GR surrounding towns question (Grandville, Allendale: home, work, hospital)

[greenseeker]

i was just looking up the smaller towns around GR on city-data. we'd like to get some land for a farmette at some point and would love some recommendations. we also have small kids and need decent schools.

strangely, i looked up caledonia and it has 26 registered sex offenders, a ratio of 49:1!!! isn't that crazy? any reason why caledonia is a sexual predator paradise, or is it just random, in your opinion?

[greenseeker]

any ideas? good towns with affordable land and cute downtown?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by greenseeker

any ideas? good towns with affordable land and cute downtown?

Sorry greenseeker. Didn't see this. I'd check out some of these: Rockford, Lowell, Hastings, Coopersville, Allendale, Cedar Springs, Greenville, Sparta, Wayland, Ada. Caledonia is OK but the downtown is pretty weak.

Any of those you'll be able to find some small farmland nearby and they have small historic downtowns. Rockford and Lowell probably have the best downtowns of the bunch.

Good luck!

[Angelstar490]

Allegan is cute and quaint, but I think there are also alot of registered sex offenders there too.

[kwhitt]

Lowell has my vote. Rockford is cute too, but more pricey.

[greenseeker]

thanks for the ideas! i'll look into your suggestions.

[dantheman33]

hey amigo...
avoid caledonia...there are more trailer bombs (meth labs) there than any other place ive heard of.
id say try rockford, marne, lowell...but be warned, these are havens for uptight yuppie soccer moms. not trying to be funny...i always hated it when i had to work in those towns (im a photographer).
im from GR and i love that town. i moved to pensacola florida about a year ago adn i hate this place...would give anything to move back to GR.
downtown GR is wonderful...the people i grew up with there are reaLLy doing something with that area...lots of art, music, festivals and just cool people all around.
untill i moved here i wouldve warned that you were going to find a lot of rednecks in the areas you are considering, but brother until youve lived in the buckle of the bible belt, you havent seen rednecks! those good ole boys up there look like liberal, bellini sipping, sohpisticated art snobs by comparison!

anyway...good luck man. west michigan is great!

[troutmancharitycampaign]

Check out Grandville or Borculo. Grandville has some good areas and the schools are great and Borculo is a farming community often overlooked and the schools are great! It's very homey and land is still affordable.

[doezemap]

I suggest you think about the Hastings area. Hastings has a great downtown, good schools, hospital, shopping etc and there is still land available for what you are looking for. Hastings has been previously voted one of the 100 Best Small Towns in America.