Planning to Move to Battle Creek area (Kalamazoo, Jackson: showing, wages)

[LissaHarmon]

Anyone have any knowledge on or advice to share about the Battle Creek area? My fiance, infant son and I are planning to move to the area in the summer, and have been looking at houses in the area of the Lower Mill Pond, just north of the Riverside Country Club, south of Goguac St W, West of Riverside Dr, North of W Territorial Rd, and East of N La Vista blvd.

My attempts at getting information from the Battle Creek PD have been unsuccessful. I haven't been able to reach anyone who can give us that sort of information.

What we are looking for is:

Is it a high crime area? How are the schools? Is there shopping close by?

We are moving from the Columbus, Ohio area, so I'm used to car break-ins and such, but we just don't want a lot of shootings, robberies, stabbings etc...

Another area we considered was somewhere between Battle Creek and Jackson (where my fiance's family lives)... IF we don't go with Battle Creek, does anyone have any suggestions? We are looking for inexpensive houses, preferably 3+ bedrooms.

[knocturnal]

The areas that you are considering are fairly safe. I reside in Emmett Township, (E. Michigan/E. Columbia) and have had no problems of any sort. Areas of the city with generally rougher reputations are both Post Addition and Washington Heights, which lie just outside of the downtown area. Battle Creek does seem to have a higher crime rate than other cities of comparable size, yet it wouldn't be anything that you haven't experienced in the Columbus area. Pennfield, Lakeview, and Harper Creek High Schools are all very reputable districts with modern facilities (< 5 years). Battle Creek Central does have a rougher image.
Beckley Road (just south of I-94 near 6 Mile Rd) offers the greatest shopping conveniences with Harper Village (big box stores) and Lakeview Square Mall. Other than that, W. Columbia (near Riverside Dr., one area where you have been searching) also has some alternatives.
Other than possibly considering neighboring Marshall, you will be fine with residing here. Housing stock and cost of living is pretty cheap.

Are you looking for something more modern or a rehab project?

[Giesela]

I lived in the Lakeview area for 13 years. Between Capital and Riverside, south of of of I can't believe I forgot! Anyway not far from the Riverside Elementary school - was totally safe. I used to go to bed either forgetting to lock the doors or intentially leaving my slider open so the dog could let himself in and out (porch with dog door and fenced in yard). Nice little area of starter ranches.
If you want a town going east toward Jackson Marshall has a nice little downtown of antique stores etc. Further east is Albion - poor Albion. A mostly blue collar town, never recovered from the 70s. Lots of diversity, quite downtrodden but also very pretty with the red brick downtown streets, nice big park, rivers running through town. Albion college is there, the neighborhoods that surround it are very nice - you can get lots of house for your money there but the school district is pretty awful. I had a great childhood there though. A nice village (quite quite small) is Homer. Sort of btw Marshal and Albion.

[deslok]

You will be fine in that area. Try Lakeview public schools for schooling. I grew up in the area, have many relatives in Marshall. I'd avoid Albion, or Jackson at any cost. I'd only go to Marshall if you want to live in a town reminisant of back to the future. (basically nothing to do for a younger couple) This appeals to some and not at all to others.
Southwest Michigan by definition is not very diverse to begin with. You will find that the area you are looking at in Lakeview though is just fine. ( the country club is quite nice too if you like that sort of thing. Probably has the best food in town) In downtown you will also find the best coffee I have had anywhere in the US, California, Chicago etc.. called brownstone.
Private message me if you would like more in detail information on the city, and surrounding areas good and bad.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by deslok

You will be fine in that area. Try Lakeview public schools for schooling. I grew up in the area, have many relatives in Marshall. I'd avoid Albion, or Jackson at any cost. I'd only go to Marshall if you want to live in a town reminisant of back to the future. (basically nothing to do for a younger couple) This appeals to some and not at all to others.
Southwest Michigan by definition is not very diverse to begin with. You will find that the area you are looking at in Lakeview though is just fine. ( the country club is quite nice too if you like that sort of thing. Probably has the best food in town) In downtown you will also find the best coffee I have had anywhere in the US, California, Chicago etc.. called brownstone.
Private message me if you would like more in detail information on the city, and surrounding areas good and bad.

