[pjmiami]

I agree with everyone else and can pretty much echo what Magellan said; my husband grew up in Saginaw and has never looked back, I grew up about 45 minutes outside of Saginaw in a small town and, while I LOVE Michigan, Saginaw is one of the worst places in the entire state, along with Flint. The crime is widespread with a lot of violent gang activity. The police are overwhelmed because of cutbacks and the unemployment rate is extremely high.

If you can go anywhere in the state, please reconsider as there are many other much nicer, safer, lovely places that also have better employment opportunities. Suggestions: Kalamazoo (nice college town), Greater Grand Rapids area (except for that whole Bible belt thing).

[quicksilver]

I'm a Michigan expatriate currently living in Southern California (one of the many. I'm trying to start a Michigan refugee club out here so we can all still play Euchre), but I grew up near Saginaw and have spent a lot of time in and around the city (I've been there as recently as January '07). There are basically 2 Saginaws. There's the East Side, and the West Side of the Saginaw River. Stay on the West Side and you should be fine. There is a night and day difference between the two areas. And someone earlier said Carrolton was a bad neighborhood. I actually lived there for a year, and never felt unsafe. It's not Beverly Hills, but it's not particularly unsafe either. Western Saginaw, out by Shields as well as Saginaw Township both seem to be doing well enough despite the Delphi troubles. In fact, Bay Rd. out toward SVSU has seen quite a bit of growth in the last few years. There's a huge new subdivision over there.

If you're turned off by Saginaw, you could also look into Midland or Bay City both of which are a half hour drive or less away. There are a lot of nice things to do in both of those cities, and I would personally live there before Saginaw, but Saginaw has more services. Good luck with your move!

[svsu hopeful]

Thanks for the info about the part of Saginaw out by SVSU. I just applied for a position with the university, and was wondering what that part of town is like. I have done research on the web, but there's only so much you can find out about a town from the internet.

I currently have a 2 hour daily commute because I'm at a university in a town which has a serious crime problem (but which has nice suburbs and surrounding towns). If I do end up moving to that part of MI, then I hope that Saginaw isn't as bad as some of you guys make it out to be.

[Bhaalspawn]

I hate to be a party pooper, but I can't help myself... You really should give some consideration to states other than Michigan. Michigan's economy is already depressed and it's only going to get much worse.

Have you considered Wisconsin or Minnesota? Both have nice lakes and Wisconsin evern borders Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.

People are moving...nay...fleeing Michigan in droves, especially young people and recent college graduates. That should tell you something.

[zygnoda]

Flint, Saginaw, and Detroit may have major issues with crime; but there are also good surrounding areas. I personally wouldn't want to live in either flint or Saginaw. Midland's crime rate is not bad. Its the same story everywhere. There are good and bad areas. You just have to do a little research.

Quit trying to flush the state down the drain....
Were not all dead yet!

[avalon]

Unless you are a red-neck hick or a goverment subsidized momma, for God's sake, STAY AWAY FROM SAGINAW. The downtown has to be one of the most depressing downtowns in all of Michigan (cept for Benton Harbor, Muskegon, Flint, and Jackson). If you don't mind crime, live in Saginaw. If you like iron grates in front of your windows and doors, live in Saginaw. If you need drugs, live in Saginaw. If you own a gun, live in Saginaw. Get the picture?

[Catherine D]

I'm not familiar with Saginaw, but I LOVE the Kalamazoo area. I live on the west side in Mattawan. Great town! Unlike so much of the state they are still growing over here. Two BIG hospitals, great schools and if you moved within the Kalamazoo school district they have the "promise" of a free college education. I've raised 3 kids here and couldn't think of a nicer place to raise a family.

[rivkadr]

It's hard to fathom anyone choosing to move to Saginaw. It's really the pits. If you're going to do it, though, I'll second the recommendation made earlier, and suggest that you look at some of the outlying towns instead. I like Frankenmuth -- it's kind of hokey, but fun, and certainly safer than Saginaw.

And my home town of Freeland is really "booming" nowadays, as a sort of sleeper community to Saginaw -- they've got just about every type of fast food you can want. I can remember when I was a kid, and the only fast food available was the McDonalds on the edge of town My dad keeps hoping that eventually they'll manage to get cable TV out to his dirt road. He's sick of getting the same 4 channels...

[wanderer74]

Originally Posted by svsu hopeful

Thanks for the info about the part of Saginaw out by SVSU. I just applied for a position with the university, and was wondering what that part of town is like. I have done research on the web, but there's only so much you can find out about a town from the internet.

I currently have a 2 hour daily commute because I'm at a university in a town which has a serious crime problem (but which has nice suburbs and surrounding towns). If I do end up moving to that part of MI, then I hope that Saginaw isn't as bad as some of you guys make it out to be.

I am a non-traditional student at SVSU, graduating in 2 months. I also grew up in Saginaw, but lived in Dallas for many years. I can say that what you need to know about SVSU is that the campus itself is small and safe, in a safe neighborhood. There are a lot of students who are first generation in college, many from blue-collar families. The university enrollment has been increasing significantly, even just in the time I've been a student there, so that could offer potential job security.

I do not live in Saginaw anymore; I live in a very nice small town, with a very low crime rate, just on the outskirts of nearby Midland. My commute to SVSU is about 20 minutes. If you are in the heart of the city limits of Saginaw, it's rough, but there are enough surrounding areas where you can live safely enough that you won't be affected much by Saginaw's crime. You can pretty easily live in a safe, nice neighborhood that is affordable even on a new professor's salary (assuming that applies to you), and have no more than a half-hour commute to work.

Good luck! You can email me if you need more info about the area or SVSU!

[gcs]

If you have a decent job you can live well in Saginaw. I returned here after school and there are lots of good things if you know about them. The real estate market a buyers market, mostly because prices were grossly inflated and now are back to reality. If you are looking to rent or buy in Thomas Township (4 miles west of city, and 15 miles south of Midland) I have a nice empty house with a big garden there-within 2 blocks of Shields elementary school-I recently moved to a big house in the city because you get so much house there for the money. I am just about to put my Thomas Twsp house on the market. Greg 7994641