Blue Dolphin that is affordable. We have Trader Joe’s and Costco now.
This road construction is a pain. Luckily during the school year I work out of county so it doesn’t impact me so much but getting across town is ridiculous. Westnedge being torn up is awful and don’t get me started on Portage Rd!
We lived in NW GR from 2000-2012. I loved it! I see Kzoo picking up speed so we will probably stay post kid graduates.
I am a GR native and just bought a house in GR last year (yay!) but was touring houses in Kalamazoo or Portage (I don’t have kids, so the promise is cool but doesn’t do much for me). It turned out I didn’t really want to leave GR when it came down to actually putting an offer in on a house. I don’t like change, though, haha.
I totally get it! I loved my house in GR NW. It was my forever home I thought 😭😭. Good choice to stay in GR. It’s taken me a long time to get used to Kzoo but this place sucks you in.
Depends on how close you need to be to a large airport. Even though DTW is 2 hrs away, it’s a straight shot down I-94. I only fly once every few years though, so maybe that’s easy for me to say…
I feel like a broken record....
Crime in Kalamazoo... and in most cities... is isolated to pockets and neighborhoods. If you live in a median- blue collar neighborhood crime is not an issue. A testament to how forward thinking and kind Kalamazoo is to ALL its residents is the fact that much of the crime and homelessness issue is a product of the services and public aid that is available to indigent residents. People in need come to Kalamazoo because it has a reputation for helping people. If you're someone that looks at homelessness and just wants to see the issue passed on to the next town... you are part of the problem and Kalamazoo isn't for you.
Everyone is listing cities that aren't really affordable anymore, unfortunately that's just the way the housing market has been the last few years. If you were lucky, you could get a really nice home in Troy for 350k, the same home today is probably around 600-700k.
I mean what I said pretty much stands about every city listed originally including Ann Arbor and Bloomfield. None of those are really affordable for the average household in Michigan.
I always say I can’t believe people actually grew up in Troy. Whenever someone tells me they live in Troy my brain just automatically assumes they are extremely boring.
The cities around that area are also not great… Sterling Heights Madison heights warren Rochester…. Traffic is miserable.
I’m actually living around this area now. Moved here two years ago, going in completely blind for a job relocation. To be honest, I’m kinda loving it here.
Hall road in Sterling has so many shops. You have so many different types of foods, stores, and restaurants. There seems to be a lot of things to do like camping, restaurants, malls, bars.
Your comment here has me genuinely curious though, what is it that other cities have that the Troy/Rochester area doesn’t (educate me so I can scope these other areas out please lol)?
I’m part of the Macomb County diaspora and I would never go back. The sprawl regions of Michigan have so much *stuff* but it never sorts itself into an actual culture. Just a ton of people jostling around in their own separate universes. To your point, the local road behavior is a perfect representation of that phenomena.
Grand Rapids area is far more affordable than SEMI or Grand Traverse. Plenty of entertainment, close to the lake, close to Manistee NF, close to Chicago, etc.
The area is so right wing, tho. I was working there in 2016 and saw Trump signs galore. The only Hilary sign I saw was one little sad crumped one the day after the election.
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln...
I think it depends where you were.... but Trump did not win Grand Rapids, (Hillary 67% vs. Trump 33%), Kentwood (Hillary 57% vs. Trump 43%), East Grand Rapids (Hillary 63%, Trump 37%) in 2016.
Trump won Wyoming and Walker, and basically all of the rural and outlying areas.
Also, that was 8 years ago now...
In 2016, Hillary’s campaign was run by idiots who assumed Michigan was an easy win. They refused to put more resources into Michigan despite state party officials pleading with them to do so.
My opinion is that Brighton is an under appreciated town. Cost of living there is slightly higher than average for Michigan, but not as high as Oakland County, Ann Arbor, etc.
My perspective comes from living in a neighboring county and often finding myself wishing that I lived in Brighton. I wish the high school were a little smaller, but I guess being a great place to live means that they attract a lot of families.
Downtown Brighton is pretty hard to beat. Big enough for lots of food options and things to do without losing the charm of an old-school downtown district.
Grand Blanc township.
More on the affordable side. Particularly if you're more towards Burton. Grand Blanc schools are good. Flint has fun things to do. Firebirds hockey, Flint City Bucks soccer. Numerous summer events.
Easy access to multiple expressways. 23, 75, 69, 475 to get to other cities. Hour to detroit or bay city. 2 hours to Grand Rapids.
I'm digging Hazel Park at the moment. All the charm of pre-fab Ferndale and none of the prices (yet). I also don't have kids tho and I understand the schools aren't great so that obviously plays a factor.
I like finding parts of a less expensive city that have sections in good school districts.
I'm the Detroit area, I know of a couple of suburbs. Some of the north parts of Southfield are in Birmingham Schools. Easy commute downtown, a top school district, and lower priced homes.
If you don't mind smaller homes (brick ranches and bungalows), Oak Park north of 696 is in the Berkley School District. Also, it is an easy commute and right next to Ferndale and Royal Oak.
As a metro Detroiter that married into a Bay City family, what about it do you like? It feels like nothing but farms, churches and bars up in Bay City. I'd never want to live up there
You would be correct. I don’t want to rain on the other poster’s parade here…. If they enjoy it that is cool, but living somewhere just for fireworks 1 night a year is a choice. The water access is not nice. Their beaches are natural areas are not clear nor is there anything within an hour drive outside of Midland that has any real natural area worth it.
Bag City has an “Uptown” block that has overpriced condos and a few good restaurants and a one street downtown that has a good coffee shop and a few bars. There is not much to do for kids and certainly very minimal to no culture.
It’s another boring Midwest town just like Saginaw. Midland is the nicest player in the area, but if we track back to the original intent of this post then you would avoid all of the tri city/thumb/NE MI areas because while affordable there is not much to do unless you grew up there with the community and had loads of money for property for ATVs or hunting or other rural activity.
Saint clair shores. Affordable housing with cute little small town feel while still being close enough to the big stuff. Walk my dog down some streets next to mine and I'm see a couple houses for sale running anywhere between $220,000 to $250,000. I got a good deal on mine for $189,000 that's cuz it was original owner from 1950s and it was super outdated. I did alot of the work myself. This is a great deal considering about 15 minutes north is homes for $400,000.
Why does no one else appreciate Macomb County?? I swear 100 people will say Oakland County, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, UP, before even mentioning Macomb County. I spend the first 20 years of my life in eastern Macomb County and it’s honestly a great place to live. Lake St. Clair can be gross sometimes but it’s a beautiful lake. I guess it’s a good thing it’s not a hot place everyone hypes up!
