Detroit Neighborhoods/Suburbs to Live (Ann Arbor, Dearborn: crime rates, homes, construction)

[Huffskies]

Originally Posted by NoMansLands

The OP seems to have a decent job and will certainly shop for an apartment within his budget. He may not balk at A2 prices at all. Ypsi, it all depends. There are good areas, not so good areas, and bad areas. Always do your homework.

Good points. If OP can afford it I think Ann Arbor sounds like a good choice based on what’s being looked for. If not I would probably recommend Ferndale/Royal Oak area.

[FrozenI69]

Originally Posted by Huffskies

Good points. If OP can afford it I think Ann Arbor sounds like a good choice based on what’s being looked for. If not I would probably recommend Ferndale/Royal Oak area.

Well, commuting matters too. You don’t want to live in Ann Arbor and commute to auburn hills every day, especially in winter when it can take 2 hours one way. It will really wear you out. I would recommend royal oak to young people who have jobs along the I 75 corridor north of Detroit. I chose to live in Farmington hills because it’s equidistant to most major companies, but it’s definitely more family oriented.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by FrozenI69

Well, commuting matters too. You don’t want to live in Ann Arbor and commute to auburn hills every day, especially in winter when it can take 2 hours one way. It will really wear you out.

My FIL was commuting from Ann Arbor to Southfield for years. That's pretty bad - Auburn Hills would be AWFUL (it was bad enough to drive out to the Palace!)

I turned down a job at 7 mile @ the Southfield. 40 miles of stop and go traffic each way? No way you'd pay a 22 year old enough for that

[keraT]

Detroit: one of those condos by riverwalk will be perfect.


depends on your budget? there are other options most expensive being in Detroit on riverwalk.

[NoMansLands]

The more I look at the list the OP put together, the more I think sticking to downtown Detroit, midtown preferably, would be best if not Riverfront. Lots of affordable apartments in midtown. He will be close to his new coworkers after work for a brew or coffee. With covid squashing most social methods of meeting new company, staying close to work for those happy hours directly after might be best instead of hopping into his car directly after work to commute to his small town life. The guy's got to have at least a small social life or he'll go bored stiff. A long drive commute to some distant smaller city doesn't seem to fill his needs, and he has zero desire to be around suburban family type setting. Although it's not impossible to meet new people who he doesn't work with anywhere he chooses to live, it sure is going to be far more difficult than the old normal times pre-covid. Best to live downtown near other singles his age group. Detroit was thriving with exactly his type pre-covid, I'm not sure what's happening downtown now, but choosing a suburb or small city commute doesn't make much sense.
Now to find someone to help him pick the best apartment for safety and reputation. That's what others who he will be working with might know, or a good apartment real estate agent.

[usroute10]

Originally Posted by NoMansLands

The more I look at the list the OP put together, the more I think sticking to downtown Detroit, midtown preferably, would be best if not Riverfront. Lots of affordable apartments in midtown. He will be close to his new coworkers after work for a brew or coffee. With covid squashing most social methods of meeting new company, staying close to work for those happy hours directly after might be best instead of hopping into his car directly after work to commute to his small town life. The guy's got to have at least a small social life or he'll go bored stiff. A long drive commute to some distant smaller city doesn't seem to fill his needs, and he has zero desire to be around suburban family type setting. Although it's not impossible to meet new people who he doesn't work with anywhere he chooses to live, it sure is going to be far more difficult than the old normal times pre-covid. Best to live downtown near other singles his age group. Detroit was thriving with exactly his type pre-covid, I'm not sure what's happening downtown now, but choosing a suburb or small city commute doesn't make much sense.
Now to find someone to help him pick the best apartment for safety and reputation. That's what others who he will be working with might know, or a good apartment real estate agent.

Thank you for providing a common sense suggestion and rationale. These suggestions of Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti (too far away and college-oriented), Farmington/Troy (diverse, but too family-oriented) are questionable.

Downtown Detroit and the surrounding area checks just about all of the boxes on his list - Eastern Market, Dequindre Cut, Cultural Center, Belle Isle. Detroit doesn't have the national chain grocery stores, but there 5 grocery stores in the ring around downtown. If you already work downtown, why live 42 miles away in Ann Arbor (a great town to be clear, superior to downtown in parks and safety).

Downtown is not affordable, but there are still deals to be had in Midtown, New Center, Eastern Market and the Riverfront.

I understand the recommendations of Royal Oak and Ferndale if he can't stomach the high auto insurance rates and the extra 1.2% income tax.

