Possible move to Lansing or GR (Grand Rapids, Lowell: employment, new construction, schools)

[cortizkc]

My husband and I are looking for a place to settle down and but a house. How cold does Grand Rapids get? Is the employment rate good or bad? I've read posts but from years back and it makes me want to stay in Kansas but husband hates it in the MW. Any information would be appreciated.

[Michigantown]

Originally Posted by cortizkc

My husband and I are looking for a place to settle down and but a house. How cold does Grand Rapids get? Is the employment rate good or bad? I've read posts but from years back and it makes me want to stay in Kansas but husband hates it in the MW. Any information would be appreciated.

Grand Rapids has one of the lowest unemployment rates in america. Still has a pretty fast growing economy too.
Its gets pretty cold. Think Chicago weather but with more snow , but the summers are better than in Kansas.
What field does you husband work in?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by cortizkc

My husband and I are looking for a place to settle down and but a house. How cold does Grand Rapids get? Is the employment rate good or bad? I've read posts but from years back and it makes me want to stay in Kansas but husband hates it in the MW. Any information would be appreciated.

We actually run warmer than much of the Great Lakes and upper Midwest in the early to mid-winter due to Lake Michigan. It's actually a term (which I just learned recently) called a "Banana Belt." It's not "warm" in the winter by any stretch but we rarely get down to the single digits or negative temps, like Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Northern Ohio and other States get.

See why Lower Michigan is the Banana Belt of the Great Lakes | MLive.com

We get a lot more snow though, and more cloud cover in the winter. Warmer temps has its trade offs. If you're really adverse to snow, Lansing gets a lot less than West Michigan.

The employment growth situation is 3rd in the country right now, only behind Austin and San Jose, CA.

[jeremylarose]

Having lived in both Lansing and Grand Rapids, I can say that although Grand Rapids does get much more snow than Lansing, they're considerably better about clearing it from the roads. There were a lot of times that I drove back and forth in the same day, and I'd feel like I shouldn't leave Lansing to find plowed roads in Grand Rapids.

The scariest part in the winter is driving across on I-96 around the Lowell area, they simply don't salt there at all and it's not uncommon to have a ton of slide-offs in the area.

I'd say the employment rate in Grand Rapids is considerably better than in Lansing, there's a ton of new construction going on around the area and with Switch coming, it's paving the way for Grand Rapids to become a high-tech town.

[GRRAZO]

Originally Posted by cortizkc

My husband and I are looking for a place to settle down and but a house. How cold does Grand Rapids get? Is the employment rate good or bad? I've read posts but from years back and it makes me want to stay in Kansas but husband hates it in the MW. Any information would be appreciated.

Having friend and family in Iowa, I noticed, GR does NOT get as cold as it does there in the winter, also not as warm and its cloudier and snows more, overall Lake Mi has a big affect to somewhat moderate W. MI. Just look at the data on this site or wikipedia where it will show GR's average low. Looks like the low avg temp throughout the year is 18deg in GR and 19deg in Topeka KS so close to the same lows BUT it will not generally warm up as high in the winter

[Lockdev]

Unemployment is low but so are wages. Cost of living is low, so that helps offset the wages.

It's cold. Not as cold as Minnesota but still very cold. I remember a streak a couple years back when it didn't get over 10 for a week or two. Many people describe this place as: 6 months of heaven, 6 months of hell.

The only problem you're going to find with Grand Rapids is the snow. It gets like 6-7' a year. That's a massive amount.

Aside from that, good place to live.

[engrvet]

I've lived in both Lansing and Grand Rapids, and in my opinion Grand Rapids is far superior. The town is much nicer, way more to do, and very close to Lake Michigan. Lansing is pretty economically depressed. Grand Rapids is growing and more vibrant. The weather is the same whether you are in Lansing or Grand Rapids. Both are cloudy for most of the winter. Not very cold. GR probably gets a little more snow, but roads are plowed immediately. Grand Rapids is way nicer than Lansing in the summer. The GR area also has better schools than around the Lansing area.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Lockdev

Unemployment is low but so are wages. Cost of living is low, so that helps offset the wages.

It's cold. Not as cold as Minnesota but still very cold. I remember a streak a couple years back when it didn't get over 10 for a week or two. Many people describe this place as: 6 months of heaven, 6 months of hell.

The only problem you're going to find with Grand Rapids is the snow. It gets like 6-7' a year. That's a massive amount.

Aside from that, good place to live.

It's hardly 6 months of hell. Puh-lease. It's almost February and we only have about 4 inches of snow on the ground. I sold my snowblower last year because I don't use it anymore.

[Lockdev]

Originally Posted by magellan

It's hardly 6 months of hell. Puh-lease. It's almost February and we only have about 4 inches of snow on the ground. I sold my snowblower last year because I don't use it anymore.

You live in Grand Rapids and don't need a snowblower? Where the average snowfall is over 6'?

Some of your posts leave me beyond dumbfounded.

The 6 months is an obvious exaggeration and a joke. Much like the "The coldest winter I spent was a summer in San Francisco".

It sometimes feels like 6 months when you reach the end of February and are begging for a 70 degree day.

[mjlo]

Originally Posted by Lockdev

You live in Grand Rapids and don't need a snowblower? Where the average snowfall is over 6'?

Some of your posts leave me beyond dumbfounded.

The 6 months is an obvious exaggeration and a joke. Much like the "The coldest winter I spent was a summer in San Francisco".

It sometimes feels like 6 months when you reach the end of February and are begging for a 70 degree day.

This I understand and agree with. The problem I have with using hyperbole on these websites is that it paints an inaccurate idea for people who aren't familiar with the area. The truth is the logical snow window is about 3months. Yes snow falls both before and after that 3 month window at times but it's not gauranteed, nor does it snow everyday for 3 months straight.