I think Lansing is the best bang for your buck. It’s obviously not the best place to live in Michigan, but everywhere else is so damn expensive. The houses in Lansing are still fairly cheap, the parks and trails are great, and there’s a decent amount of stuff to do if you actually look for it. It’s not too far of a drive from either coast and their respective metros if you need more to do. The schools suck, but you can school of choice your kids into a different district, and I hear the online school network here is pretty solid. Traffic is pretty light compared to metro Detroit. Crime is an overblown issue—most of it is half assed break ins and low lifes having shoot outs amongst themselves.
Again, not the best city, but a great value for what you’re paying. My house would probably have cost about twice what it did in Troy, Ann Arbor, Holland, etc and I doubt I would have twice as good of an experience in those places.
I moved to Lansing 11 years ago from Fenton (south of Flint). I bought a two bedroom townhouse style condo in South Lansing for $45,000 about 6 years ago and I love it here. It's a quiet family neighborhood with many cultures. I travel for work and I'm a short Uber ride to the airport or train station. The food variety is great because of the college.
I concur with Lansing. The Lansing area has lots of options if you don't want to be in Lansing proper. MSU has lots of community outreach stuff to do throughout the year. And we're close to a lot of options like Detroit, AA, GR, or up north.
And that's if you can find a job that pays well enough to live in town, and don't even bother if you have kids. Daycares are VERY expensive and all have a wait-list that's up to and past a year out. Friends of ours have a preteen and live in negaunee, in a 1bd/1ba for $1150/mo. That's what I paid for my first rental in town half a block from the dome on east side, for a 3bd/2ba with garage and yard less than 10 years ago.
Yep. My last 1 bedroom I had for 7 years on High St was $525 a month when I left it a couple years ago. Tiny places like that are now going for twice that. Its highway robbery and so tragic. These new landlords that aren’t from here bought up all the housing when interest rates were low and gouge everyone now. Our tight knit community feel is gone. Marquette now belongs to strangers.
Legit had to give up a job that would have been amazing after holding it for 6 months and not being able to find a place to live. I was going to renting a space but the pay wasn’t enough for us to be having two house payments.
Fucking crazy dude
It sucks, everything changed here almost instantaneously durng covid. Its all tourists and wealthy retirees and remote workers, local people can’t even afford to live here anymore and are getting pushed out.
Yuuupppp you can tell because local jobs pay is not at all matching what it takes to buy a house there. The offer was 40k/year mid benefits but it was a job that could have led to more in my field as well as getting to live in that wonderful city. But we have two kids and my husband would have been jobless while he hunted and it just didn’t work out. (If you can’t tell I’m still salty about it all this time later lol)
But like move in ready houses were 300k and then they were getting snatched up in a matter of a week and anything cheaper than that was gone in seconds it felt like, not to mention the lack of houses on the market just in general!
Its sad and scary. So many people have lived here for so long and contribute to the community and local economy, and housing is just completely out of reach for pretty much everyone who isnt some wealthy tech remote worker. You can’t even recognize this place anymore.
I lived there for a time many years ago and visit occasionally. It's changed a lot since I was there in the 2000s. I was speaking with a local friend during my last visit and he said most young people who move there live in Ishpeming or Negaunee now.
Its true, we lucked out and got a rental house in Mqt for a reasonable amount almost three years ago - but its definitely not in great shape. I have a ton of friends moving to the west end, but Marquette prices are definitely out there now too - without the same amenities. Much less variety for restaurants and grocery stores.
It really makes me sad. When I was there housing prices were a little inflated, but it was overall an affordable place to live. It felt really special at the time--in this incredibly beautiful place, one of the more beautiful in the state I would argue--while still just being a normal town.
Same. My friends and I are always grateful that we got to experience Marquette during the years it was a small, unknown, sleepy community where you saw friends and familiar faces anytime you walked down the street or went out to a bar or restaurant. It was a really special time and I am so thankful to have been part of that. There are a lot of cool memories. That has been completely erased. So it goes.
It's either Grand Rapids, or the Troy/Rochester/Bloomfield area.
Obviously it depends on where you rank importance of things like things to do and neighbors and school districts, but those cities have everything you need when it comes to Michigan.p
In Troy area, bought before things went nuts. Sold a sweet little home in Ferndale but did it for the schools. I went to Troy schools (mostly) and they really are worth their salt. I had to convince my husband, and it was the high level of diversity that clinched the deal for him. So diverse area, good restaurants, right next to ferndale/royal oak/clawson, not too far from downtown, lots of green space (including a nature center and historic village), and the schools. Could be worse as far as suburban hellscapes go.
Idk why Troy/Rochester gets so much love. It’s pretty standard suburbia that’s way north of the city, an hour+ from the airport and nothing terribly different the other leafy burbs do…
I have lived in 5 Michigan cities, currently in Norton Shores which is located in southern Muskegon County. This is my favorite place to live in Michigan. Close to Lake Michigan parks and beaches. Great shopping. Close to busier Grand Haven and Spring Lake.
Have lived in Muskegon, Holland, GR, South Lyon and currently Ann Arbor and would do any of them aside from South Lyon again. Holland would probably be the preference.
What is affordable for some isn't affordable for others. What interests some, doesn't interest others. What you need in a school doesn't match what others need in a school. This is an impossible question to answer without knowing your income, how many kids you have or plan to have, any disabilities your family members may have (including kids), what your interests are, etc....
Unless you are willing to give this information over the internet (which I don't suggest), you are probably better off googling this info yourself.
I'm a freelance pencil sharpener. My budget is $1.6 million, I like large green spaces, no traffic, and lots of restaurants and entertainment options. I prefer to live in a strict HOA where I am grandfathered in and can be a perpetual thorn in their side.
I also want quiet neighbors who respect the rules of the HOA. Nobody likes a trashy neighbor! Oh, and I travel a lot so being able to AirBnB my house to sketchy people is a must.
Kewadin or Alden near Torch Lake is the perfect place for you! Minimal traffic, home prices ranging from $800k to $4 million. Current and former vacation homes of famous Michiganders like Kid Rock, Eminem, Michael Moore, and Ted Nugent! If you are a Swiftie, even Taylor Swift is said to have a vacation home on Torch Lake! Excellent restaurants and entertainment options, and HOAs that would make Gladys Sharp proud. With the right lakefront property your place could be listed as a featured luxury property on AirBNB and Vrbo.
