[leelee1975]

Hi everyone! I have been trying to get as much information as I can on the Bay City area. Me and my husband (30's, looking to start a family soon) may possibly be relocating to the Bay City area from Dallas/Ft. Worth. My husband has a job offer with Dow. The pay would be $150K annually. Is this a good pay range for the area? I would love to get as much information as I can from the locals. What areas are good, what areas are bad? From what I can gather from reading around the forum, Midland seems to be a pretty good area for raising a family. Is this correct? We would want somewhere nice and safe, family oriented. Also, I need to know about housing. We would want something no less than like 2200 square feet or so, with some land, maybe 2 or 3 acres, something wooded. What is the typical price range for something like that? And I have to admit..........my biggest concern is probably a MAJOR change of climate for me, since I am a born and raised Southern girl! I like my warm weather.......that's for sure! How bad are the winters?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!

[Driller1]

Midland is a wonderful place. If you look at land with a well, PM me and I will check the records with the state, I will be able to tell you a lot. Do not buy in some areas without checking the water. Midland was developed on salt minds, so I would advise to shy away from some areas, nothing I can not handle. Hope to welcome you to the neighborhood!

[stephiesherm]

I recently moved from Bay City, MI to Virginia and I hope one day I can move back! I loved Bay City! It has the charm of a small town, with it's downtown shops and the conviences of a bigger city, such as a mall and lots of restuarants. Above all though, the thing I miss the most is "the River walk". It's a great place to go walk along the river. There's also an "Imagination Station" (a nice play area) for kids. The are also several events that go on there in the summer such as the Pig Gig and a wonderful fireworks show. I recommend the Bangor township area. Very little crime and great schools. There's just a few blocks on the east side of the river that are a little rough. Also, you will be able to find a great home on your income. Overall, a great place to live!

[B-bear]

My brother works at Dow and is raising a young family in Midland. It is very safe and has good schools. The downside to living in Midland, according to my brother, is there is not a lot of things to do. It is kinda a boring place to live, IMO. Your husband's income would definately be above average for the area and you should have no problem finding a house with your requirements. With the economy in MI going further down the drain everyday, I would check out prices on REALTOR.com - Real Estate Listings & Homes For Sale to get an idea what you can buy. Bay City would have more options for entertainment just remember to live as far away as possible from Saginaw. As far as winter goes, well it's about 8 degrees where I live (SE MI) with a -5 wind chill right now. If you're a Southern girl, it will take some getting used to. I was born and raised in MI having grown up near Traverse City and I still ain't used to it sometimes!

[wanderer74]

With an income like that and working at Dow, Midland would very likely be a much better place to live than Bay City. Midland is the bright spot in this "tri-city" area because the city spends more to maintain the facilities and encourage new businesses, meaning that the city looks far less run down than Bay City. We live in Auburn, midway between Bay City and Midland, which is also a very nice area and very family-oriented, but is pretty small and rural. It all depends on what you're looking for. I personally am not a big fan of Bay City because of the smell from the sugar beet plant and the very blue-collar character of the city, and also I find the drawbridges a major pain in the butt to deal with in the summer. However, I know a lot of people who love Bay City because it's far more historic than Midland, and some people find Midland kind of "uppity". As I said, which area you will like depends on what you're seeking in an area, but most people coming from other areas have expressed really liking Midland.

[TiredNomad82]

Originally Posted by wanderer74

I personally am not a big fan of Bay City because of the smell from the sugar beet plant and the very blue-collar character of the city, and also I find the drawbridges a major pain in the butt to deal with in the summer.

How about coming from Essexville and being caught at a train, and THEN the drawbridge. I've often wandered how many fire engines and ambulances have been majorly delayed.

I am also put off by all the smells and pollution. Sugar beets in one area, and a waste treatment facility in another.

[IGotYou55]

Here's a video of Bay City, Michigan-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyeHyZVFyFo

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by IGotYou55

Here's a video of Bay City, Michigan-


YouTube - Bay City, Michigan

Yep,that confirms it. Stay out of Bay City. Midland is the place to move. The townships are very nice.

[VM1138]

Bay City is great during the summer, especially if you're looking to settle down. The money Dow would be paying your husband is decent for here. You'll be well off but you won't be rich or anything, Bay City (in the actual city) has outrageous taxes.

The biggest shock is the weather change. Bay City gets very, very, very cold, with lots of snow. Being that you're from Texas, and you're probably not familiar with winter driving. Lots of people get stuck and get into accidents, so you might want to get something with four wheel drive and familiarize yourself with winter driving.