[LakeEffect2]

Have scouted real estate on the web for small towns in Lenawee County, including Adrian and Hudson. Prices are very alluring - significantly lower than where we live now in northern Michigan. For that reason, we are considering a final retirement destination in that part of the state.



Hope to avoid, among other things, tourists, high taxes, and the hyper rush-rush madness that I see creeping even into northern Michigan small towns. People carry all their bad habits with them wherever they go. So we'd be interested to learn if Lenawee is still relatively peaceful, crime-free and decent area in which to live.


Please don't candy-coat the place. If Lenawee is drawing an undesirable element because of lower housing costs, that's something we'd like to know about.


Has the climate been rocked crazy in recent years? Are some areas subjected to bad flooding?


Look forward to your input.

[DTWflyer]

Lenawee County is pretty much what you see at face value and yes, checks many of the boxes for things you are seeking.

My perception is that Lenawee County has more in common with adjacent counties to the west (in Michigan) and south in Ohio and has more of a "feel" of Northwest Ohio than what people would consider "Southeast Michigan".

Its not a tourist area, other than people who travel to MIS for race weekends but they are mostly confined immediately to the Brooklyn area and its only about 3 weekends a year.

Some of the lakes have cabins that are used/owned my people who live or visit from Ohio but again super-tame compared to what you see up north and really a non-issue.

Its far enough away and "isolated" that its away from the rat-race and influences of Metro Detroit & Ann Arbor.
The economy is primarily light manufacturing (in the towns), agriculture, retail / service industry, and the typical municipal/professional services.

Adrian College is a big draw in Adrian and is a rather conservative-religious school but that doesn't fully dominate the town.

Overall its what you would expect of a typical semi rural county in the region with salt-of-the-earth people.

[LakeEffect2]

DTW,
Thanks so much for that report. You've given enough positive remarks that I want to investigate the area further. Appreciate your time and thoughts.

[DTWflyer]

Yeah, for work we do a lot of work out in that area at a bunch of the manufacturing plants in the area.
Its just typical semi-rural Midwestern living.

Like I said, more in common with areas of NW Ohio or NE Indiana than the rest of Michigan.

You probably know this, but its a place where most people are "from there" and not really used to a lot of outsiders.
People tend to just keep to themselves and have their established circle of family / friends that either they grew up with/went to school / work with for years.

Easy to fit in and get along with others if you just roll with things.

Close enough to Ann Arbor / Toledo / Metro Detroit for all the big cities amenities, services, etc. as needed for day trips but far enough away to avoid all the craziness of bigger cities / metro areas.