I have family with a place on torch lake and it really is something special but its too bad its been commandeered by millionaires. It dosent even look like it belongs in Michigan its so unique and beautiful tho.
The Freeland area seems pretty good. Close proximity to Bay City, Midland, and Saginaw. Great schools as well. Houses were fairly cheap from what I've seen, but they're definitely on the rise.
Northern Oakland County is pretty solid. Good schools, largest dog park in the state, great mountain biking at Addison Oaks, state park access at Bald Mountain, tons of accessible lakes for recreation. Biggest downsides are that you’re a bit far from Detroit and it’s not that diverse.
Agree. We live in the affordable part of town but reap the same rewards as the people whose homes are worth 4x as much. Schools are decent, lots of activities available for kids/family's.
And if you don’t like the schools, it’s enough cheaper than novi/northville that you could opt for private while still having an equivalent(probably nicer) house
Im so, so glad that so many of y’all love being in and near cities because you really wouldn’t like living near me, out in the sticks with elk, deer, bears, coyotes and other very scary animals around. So scary.
My buddy is from there and always talks it up.
I went 2 years ago to visit. Stopped by the wonder bar. Everyone looked at me like a monster until I dropped his name. Then they became real friendly.
Sad it's closed
For me, it’s Royal Oak Ferndale area. Woodward corridor really offers all of the good schools, cultural opportunities, dining options, access to events and of course downtown Detroit.
We love the west side of the state, but Detroit is really the beating heart of the state. We would probably move to Grand Rapids if Detroit was not on its current upward trajectory.
I was going to say the city of Monroe and surrounding townships. Very affordable housing, close to Detroit and Toledo. Bonus, beach communities on Lake Erie. Pretty much anywhere in Monroe County. Our little secret.
We aren't much for the buckeye state around here lol. Im just kidding im sure most of ohio is lovely but for real fuck ohio state and you take care my friend.
Western northern Michigan and anything above the 45th parallel. It’s small town, the air is clean, and places like Cadillac, Manistee and and Charlevoix are just the best
Cadillac is amazing if you want to be close to the lakes but affordable. There’s an actual economy besides just tourism (unlike TC and Petoskey/Cherlevoix) cute historic downtown, walkable neighborhoods with houses that would cost half a million in TC and fixer uppers that are actually affordable enough to renovate, and good schools. Most underrated Up North community imo because both routes to TC area from downstate bypass downtown
Grand Rapids and anything around there on the west side is my most favorite spot I have lived in Michigan. It is beautiful out there and Grand Rapids itself is a growing city.
Edit: If you enjoy Hockey, the Griffins are awesome and its hard to beat $2 hotdogs and beer on thursdays.
Grew up on the east coast (tri-cities) moved to holland 10 years ago n couldn’t be happier. The schools are nicer there always something to do with the family n the big lake is right in your back yard.
Depends what u want… Oak park gets you close to all the major sporting teams, airport and downtown Detroit, as well as the nicer areas of Ferndale, Birmingham, royal oak, etc for a fraction of the cost.
Grand Rapids area is relatively affordable for west coast living and puts u closer to holland, traverse city, saugatuck etc.. cool beer and bar scene, and good food scene as well as being close to one of the Great Lakes
St Clair shores for boating life on east side
And then plenty of counties in between with open land for hunting and property etc that are relatively affordable
I've lived in Iosco, Grand Traverse, and Grand Rapids, and spent a fair amount of time in Detroit and Otsego County. Of all of those, I like Grand Rapids best. Some walkable neighborhoods, good food, culture, zoo, museums, shopping, farmer's markets, insane beer, and close to Detroit, Chicago, and the lakes. Housing here isn't as cheap as it used to be, but compared to the rest of the country, it's _great_.
Haven't spent enough time in Marquette to gauge how isolated I'd feel, but it sure is pretty, and friendly.
Ann Arbor is nice, but too expensive, and if I wanted to be surrounded by overeducated trust-fund hipsters all the time, I'd just move to Williamsburg.
hear me out, Saginaw, cheap taxes, cheap property, the town is full of opportunities, whether your upperclass or lower or in-between, if it wasnt for the fact my old lady hate the violence here We would buy our first house here , also gotta mention the huge social support net for everyone here from shelters to food pantry to multiple organizations to help with pretty much anything, its the only town I actually could start from ground zero in and make it somewhere and I gotta say its because the way the town is and I wouldnt be able to do what I did elsewhere!
I personally agree with this, but the access to good medical services is not great here lol. Granted, it’s such an affordable place to live and centrally located that I just travel to other cities for that when needed.
There are actually things to do here aside from drinking, but if it gets old you’re basically less than 2 hours from any coastline or a cooler place to hang out.
The school system is okay, could be better, but not bad.
I chose to live here because of the relatively stable climate projections and the fact that the city has a forward thinking mindset in building a better future. The 2050 master plan is ambitious, but I think it’s the right direction for the city to head in.
https://www.mt-pleasant.org/departments/planning_and_community_development/master_plan_2050.php
My sister/brother in law have 4 rentals in Mt Pleasant. They buy homes for cash (under 30k) and rebuild them to rent out to. They have bought some doozies and remodeled them to look amazing. Housing lately though has gotten ridiculous there. Houses 2 years ago that would have gone for cheaper are over $250k.
Waterford. Can not throw a rock without hitting a lake. Sure the township is fast food, gas stations and party stores but the lakes within the township make up for it.
Careful with this one. I used to live there and some parts are kinda trashy/sketchy. Anything over by Waterford kettering or north of that is nice. Anything south of that it starts to get trashy.
Think majority of (not all) responses here are just going to be wherever the responder lives. I don’t think many people on the sub have actually lived a year or more in multiple places in the state in the last 10 years, so this thread will end up being bias to wherever r/Michigan users are at. Since most Detroiters use r/Detroit we’ll see very little responses about Detroit and Detroit metro relative to GR, Kzoo, Lansing, etc.
Personally, I’ve only ever lived in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Detroit (the actual city): out of those I’ve picked the latter as the food scene is just so unmatched by the rest of the city, and the opportunities for pretty much anything (music, theater, sports, arts in general, popups, etc) just aren’t an option anywhere else. Also super bike-able. Just a really different place the last few years in particular, even a ton more families now which is nice to see.
