[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by 6.7traveler

Thank you for the replies. I have a few moremore questions though. Marquette has a population of around 20k and Traverse city has a population if around 15k. Is there a noticeable difference in size? Or does traverse city actually seem bigger because of tourists and surrounding communities? My aunt and uncle have a cabin in kalkaska so that could be our home base for checking out traverse city. Is a commute from kalkaska to traverse city doable? She only works 3 days a week but would need to be to work in all weather conditions. We would like to buy some acreage not live in the town itself. Also If we decide on marquette I have found lots of acreage is in champion and claims to be 25 to 30 miles to marquette. Would this commute be possible in the winter. Like i said I do have a new reliable 4x4 truck but want my wife to be safe none the less. We are in arizona so a 30 mile commute to us is nothing out here but wonder with the snow how much of a difference that would make.

Kalkaska to TC is a half hour straight shot down 72......absolutely doable.

Marquette may have a slight edge over TC in actual population within city limits, but the Grand Traverse statistical metro is well over 100,000 people. Marquette basically has no metro outside of town itself.

[6.7traveler]

Wow, I didnt realize the metro area of traverse city was so big. We are looking for a smaller town to raise the kids in. I am in a city of 40k people right now and it is to big for me. I absolutely love when we can go to the next town over with only 10k people. Such a different feel. People are so much friendlier and it seems a lot easier to get involved with the community and not just be another face in the crowd. With the hospital for my wife and the smaller size marquette is looking like a nice fit even though its farther away from family. Plus I love the reaction I get when I mention Marquette to my family in the thumb and they say stuff along the lines "uhh thats pretty remote up there." Remote within 30 minutes of a hospital is what I am looking for. I would love traverse city for my business to grow, but I do alright selling my furniture online. Ahh the decisions.....

[AJ Granger]

If it were me choosing, it would be TC. Easily. As already mentioned, from a business perspective, TC wins going away.

I would also give the thumb a closer look. From a business standpoint, this would also be a better situation than Marquette. You have the Flint/Tri-Cities markets nearby, which alone would blow away the entire UP as far as population. Family near by, cheap, driving distance to a whole lot more, etc..

[darstar]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

Kalkaska to TC is a half hour straight shot down 72......absolutely doable.

Marquette may have a slight edge over TC in actual population within city limits, but the Grand Traverse statistical metro is well over 100,000 people. Marquette basically has no metro outside of town itself.

I guess you do not know much about Marquette at all ! What is your back ground to have such statements ?
First, there is more activity out side Marquette than in the city limits. I give you Marquette township and Negaunee township, ever been here ? If you had you would know about the US 41 corridor, with about every franchise possible. This can be a plus, as well as a hindrance, it depends, ether way, its here when you want it. Marquette County has around 75,000 people, give or take depending on the time of year. All roads lead to Marquette, the little city, the outpost to the wilds of Upper Michigan. We may be a little remote, mostly its just the feel. If you want 10 min. and you can be in the deep woods ,off the grid. The same amount of time and you can be on the sand beach of Lake Superior about 2 blocks from upscale interests only a downtown can provide.including places to eat....so , don't make us out to be what we are not. Marquette is a modern, liberal small city that thinks its four times larger than actually it is..The rest is by choice. I do not think TC is a good comparison . Its apples and oranges . I will say nothing about TC other than what I have experienced, thats it. ( My reference to the lack of public waterfront) a true lake shore drive all the way to Presque Isle park, which was designed by Fred Olmstead who gained his claim to fame as being the first to think conversation and balance. he did Central Park in NYC and the Biltmore in Asheville,NC. marquette has gained many awards for what it has to offer, including best place to live, best place to retire, best city for preservation and restoration. There are many more, including the most bike paths in the Country.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by 6.7traveler

Wow, I didnt realize the metro area of traverse city was so big. We are looking for a smaller town to raise the kids in......

Don't misunderstand. The statistical area I mentioned is pretty spread out, and there are no individual population centers bigger than the 15K found in TC. Kalkaska, for instance......you can't get any more small town than that. Small town, USA.......and oodles of others just like it within 30 minutes to an hour of TC itself. That said, if a quiet, country place and a good hospital are what suits you, then Marquette can easily fit your bill.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by The Northerner

Don't misunderstand. The statistical area I mentioned is pretty spread out, and there are no individual population centers bigger than the 15K found in TC. Kalkaska, for instance......you can't get any more small town than that. Small town, USA.......and oodles of others just like it within 30 minutes to an hour of TC itself. That said, if a quiet, country place and a good hospital are what suits you, then Marquette can easily fit your bill.

Marquette is anything but quiet.There is more to do here than about any place I lived since Chicago in 1980. Examples are Florida, North Carolina Mts, Kalamazoo area, many others .. What has been left out when comparing the lower Mi. and Marquette is the heat and humidity. That alone would drive me to go as far North as I could, considering the Climate Change we are into quicker than we thought !I have spent some horrid days and nights in kalkaska, no thanks for that area, unless there are specific industries, support groups, etc that are only available in that tourist area down there. I also recall setting for over 2 hours on US 31in gridlock. TC may be the gateway to the resort playgrounds in the lake Mi. shore, but, to my mind its too much in the summer time.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by AJ Granger

If it were me choosing, it would be TC. Easily. As already mentioned, from a business perspective, TC wins going away.

I would also give the thumb a closer look. From a business standpoint, this would also be a better situation than Marquette. You have the Flint/Tri-Cities markets nearby, which alone would blow away the entire UP as far as population. Family near by, cheap, driving distance to a whole lot more, etc..

Cheap, clean, in Flint ? You must be kidding.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by darstar

I guess you do not know much about Marquette at all ! What is your back ground to have such statements ?

Oh, spare me. We know you love the U.P. and Marquette, ok? Why do you always feel the need to make it out to be so much more than what it is? Marquette is a moderate sized town hours from anything besides water, trees, and wildlife. It has some restaurants and retail. It has a university..... along with a good hospital. It does NOT have the combined statistical populace nor HALF the action happening at any time of year that TC does. It just doesn't. I've walked the streets of downtown Marquette in the middle of many a summer, and every one of those times I came away thinking "Where the heck IS everybody?" Maybe that appeals to the OP, and maybe it doesn't, but that is the way of it. Traverse City is a monster in comparison to Marquette, regarding everything from business, to transportation, to entertainment......all while offering just as many, if not more, outdoor recreational opportunities, plus a smorgasboard of genuine small town living either within city limits or very nearby. I never said Marquette wasn't a nice place, or that the OP is nuts to move there. We're glad you found your spot, but where this topic is concerned, you should get real and stay real.

[6.7traveler]

Would traverse city be small enough to get involved in the community? I do like the idea of being closer to the thumb for family, which would be even more important as the jids get older. It would be nice to be able to drop the kids off at grandmas for the weekend. 3 hours compared to 8+ hours. I am looking for a smaller town where you can get to know and trust people but big enough where people have other stuff to worry about besides all your personal business. That is another reason im skeptical to move to the small town my family is from in the thumb, everyone is so concerned with who shot who's deer on who's land, who slept with who and who drank too much on what night type of thing. If someone could add a pros and cons list of each place I would greatly appreciate it

[AJ Granger]

Originally Posted by darstar

Cheap, clean, in Flint ? You must be kidding.

Read much? I was talking about the thumb.

You stuck the clean adjective in there, but yeah, I would consider the thumb to be "clean". And let's say we were talking about Flint. Flint is not cheap?