[zombieApocExtraordinaire]

In terms of diversity. Diversity of cultures, races, ethnicities, and class backgrounds.

One is a college town, the most prestigious college town in Michigan, whose also often touted as the most diverse area in Michigan. The other is more of an unknown neighborhood (technically separate city) inside Detroit that has been saturated recently with immigrants from many different Muslim countries all across the world.

According to city data, Ann Arbor's racial breakdown:



And Hamtramck's:



Of course there is more to diversity than just the aggregate racial breakdown. Ann Arbor is also 5x bigger (the entire undergraduate class is about the population size of Hamtramck).

So head to head, who wins? (Please no comparison to anything else, and only people who've been to both within the last year vote!)

[MS313]

Hmm. I prefer Hamtramck. I don't really have as much interest in Ann Arbor as alot of people, especially on here. However, it is a great college town that offers quite a bit, probably one of the best in the nation and that is what I like about Ann Arbor. Hamtramck is a place I see as a unique neighborhood in Detroit with a slightly different feel and stuff.

[detwahDJ]

Jeez, apples and oranges really - but perhaps fun to compare.
Hamtramck, a collection of stick houses built to cheaply house Detroit-area blue collar factory workers.
Ann Arbor, totally built around the culture of a major university.
OK I haven't been there within the last year and my comment is not on their cultural diversity, so I haven't voted. I did live in Hamtown for a spell.

[animatedmartian]

Personally, I've not been to Ann Arbor but I'd say it's more diverse. It's the bigger draw for 20-somethings so you're more likely to see a larger variety of ethnicities. I say that based on my friends always going to Ann Arbor for whatever reason (usually parties).

Hamtramck seems to be either Polish or Arabic/South Asian and African American, but not a whole lot else. It's also considerably more gritty than Ann Arbor and I think much of the lower east side of Detroit used to look like Hamtramck back in the old old days.

[zombieApocExtraordinaire]

I agree that A2 has a wider representation of races but culturally Hamtramck is much more in your face. It's a south asian/eastern european/arabic enclave. You can hear dozens of languages, shop at a number of different ethnic grocery stores, and drop by bars/clubs catering to just one ethnic group. I also noticed that Nigerians are beginning to find a home here. There are so many surreal moments in Hamtramck like Bangladeshis walking from the local mosque past a open air Polish bar. I don't think A2 has anything approaching that, and I honestly feel Hamtramck is ignored when people recommend diverse areas of Michigan.

Yes it's apples to oranges. But I think we can agree that A2 and Hamtramck are the two most diverse areas of Michigan for better or worse.

[MS313]

Originally Posted by zombieApocExtraordinaire

I agree that A2 has a wider representation of races but culturally Hamtramck is much more in your face. It's a south asian/eastern european/arabic enclave. You can hear dozens of languages, shop at a number of different ethnic grocery stores, and drop by bars/clubs catering to just one ethnic group. I also noticed that Nigerians are beginning to find a home here. There are so many surreal moments in Hamtramck like Bangladeshis walking from the local mosque past a open air Polish bar. I don't think A2 has anything approaching that, and I honestly feel Hamtramck is ignored when people recommend diverse areas of Michigan.

Yes it's apples to oranges. But I think we can agree that A2 and Hamtramck are the two most diverse areas of Michigan for better or worse.

I would add Dearborn to that list. And MAYBE Grand Rapids and Lansing (probably not as diverse as Metro Detroit/ Southeast Michigan however.)

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by detwahDJ

Jeez, apples and oranges really - but perhaps fun to compare.
Hamtramck, a collection of stick houses built to cheaply house Detroit-area blue collar factory workers.

Some of those "cheap" stick homes built before 1940 and then after are STILL standing AND in good shape. (notice I didn't say "all")

Homes that were taken care of are not the same as homes that are abandoned. I think it is misleading to say "Hamtramck is collection of stick houses built cheaply". *my opinion

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Some of those "cheap" stick homes built before 1940 and then after are STILL standing AND in good shape. (notice I didn't say "all")

Homes that were taken care of are not the same as homes that are abandoned. I think it is misleading to say "Hamtramck is collection of stick houses built cheaply". *my opinion

Well, I said "cheaply house" instead of "affordably house" a working-class family. Also in Europe they use much more masonry.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by detwahDJ

Well, I said "cheaply house" instead of "affordably house" a working-class family. Also in Europe they use much more masonry.

Ok, you're right. I quoted you incorrectly. However, it still sounded like you were saying the houses were "cheap". My point was many of them are still standing and look good. No offense.

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots

Ok, you're right. I quoted you incorrectly. However, it still sounded like you were saying the houses were "cheap". My point was many of them are still standing and look good. No offense.

Yes, I lived in one of those Hamtramck flats for a spell. It was typical of those all over the Detroit area with it's full-length front "sittin' porch". Nothing wrong except that it lacked insulation.