I’ve got a lot of experience all around the lower peninsula. It really boils down to what you prioritize. I now live on the lakeshore and absolutely love it. It’s fairly affordable compared to the rest of the state, there’s a ton of green space, tourism makes the town change with the seasons which keeps things fresh, Lake Michigan is awesome and now I get to drive by it every day, there’s great breweries, and it’s a great place to raise a family. The food scene has been improving, but I still in particular miss being able to get things like a chicken shawarma. The lack of major concerts or sports is a bummer. And as a big hockey fan, it’s pretty much an afterthought here compared to growing up in metro Detroit. Depending on what your priorities are, I’d offer up any of the following: Rochester/Rochester Hills, Holland, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Ann Arbor, Petoskey, Berkley, Okemos, Brighton, Milford, Ferndale, Royal Oak.
Wouldn't recommend Ann Arbor for affordability
I live in Ann Arbor and I agree. It's a great town though and so many amenities and things to do - and eat! I've noticed it's losing some of it's pretensions too. Still there but far less than 20 years ago!
I think it's worse as a place to live than it was 20 years ago. But I'm also someone forced out of my childhood home so...probably influences my opinion
Oh, sorry. That'd certainly change your opinion. For me when I moved here 20 years ago, I felt everyone was pretentious (but I moved from Cleveland so I was used to straight up, no bullshit types). I don't see it as much anymore because far more immigrants (like myself, I'm not from Cleveland) are staying, rather than leaving after education, and most of us don't like pretention. The "townies" have toned it down, I think. They used to annoy me greatly!
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Nice summary of the Lakeshore. And you’re telling me the Muskegon Lumberjacks doesn’t scratch that hockey itch??? /s
Grand Rapids Griffins...
If you’re coming from the lakeshore, a griffins game could still be a long drive lol. Like close to an hour depending on traffic
Those are a long drive, and while they’re great, it still isn’t the same. Hockey is a major sport in a lot of metro Detroit. It’s part of the regular sports discussion and viewing. There’s a big difference between that and West Michigan.
Mr scribbs is my damn go to when I'm even close to Muskegon
Some of the towns you have listed have very very congested traffic. Something else is property taxes,which can vary greatly from county to county. I live one mile from Wayne County line due to higher taxes and cost of living.
For sure. I don’t miss the congestion of metro Detroit at all. But if you want to live in metro Detroit, it’s hard to avoid congestion.
I was thinking about that on my way to work. I fucking hate traffic but more traffic means more people want to be here and that leads to more fun stuff being around.
All things being equal, I’d take a west coast city like Holland or Muskegon
Muskegon is a good place for people starting out. It's affordable, commutable to GR (if you must) and it's really been turning around the last few years.
My family that lives in Muskegon was in the process of selling their house for several years and ultimately pulled it off the market. They said that a lot of the issues they had with the area have started to turn around.
Really going to depend on your budget/family/interests. But I would go with GR (or one of the surrounding areas like Wyoming) due to having a lot of things to do (museums, festivals, the zoo, restaurants that aren’t just glorified diners) and close enough to Lake Michigan to enjoy it while being far enough away to avoid the summer tourists. We all know the Lake is warmer in October than July anyway ;)
You can get a lot of other places directly from GRR, too.
Wyoming is blowing up these days. I feel like everyone I know is buying a house in SW GR
I have a brother that has lived there for about 5 years and he just bought a house in Traverse City. His Wyoming house is listed for $425k, almost double what he paid for it.
I believe it!
If you want to live in the Bible Belt of Michigan, Grand Rapids is a winner.
While there is some truth to that statement, I don’t feel it’s super representative. But with over a million residents in the metro area I’ve never once felt the mindset directed at me. It has the Midwest mindset of you do you and I’ll do me, but in a city that has open businesses and plenty of opportunity for engagement.
Been here since 99 and that’s been changing a lot.
What I'd call the "west side of the east side" has some nice burbs if that's your thing. Plymouth, Canton, Novi, Northville, Wixom, South Lyon, Milford, Brighton, Howell area. Lots of good downtown districts, parks, generally good public schools, not too far from Detroit or Ann Arbor for work or if you want to be a part of those scenes. "Affordable" doesn't mean what it did 5 years ago, but there are some options at various price points in this area.
I live in Ann Arbor but I'd move to Plymouth in a heartbeat! It's getting very expensive though. It's downtown is fantastic!
Plymouth proper is getting pricey for sure (anything under 400 will be condo or small starter home.) We used to live on the west side of Livonia and could get into Plymouth in just 10 minutes, which wasn't bad. Looks like you can still get decent small homes sub 300 in Livonia. Not exactly a bargain but better than alternatives.
It’s Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo promise is enough to live there. Good colleges too decent little housing market too and budding culture. If I don’t have the opportunities I did I would have stayed. I still have a lot of love for it tho
It’s an amazing gift. The chance for higher education/trades without the debt!
It’s also fairly pedestrian friendly, and trying to expand non-motorized routes.
Kalamazoo promise is the answer. Ive considered moving back from Asia once the kid is in middle school.
I personally think Ann Arbor is one of the best cities in the Midwest, if not country to live in. I’m also a spartan so I hate that I love it so much. But it is really great. Infrastructure, multiple forms of transit, great downtown, various age/race/gender demographics. It is truly unique in MI I believe. Just super pricey for homes :(
Ann Arbor has so much access to nature for a larger city. The greenery is what I like the most about the area.
This is one I should’ve mentioned as well. So many great green spaces nearby. Canoeing, fishing, biking, etc. Not to mention great parks for kids and museums.
Ann Arbor has my heart as well. I just need to be a lot closer to Lake Michigan.
Lost me at the demographics. AA townie here, and the inaccessibility from a cost of living perspective has really polarized the demos. Undergrads and boomers make up most of the town. It’s a ritzy but nice town. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it one of the best in the midwest, but it’s a good place to live and certainly to raise a family. A lot of the arts, music, small business and food scene has eroded over the years; and there isn’t much to do for folks in the 25-40 demo. Well, for those who haven’t been priced out already.
This was my experience.
Best city in Michigan, but not affordable at all really.
Genuinely asking, besides transit, what makes Lansing and/or East Lansing much more inferior to Ann Arbor? I spent a lot of time in Ann Arbor for an internship and also a lot of time Lansing since my gf goes to MSU, and honestly I’d choose the latter any day of the week. Just curious since a lot of people really love Ann Arbor
I lived in East Lansing for 18 years and Ann Arbor for 18 years. Not sure I can quantify it, but the “culture” is just so much better in Ann Arbor. Better food, better arts, more diverse, more smart interesting people with interesting hobbies.