I would also recommend Hamtramck if he can tolerate a little more blight and petty crime. Hamtramck is very diverse with coffee shops, a great comedy club, a new independent movie theater (closed during covid), among other neat cultural amenities. Hamtramck is very affordable and a 5-10 minute drive to downtown.

[NoMansLands]

Originally Posted by usroute10

Downtown Detroit and the surrounding area checks just about all of the boxes on his list - Eastern Market, Dequindre Cut, Cultural Center, Belle Isle. Detroit doesn't have the national chain grocery stores, but there 5 grocery stores in the ring around downtown. If you already work downtown, why live 42 miles away in Ann Arbor (a great town to be clear, superior to downtown in parks and safety).

I agree completely with everything you've stated. You know the downtown situation better than I do, so thanks for the additional information.
Ann Arbor or any other outlying suburb or city in southeastern Michigan will still be there any day he wants to explore, visit those parks, events, etc. He will not be restricted to the city of Detroit, but he sure will have more time to relax in the evenings after work and do whatever he likes to do without a commute. More time for exploration after work before the sun goes down and shops are still open. More time just to get stuff done. Less stress with no commute. Embrace the city and what it has to offer, which was so much pre-covid and unfortunately now restricted, but still accessible to a lesser degree. Idle weekends would be a great time for exploring the surrounding cities/burbs.

[NoMansLands]

Although reduced severely, a few events are happening this summer at outside venues. Here's the Riverfront small outdoor venue link
https://detroitriverfront.org/things...mance-series-0

I can see being new to a city and wanting to just venture out and people watch. He specifically mentioned diversity. He won't find a lot of that in the burbs, and he's not interesting in watching white women push baby strollers. He's a hipster type looking for the energy/vibe, wants gentrified area. Detroit is it.

[Coldjensens]

Somewhere like the Stott building downtown would be cool if OP can afford it. Or Broderick tower with a view into Comerica park. (Or the David Whitney building).

Downtown is kind of dead right now due to covid, but activity is increasing ever week. It is sad there are no festivals, but there is usually some live music around outside on Friday nights and sometimes on other days. It will probably not get back to what it was this year or next year, but it is trickling back to life.

[secondbreakfast]

Why has no one on this thread suggested Dearborn?? It seems to check all the OP's boxes (particularly west Dearborn).

Originally Posted by Echoplex99

-Would like to be in a culturally diverse neighborhood

Dearborn probably has the largest Middle Eastern population in America. Although this is mostly on the east side (east of Southfield Freeway); west Dearborn is probably 70-80% White.

-Into local coffee shops and restaurants and local retail stores

Twenty years ago, there were many more mom-and-pop shops in west Dearborn. Nowadays there are more chain places (both local and national). But the same could be said of Royal Oak and Ann Arbor. I don't think you're going to find many "urban" areas with a large number of locally-owned businesses anywhere in metro Detroit. That said, there are some Arab-oriented small businesses on the east side if that is your kind of thing.

-Farmers markets would be cool

There is not one, but two, farmer's markets in Dearborn, the Dearborn Farm Market and the Dearborn Farmers and Artisans market. Both are located on the west side.

-Big fan of the arts/museums

The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village!

-Safe neighborhoods/suburbs

I don't know the safety statistics for west Dearborn, but I never felt unsafe visiting there. It is certainly safer than Detroit or Hamtramck, which have been suggested by other posters.

-Affordable rent/groceries/etc

COL is low, even on the west side of the city. At least it is lower than Royal Oak, Ferndale, or Midtown Detroit.

-Parks/Woods within walking distance/short drive

Rouge Park/Hines Drive

-Not too many families

I wouldn't say there are a lot of families, at least on the west side of the city. Probably more families than say, Ferndale or Midtown, but it's not South Lyon (no offense, South Lyoners).

-Would prefer to be surrounded by young professionals

West Dearborn has a sizeable number of white-collar Ford employees. Maybe not as many as there used to be, but some people like to live close to work.

-Not too many college students/not in the nightlife college scene

There is a branch of University of Michigan there, but I never thought of Dearborn as a "college town." Most of the students there are commuters.

-For suburbs - easy-ish commute to and from work in downtown Detroit

Dearborn is just as close, if not closer, to downtown than Ferndale or Royal Oak. And far closer than Ann Arbor. I would guess it would take 15 minutes on average taking the Southfield to I-94. Maybe 30 minutes on a really bad day (snow/construction/accident).