[CA to MI]

Hi People,

I see this is a Great website to find details on different cities across globe. Same reason i am here.

We (wife and me in late 20's) moving to Michigan from North California for job opportunity i am considering.

Job is located in Van Buren Township. I have very less time to move like within next 30 days.

Need urgent help to figure out the area and select best/safe/clean place to rent an apartment. I want something near to Van Buren that is easy to commute. Good and Safe neighbor-hood is priority.

Diversity is also important. Any clue on areas settled with people from Asian Indian origin.

Thanks to all of you who keeping the community alive.

Cheers.

[detwahDJ]

You mean Van Buren township Belleville MI, not Van Buren County, right?

[scorpio516]

Canton and Ann Arbor are both nice choices. As are Plymouth and Northville. For me, Northville would be the furthest I'd commute, but that's me.

Ann Arbor has a decent Indian population too. Percentage wise, I'd say larger than metro Sacramento, but not east bay sized.

[belleislerunner]

It's a few years old - but here's a demographic paper on Asian Indians in Metro Detroit. The suburbs identified on page 7 are still hotbeds for that specific demographic (i.e., there hasn't been a mass exodus of Asians from Oakland County to Milford). You'd be surprised how many Asians are in Ann Arbor which will only be a 20 minute drive from Van Buren for dinners/going out/cultural events.

www.cus.wayne.edu/content/publications/Asians7.pdf

[SIZE=4][SIZE=4][SIZE=4][LEFT]Spatial Distribution[/LEFT]
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][SIZE=2][LEFT]The distribution of Asians in the tri-county resembles a crescent shape that stretches from western Sterling Heights, on the east, to Canton Township (on the west) with pockets in Detroit, Hamtramck, Warren and Inkster (see Map 1 in Appendix I). If you followed that crescent out of Canton, you would continue into Washtenaw County and the city of Ann Arbor.

Most of the crescent lies in Oakland County. As stated above, 49 percent of the tri-county’s Asian population lives in Oakland County, particularly Troy, Rochester Hills, Farmington Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township and Novi.[/LEFT]
[/SIZE][/SIZE][/SIZE]

[Coldjensens]

Coming from No. Cal. Ann Arbor is probably the only city you will like.

However there are a ton of nice cities in that area. Chelsea, Saline, Tecumseh, Ann Arbor, Plymouth, the villiage of Dixborough, then as you get out a bit further: Northville, South Lyon, Lyon township, Northville Township. If you like soulless suburbia Canton is pretty nice. Brightons Pinkney, New Hudson and Milford might be tolerable distance wise. Novi is only a little bit further than Northville and offers very nice chain stores and soulless suburbia (which is what many or most people look for). If you like long commutes you can go to Hell.

Livonia is not terrible, parts of Ypsilanti are neat, Ypsi township is livable. Frankly I would not worry about where Asians/Indians are, just be a person, you will find a lot of nice persons of various backgrounds pretty much anwhere. One closely held secret in Michigan is white people are not uniformly awful, some are really nice and very open minded about differnet cultures. (shhhh)

BTW, Hell is probably a bit too far away, but it is fun to tell someone to go live there.

[CA to MI]

Thank you guys for providing details on near by towns.

For now looks like its between Ann Arbor or plymouth/northville. Which one you think will be good with decent renting price and safe neighborhood.

Also, i know it will be huge difference between weather/surrounding of Cali and Michigan. Its happening with less time to figure out what to expect and what not to.

Cheers.

[belleislerunner]

Those are probably the best three towns on that side of town. Each has a unique feel (all perfectly safe) so just see which style you like. Ann Arbor is a "real city" (aka 100K+ population) whereas Northville/Plymouth are the typical downtown Rockwell Americana towns (i.e. 5-6 blocks downtown intsecting.) Can't go wrong with any of the three. Kudos on the new gig. Hopefully you get in time to catch a Tigers game downtown!

[Coldjensens]

Plymouth will be cheapest. Northville and Ann arbor will be close to a tie. Ann Arbor is probably a bit more expensive. A lot more rentals in Ann Arbor, but you are competing with about 30,0000 students.

Not just the weather is different. It is a different culture. At first you will think people are snooty or stand offish, but they are not, it just takes longer to be accepted. Peope in MI are mostly really great, but the casual western friendliness is not here. Midwestern hospitality is, but you have to get them to say HI before you you will be invited for hopsitality. Plus being from California many people will expect you to be some sort of wierdo at first. You will get less of that in Ann Abor.


Sometimes I get some funny comments "You have gay friends. . . . .. wow. . . . . . . that must be . . . . intersting. . . (silence). . . . ."

"Do you smoke pot? I thought everyone there smokes pot"

And when I wear my Hiwaian shirts that I used to wear to work on friday, I get asked if I lost a bet.

[jackmichigan]

Canton Township is rather diverse, plus it's generally safe...but it's a typical suburb. Superior Township, just west of Canton, may also be a consideration, but there are few, if any, apartments so you'd probably need to rent a house. I've noticed a few houses to rent south of Geddes Road in the newer subdivisions. The area north of Geddes Road is still mostly rural, plus there are some great public nature preserves in the area.

[CA to MI]

Thanks again guys for the details.

I was wondering if in winter it will be okay to commute from Ann Arbor to Van Buren OR Plymouth to Van Buren? I am finding some awesome snow sliding vidoes of Michigan roads in winter on Youtube that are making me anxious!!


Any recommended rental apartments or condos?

Cheers