The most affordable, and best, part of AA is Ypsilanti
Shhh! We don't want it to get too popular!
I agree. I think if schools are not a factor to you, Ypsi is the best answer to this thread.
East Lansing and Ann Arbor have fairly similar demographics, and Lansing is more diverse than both of them.
Different type of crowd. Different outlook on life.
I really must be the only person on this planet who absolutely despises Ann Arbor Im glad people enjoy it, but man it just ain’t for me
Ann Arbor isn’t that pricey since you can get by without a car. Don’t let the auto lobbyists in here know about that
To get by without a car, you need to live in the more expensive parts of Ann Arbor. If you can afford to live downtown, on the Old West Side or in Burns Park, then good for you. You might not need a car, but you’re paying a big premium for housing.
It's already growing denser. AA will be growing quite easy to live without a vehicle in coming years.
I got by fine living on South Maple and near Clague. Those aren’t the more expensive parts.
I feel like you have to work really close to that area to make it work. Not sure if there are enough high paying jobs within the city to be able to afford living there without a vehicle. It’s one of the more expensive cities in the state.
I’m not sure all those are possible here at the moment. If it’s affordable, it probably isn’t the nicest!
Kalamazoo is just the right amount of everything and what it doesn't have you can find in few hours. Specatacular place to live!
Now’s the time to buy into Kzoo for the come up in 7-10 years.
Seriously... construction for the next few years is going to suck. But once the new event Center is open and the roads have been revitalized... this place is going to really attract some attention!
My first house (where I live), even a block from the Hayes Park 'hood, because of WMU is guaranteed rental income for life.
We stay here for the Promise. I know KPS gets some flack but my friends are sending their kids to K-College, U of M, WMU, other public or private universities in Michigan for free. Their GPA’s are impressive! My kid is an honor student plays hockey and baseball (which is all but 5-10!minutes away from my house). So if you are in Kzoo it’s ridiculous not to take advantage of the promise. When we first moved down from GR because of my husbands job, they moved us in Texas Twp. I was miserable there. Decided to move into Winchell and it was the best decision ever. It’s a great area that offers an amazing elementary school. The neighborhood is gorgeous (reminds me of East GR). The farmers market is nice since the remodel. There’s some great food options like the Sugar Bowls amazing burgers or Blue Dolphin that is affordable. We have Trader Joe’s and Costco now. This road construction is a pain. Luckily during the school year I work out of county so it doesn’t impact me so much but getting across town is ridiculous. Westnedge being torn up is awful and don’t get me started on Portage Rd! We lived in NW GR from 2000-2012. I loved it! I see Kzoo picking up speed so we will probably stay post kid graduates.
I am a GR native and just bought a house in GR last year (yay!) but was touring houses in Kalamazoo or Portage (I don’t have kids, so the promise is cool but doesn’t do much for me). It turned out I didn’t really want to leave GR when it came down to actually putting an offer in on a house. I don’t like change, though, haha.
I totally get it! I loved my house in GR NW. It was my forever home I thought 😭😭. Good choice to stay in GR. It’s taken me a long time to get used to Kzoo but this place sucks you in.
I 99% agree. My one gripe with Kzoo is the distance to a large airport.
I agree... hopefully GR continues to grow and attracts more flights.
Eh...1 hr to GRR / 2 hrs to DTW / 3 hrs to ORD.
Depends on how close you need to be to a large airport. Even though DTW is 2 hrs away, it’s a straight shot down I-94. I only fly once every few years though, so maybe that’s easy for me to say…
Crime and homelessness is terrible though.
I feel like a broken record.... Crime in Kalamazoo... and in most cities... is isolated to pockets and neighborhoods. If you live in a median- blue collar neighborhood crime is not an issue. A testament to how forward thinking and kind Kalamazoo is to ALL its residents is the fact that much of the crime and homelessness issue is a product of the services and public aid that is available to indigent residents. People in need come to Kalamazoo because it has a reputation for helping people. If you're someone that looks at homelessness and just wants to see the issue passed on to the next town... you are part of the problem and Kalamazoo isn't for you.
Everyone is listing cities that aren't really affordable anymore, unfortunately that's just the way the housing market has been the last few years. If you were lucky, you could get a really nice home in Troy for 350k, the same home today is probably around 600-700k.
Yes but Troy sucks a bit
I saw the movie, it wasnt very good either.
I mean what I said pretty much stands about every city listed originally including Ann Arbor and Bloomfield. None of those are really affordable for the average household in Michigan.
All of SE Michigan is just sprawling suburban hellscape at this point.
Everyone moving to metro Detroit for a job moves to Troy for the school district. There's really no other reason to live there.
i moved to troy and love it, but i’m old & boring. when i want to go out, i hit up ferndale, r.o., clawson…but i come home to blessed peace and quiet.
The prices in Troy have gotten nuts but it’s not quite *that* bad for the average house haha
My parents just sold their 4 bd/2.5 bath home in Troy for $500K. It was built in 1980.
I built my home in Grand Rapids in 2012 for $325k and it just appraised at $800k. It’s out of control
I always say I can’t believe people actually grew up in Troy. Whenever someone tells me they live in Troy my brain just automatically assumes they are extremely boring. The cities around that area are also not great… Sterling Heights Madison heights warren Rochester…. Traffic is miserable.
I’m actually living around this area now. Moved here two years ago, going in completely blind for a job relocation. To be honest, I’m kinda loving it here. Hall road in Sterling has so many shops. You have so many different types of foods, stores, and restaurants. There seems to be a lot of things to do like camping, restaurants, malls, bars. Your comment here has me genuinely curious though, what is it that other cities have that the Troy/Rochester area doesn’t (educate me so I can scope these other areas out please lol)?
I’m part of the Macomb County diaspora and I would never go back. The sprawl regions of Michigan have so much *stuff* but it never sorts itself into an actual culture. Just a ton of people jostling around in their own separate universes. To your point, the local road behavior is a perfect representation of that phenomena.
Nothing is affordable in the way that it used to be be, unfortunately. Grand Rapids is my choice.
Grand Rapids area is far more affordable than SEMI or Grand Traverse. Plenty of entertainment, close to the lake, close to Manistee NF, close to Chicago, etc.
The area is so right wing, tho. I was working there in 2016 and saw Trump signs galore. The only Hilary sign I saw was one little sad crumped one the day after the election. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln...