Absolutely agree with the entire post here. I spent a few years in Marshall, and my Sister lived there for 25+ years. I like what the Lakeview schools were doing while I was there even though I was long out of school myself and didn't have kids yet, friends did and I liked what I heard about the district. Have to agree on the assessment of Marshall and the appeal to different people.

[LissaHarmon]

Thank you everyone! We just had our 3rd showing on our home here in Ohio, and our realtor believes that both the first and second families to look at our home are going to make offers! I am so excited to finally be moving somewhere OUTSIDE of OHIO! Not that I'm not a buckeye through and through, but I have never liked the state! lol

And thank you all for reassuring me about the area we plan to move to. It didn't look too bad from the pictures, but I wanted to make sure, having a one year old and all.

I am so looking forward to everything *well, almost everything, I'm not a huge fan of snow* that Michigan, and Battle Creek in particular, have to offer!

[mkk177]

Battle Creek sucks overall in my opinion. The people arent as obnoxious as Kalamazoo people are, but, expect problems with about 1/4 of the people that you will meet.

As far as schools Lakeview if you dont have money your kids will probably be outcasts and unless they are really good in sports they probably will have problems with sports politics. Education is limited but decent.

Battle Creek Public They have more resources but as the kids get up in Highschool they will discover that they arent all that safe in school.

Harper Creek Schools are fair

Pennfield Schools are fair but without money there is a chance to be a social outcast

Also if your neighbor doesnt like they way that your yard or house is they have a Gestapo like entity called Code Compliance-neighborhood div.

They will harass you to no end. Just because your house isnt pretty enough.

Altogether do what I did leave Battle Creek

Jobs for the most part are crap unless you are High up. Low wages and the companies generally treat you like crap.

you would think that with as low as the median household earnings are that the city would stop harassing its citizens and attempt to bring in quality jobs.

Law enforcement will pull you over for no reason at all, and then lie and say something like you didnt stop at a stop sign. (even when there arent any in the neighborhood you just drove through).

Drugs are extremely common. Just about every neighborhood has at least one drug house. If you call and complain, law enforcement will not do anything about it. At least not for a couple of years.

I'm not making anything up. I myself, or family and friends have all dealt with this crap.

So as I said before look elsewhere to live. Some day you will thank me

MK

[Softballfan]

Let me guess, you were an outkast.

[dutchinnd]

Okay this data is a bit on the old side but--
My husband is a Lakeview grad, along w/ his two younger sisters. Because of the expectations and involvement of parents who are Kellogg & Post execs, Lakeview is a good school district. No, none of the three of them were necessarily part of the "in" or moneyed (country club) crowd, but then that can happen in any school, large or small. Because they excelled at academics and were involved in bands, orchestras, marching band, jazz band, etc. they all were part of a close group of friends. My SIL is firm that after three years of French at Lakeview, the quality of her French actually went downhill when she got to college.
BC Central did/does have the reputation of being quite a bit rougher.

[deslok]

I'm not sure where the poster gets the idea about not having money making you an outcast, especially since none of the districts have any sort of affluence really. There are however, folks like him living in the area that actually do think and type this way, so be warned about that. ( I think you find them in any area though) Most I know of that think police, bullies, whomever are out to get them bring it on themselves and just spread negativity.
I didn't know there was a moneyed crowd in Battle Creek/Lakeview? I think that is in the minds of the children that go to highschool ( typical preps and social jocks sterotypes happening in every district except for one's that only have like say, 50 students) and tends to prevail into adult hood. Not saying it is perfect but it is much easier to cross social barriers in Battle Creek then say Kalamazoo/Gull Lake where the social wealth is probably greater, and the disparity between rich and poor much more evident.