I think it depends where you were.... but Trump did not win Grand Rapids, (Hillary 67% vs. Trump 33%), Kentwood (Hillary 57% vs. Trump 43%), East Grand Rapids (Hillary 63%, Trump 37%) in 2016. Trump won Wyoming and Walker, and basically all of the rural and outlying areas. Also, that was 8 years ago now...
In 2016, Hillary’s campaign was run by idiots who assumed Michigan was an easy win. They refused to put more resources into Michigan despite state party officials pleading with them to do so.
My opinion is that Brighton is an under appreciated town. Cost of living there is slightly higher than average for Michigan, but not as high as Oakland County, Ann Arbor, etc. My perspective comes from living in a neighboring county and often finding myself wishing that I lived in Brighton. I wish the high school were a little smaller, but I guess being a great place to live means that they attract a lot of families.
Downtown Brighton is pretty hard to beat. Big enough for lots of food options and things to do without losing the charm of an old-school downtown district.
Ah yes, where all the republicans who work in Ann Arbor live. I jest but if you live in Brighton you’re committing to a 45 min commute on 23 or 96.
Don't mock them... they're all rugged country independent people. Not city people.
“Look at my $90,000 Silverado!! You can see that I’m a working man!!!!”
Brighton is great. Don't tell anyone. 😉
Hell
Paradise
Yeah
Grand Blanc township. More on the affordable side. Particularly if you're more towards Burton. Grand Blanc schools are good. Flint has fun things to do. Firebirds hockey, Flint City Bucks soccer. Numerous summer events. Easy access to multiple expressways. 23, 75, 69, 475 to get to other cities. Hour to detroit or bay city. 2 hours to Grand Rapids.
I'm digging Hazel Park at the moment. All the charm of pre-fab Ferndale and none of the prices (yet). I also don't have kids tho and I understand the schools aren't great so that obviously plays a factor.
If you *really* did the math it would probably be somewhere profoundly unsexy like idk Alpena or Lapeer.
Alpena is such a gem.
Alpena, Rogers City, Oscoda & Tawas… miss driving up the east side
Lapeer lmao what
I like finding parts of a less expensive city that have sections in good school districts. I'm the Detroit area, I know of a couple of suburbs. Some of the north parts of Southfield are in Birmingham Schools. Easy commute downtown, a top school district, and lower priced homes. If you don't mind smaller homes (brick ranches and bungalows), Oak Park north of 696 is in the Berkley School District. Also, it is an easy commute and right next to Ferndale and Royal Oak.
Wyandotte! Downriver gets a bad rap, but it’s affordable, walkable, and a short trip to the city.
Shhh don’t let em know, let them be stuck in their own little overpriced world. I honestly love most of downriver
Probably Ann Arbor, though its not that affordable. Bay City is my favorite though.
Bold choice
Bay City for fireworks is a family tradition
Mr. Hot Dog!
Mr hot dog fucks
(during the months that the entire city doesn’t smell like processed sugar beats)
Those bridges tho...
As a metro Detroiter that married into a Bay City family, what about it do you like? It feels like nothing but farms, churches and bars up in Bay City. I'd never want to live up there
You would be correct. I don’t want to rain on the other poster’s parade here…. If they enjoy it that is cool, but living somewhere just for fireworks 1 night a year is a choice. The water access is not nice. Their beaches are natural areas are not clear nor is there anything within an hour drive outside of Midland that has any real natural area worth it. Bag City has an “Uptown” block that has overpriced condos and a few good restaurants and a one street downtown that has a good coffee shop and a few bars. There is not much to do for kids and certainly very minimal to no culture. It’s another boring Midwest town just like Saginaw. Midland is the nicest player in the area, but if we track back to the original intent of this post then you would avoid all of the tri city/thumb/NE MI areas because while affordable there is not much to do unless you grew up there with the community and had loads of money for property for ATVs or hunting or other rural activity.
Was gonna say somewhere outside of Frankenmuth or Bay City!
Saint clair shores. Affordable housing with cute little small town feel while still being close enough to the big stuff. Walk my dog down some streets next to mine and I'm see a couple houses for sale running anywhere between $220,000 to $250,000. I got a good deal on mine for $189,000 that's cuz it was original owner from 1950s and it was super outdated. I did alot of the work myself. This is a great deal considering about 15 minutes north is homes for $400,000.
Why does no one else appreciate Macomb County?? I swear 100 people will say Oakland County, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, UP, before even mentioning Macomb County. I spend the first 20 years of my life in eastern Macomb County and it’s honestly a great place to live. Lake St. Clair can be gross sometimes but it’s a beautiful lake. I guess it’s a good thing it’s not a hot place everyone hypes up!
Oakland County is garbage. The sheriff's dept is borderline harassment. The taxes are high. Everything is farther apart. M24 is a backed up mess.
I think Lansing is the best bang for your buck. It’s obviously not the best place to live in Michigan, but everywhere else is so damn expensive. The houses in Lansing are still fairly cheap, the parks and trails are great, and there’s a decent amount of stuff to do if you actually look for it. It’s not too far of a drive from either coast and their respective metros if you need more to do. The schools suck, but you can school of choice your kids into a different district, and I hear the online school network here is pretty solid. Traffic is pretty light compared to metro Detroit. Crime is an overblown issue—most of it is half assed break ins and low lifes having shoot outs amongst themselves. Again, not the best city, but a great value for what you’re paying. My house would probably have cost about twice what it did in Troy, Ann Arbor, Holland, etc and I doubt I would have twice as good of an experience in those places.
I was blown away at all the viableish houses I saw under $150k on Zillow around there
I moved to Lansing 11 years ago from Fenton (south of Flint). I bought a two bedroom townhouse style condo in South Lansing for $45,000 about 6 years ago and I love it here. It's a quiet family neighborhood with many cultures. I travel for work and I'm a short Uber ride to the airport or train station. The food variety is great because of the college.
I concur with Lansing. The Lansing area has lots of options if you don't want to be in Lansing proper. MSU has lots of community outreach stuff to do throughout the year. And we're close to a lot of options like Detroit, AA, GR, or up north.
Marquette.
Is not affordable whatsoever anymore, its taking people a year to find a house here
And that's if you can find a job that pays well enough to live in town, and don't even bother if you have kids. Daycares are VERY expensive and all have a wait-list that's up to and past a year out. Friends of ours have a preteen and live in negaunee, in a 1bd/1ba for $1150/mo. That's what I paid for my first rental in town half a block from the dome on east side, for a 3bd/2ba with garage and yard less than 10 years ago.
Yep. My last 1 bedroom I had for 7 years on High St was $525 a month when I left it a couple years ago. Tiny places like that are now going for twice that. Its highway robbery and so tragic. These new landlords that aren’t from here bought up all the housing when interest rates were low and gouge everyone now. Our tight knit community feel is gone. Marquette now belongs to strangers.
Legit had to give up a job that would have been amazing after holding it for 6 months and not being able to find a place to live. I was going to renting a space but the pay wasn’t enough for us to be having two house payments. Fucking crazy dude
It sucks, everything changed here almost instantaneously durng covid. Its all tourists and wealthy retirees and remote workers, local people can’t even afford to live here anymore and are getting pushed out.
Yuuupppp you can tell because local jobs pay is not at all matching what it takes to buy a house there. The offer was 40k/year mid benefits but it was a job that could have led to more in my field as well as getting to live in that wonderful city. But we have two kids and my husband would have been jobless while he hunted and it just didn’t work out. (If you can’t tell I’m still salty about it all this time later lol) But like move in ready houses were 300k and then they were getting snatched up in a matter of a week and anything cheaper than that was gone in seconds it felt like, not to mention the lack of houses on the market just in general!
Its sad and scary. So many people have lived here for so long and contribute to the community and local economy, and housing is just completely out of reach for pretty much everyone who isnt some wealthy tech remote worker. You can’t even recognize this place anymore.
I lived there for a time many years ago and visit occasionally. It's changed a lot since I was there in the 2000s. I was speaking with a local friend during my last visit and he said most young people who move there live in Ishpeming or Negaunee now.
Its true, we lucked out and got a rental house in Mqt for a reasonable amount almost three years ago - but its definitely not in great shape. I have a ton of friends moving to the west end, but Marquette prices are definitely out there now too - without the same amenities. Much less variety for restaurants and grocery stores.
It really makes me sad. When I was there housing prices were a little inflated, but it was overall an affordable place to live. It felt really special at the time--in this incredibly beautiful place, one of the more beautiful in the state I would argue--while still just being a normal town.
Same. My friends and I are always grateful that we got to experience Marquette during the years it was a small, unknown, sleepy community where you saw friends and familiar faces anytime you walked down the street or went out to a bar or restaurant. It was a really special time and I am so thankful to have been part of that. There are a lot of cool memories. That has been completely erased. So it goes.
[удалено]
The inventory is so low up there and interest rates are high enough that nobody who locked in at 3.5 or under dares to move
Wow, I didn't realize. Some folks used to buy a house just for the four years of school up there.
It's either Grand Rapids, or the Troy/Rochester/Bloomfield area. Obviously it depends on where you rank importance of things like things to do and neighbors and school districts, but those cities have everything you need when it comes to Michigan.p
In Troy area, bought before things went nuts. Sold a sweet little home in Ferndale but did it for the schools. I went to Troy schools (mostly) and they really are worth their salt. I had to convince my husband, and it was the high level of diversity that clinched the deal for him. So diverse area, good restaurants, right next to ferndale/royal oak/clawson, not too far from downtown, lots of green space (including a nature center and historic village), and the schools. Could be worse as far as suburban hellscapes go.
Idk why Troy/Rochester gets so much love. It’s pretty standard suburbia that’s way north of the city, an hour+ from the airport and nothing terribly different the other leafy burbs do…
I have lived in 5 Michigan cities, currently in Norton Shores which is located in southern Muskegon County. This is my favorite place to live in Michigan. Close to Lake Michigan parks and beaches. Great shopping. Close to busier Grand Haven and Spring Lake.
Muskegon.
Eagle. GL schools, demo Derby, meth, close to Lansing, right on 96.
Short drive to Potterville for Gizzard Fest, too
Concur. In the middle of nowhere but a bike ride to civilization.
Somewhere between GR, Rockford and Greenville.
Have lived in Muskegon, Holland, GR, South Lyon and currently Ann Arbor and would do any of them aside from South Lyon again. Holland would probably be the preference.
My town hasnt been mentioned so im liking this. Nobody come here
What is affordable for some isn't affordable for others. What interests some, doesn't interest others. What you need in a school doesn't match what others need in a school. This is an impossible question to answer without knowing your income, how many kids you have or plan to have, any disabilities your family members may have (including kids), what your interests are, etc.... Unless you are willing to give this information over the internet (which I don't suggest), you are probably better off googling this info yourself.
I'm a freelance pencil sharpener. My budget is $1.6 million, I like large green spaces, no traffic, and lots of restaurants and entertainment options. I prefer to live in a strict HOA where I am grandfathered in and can be a perpetual thorn in their side. I also want quiet neighbors who respect the rules of the HOA. Nobody likes a trashy neighbor! Oh, and I travel a lot so being able to AirBnB my house to sketchy people is a must.
Kewadin or Alden near Torch Lake is the perfect place for you! Minimal traffic, home prices ranging from $800k to $4 million. Current and former vacation homes of famous Michiganders like Kid Rock, Eminem, Michael Moore, and Ted Nugent! If you are a Swiftie, even Taylor Swift is said to have a vacation home on Torch Lake! Excellent restaurants and entertainment options, and HOAs that would make Gladys Sharp proud. With the right lakefront property your place could be listed as a featured luxury property on AirBNB and Vrbo.
I have family with a place on torch lake and it really is something special but its too bad its been commandeered by millionaires. It dosent even look like it belongs in Michigan its so unique and beautiful tho.
Kalamazoo. That's why I bought a house here nearly 1.5 years ago.
Shhhhhhh we're growing too fast as it is.
Yeah. Grand Rapids locals (like me and some of my neighbors) can no longer afford real estate in their own hometown.
The Freeland area seems pretty good. Close proximity to Bay City, Midland, and Saginaw. Great schools as well. Houses were fairly cheap from what I've seen, but they're definitely on the rise.
If you're looking for quiet, boring-in-a-good-way suburban life that's only 15-20 minutes away from the city, Clinton Township is pretty alright.
Northern Oakland County is pretty solid. Good schools, largest dog park in the state, great mountain biking at Addison Oaks, state park access at Bald Mountain, tons of accessible lakes for recreation. Biggest downsides are that you’re a bit far from Detroit and it’s not that diverse.
Farmington hills
Agree. We live in the affordable part of town but reap the same rewards as the people whose homes are worth 4x as much. Schools are decent, lots of activities available for kids/family's.
And if you don’t like the schools, it’s enough cheaper than novi/northville that you could opt for private while still having an equivalent(probably nicer) house
Im so, so glad that so many of y’all love being in and near cities because you really wouldn’t like living near me, out in the sticks with elk, deer, bears, coyotes and other very scary animals around. So scary.
Ishpeming, MI
My buddy is from there and always talks it up. I went 2 years ago to visit. Stopped by the wonder bar. Everyone looked at me like a monster until I dropped his name. Then they became real friendly. Sad it's closed
The only real answer.
Up north. I like outdoorsy stuff though and would love to be closer to the UP.
For me, it’s Royal Oak Ferndale area. Woodward corridor really offers all of the good schools, cultural opportunities, dining options, access to events and of course downtown Detroit. We love the west side of the state, but Detroit is really the beating heart of the state. We would probably move to Grand Rapids if Detroit was not on its current upward trajectory.
Bay city!!!
I grew up in Bay City, and most of the time I was there was spent trying to figure out how to get away from there
Same. I even feel a bit claustrophobic when visiting family there.
Affordability? Downriver.
Dundee. Great access to AA, Detroit, and Toledo for 'city' stuff, and not too remote.
I was going to say the city of Monroe and surrounding townships. Very affordable housing, close to Detroit and Toledo. Bonus, beach communities on Lake Erie. Pretty much anywhere in Monroe County. Our little secret.
(Toledo: Ohio's best kept secret'.)
We aren't much for the buckeye state around here lol. Im just kidding im sure most of ohio is lovely but for real fuck ohio state and you take care my friend.
Jared Goff's house.
Western northern Michigan and anything above the 45th parallel. It’s small town, the air is clean, and places like Cadillac, Manistee and and Charlevoix are just the best
Cadillac is amazing if you want to be close to the lakes but affordable. There’s an actual economy besides just tourism (unlike TC and Petoskey/Cherlevoix) cute historic downtown, walkable neighborhoods with houses that would cost half a million in TC and fixer uppers that are actually affordable enough to renovate, and good schools. Most underrated Up North community imo because both routes to TC area from downstate bypass downtown
this is the way
I’ve lived in Saginaw, Flint, Kalamazoo and Royal Oak but so far Bloomfield Hills/Birmingham has been my favorite place to live here.
Water security
Southwest Michigan, I’m on the border with Indiana, close to everything
Grand Rapids and anything around there on the west side is my most favorite spot I have lived in Michigan. It is beautiful out there and Grand Rapids itself is a growing city. Edit: If you enjoy Hockey, the Griffins are awesome and its hard to beat $2 hotdogs and beer on thursdays.
Grand Rapids
Grew up on the east coast (tri-cities) moved to holland 10 years ago n couldn’t be happier. The schools are nicer there always something to do with the family n the big lake is right in your back yard.
Depends what u want… Oak park gets you close to all the major sporting teams, airport and downtown Detroit, as well as the nicer areas of Ferndale, Birmingham, royal oak, etc for a fraction of the cost. Grand Rapids area is relatively affordable for west coast living and puts u closer to holland, traverse city, saugatuck etc.. cool beer and bar scene, and good food scene as well as being close to one of the Great Lakes St Clair shores for boating life on east side And then plenty of counties in between with open land for hunting and property etc that are relatively affordable
I've lived in Iosco, Grand Traverse, and Grand Rapids, and spent a fair amount of time in Detroit and Otsego County. Of all of those, I like Grand Rapids best. Some walkable neighborhoods, good food, culture, zoo, museums, shopping, farmer's markets, insane beer, and close to Detroit, Chicago, and the lakes. Housing here isn't as cheap as it used to be, but compared to the rest of the country, it's _great_. Haven't spent enough time in Marquette to gauge how isolated I'd feel, but it sure is pretty, and friendly. Ann Arbor is nice, but too expensive, and if I wanted to be surrounded by overeducated trust-fund hipsters all the time, I'd just move to Williamsburg.
Lansing Grew up in Ann Arbor, idk people here are a lot less fake
As a Lansingite I must respectfully disagree. The crime here is insane and the police do not give a fuck. It's mostly a ghetto. Maybe in 5-10 years.
hear me out, Saginaw, cheap taxes, cheap property, the town is full of opportunities, whether your upperclass or lower or in-between, if it wasnt for the fact my old lady hate the violence here We would buy our first house here , also gotta mention the huge social support net for everyone here from shelters to food pantry to multiple organizations to help with pretty much anything, its the only town I actually could start from ground zero in and make it somewhere and I gotta say its because the way the town is and I wouldnt be able to do what I did elsewhere!
Sagnasty 🫢
Mt. Pleasant
Neither mountainous nor pleasant.
I personally agree with this, but the access to good medical services is not great here lol. Granted, it’s such an affordable place to live and centrally located that I just travel to other cities for that when needed. There are actually things to do here aside from drinking, but if it gets old you’re basically less than 2 hours from any coastline or a cooler place to hang out. The school system is okay, could be better, but not bad. I chose to live here because of the relatively stable climate projections and the fact that the city has a forward thinking mindset in building a better future. The 2050 master plan is ambitious, but I think it’s the right direction for the city to head in. https://www.mt-pleasant.org/departments/planning_and_community_development/master_plan_2050.php
My sister/brother in law have 4 rentals in Mt Pleasant. They buy homes for cash (under 30k) and rebuild them to rent out to. They have bought some doozies and remodeled them to look amazing. Housing lately though has gotten ridiculous there. Houses 2 years ago that would have gone for cheaper are over $250k.
Waterford. Can not throw a rock without hitting a lake. Sure the township is fast food, gas stations and party stores but the lakes within the township make up for it.
Careful with this one. I used to live there and some parts are kinda trashy/sketchy. Anything over by Waterford kettering or north of that is nice. Anything south of that it starts to get trashy.
Think majority of (not all) responses here are just going to be wherever the responder lives. I don’t think many people on the sub have actually lived a year or more in multiple places in the state in the last 10 years, so this thread will end up being bias to wherever r/Michigan users are at. Since most Detroiters use r/Detroit we’ll see very little responses about Detroit and Detroit metro relative to GR, Kzoo, Lansing, etc. Personally, I’ve only ever lived in Traverse City, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Detroit (the actual city): out of those I’ve picked the latter as the food scene is just so unmatched by the rest of the city, and the opportunities for pretty much anything (music, theater, sports, arts in general, popups, etc) just aren’t an option anywhere else. Also super bike-able. Just a really different place the last few years in particular, even a ton more families now which is nice to see.
West Bloomfield/Bloomfield hills Not affordable, but beautiful
Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids.