[WheredoIlive?]

Right now I am trying to decide between moving to small town: life I perfer or going back to mother's town which is Battle Creek. I used to live in Battle Creek. {Yeah Youll notice I say Ive lived a lot of places, I have moved way too much in my life and where I choose is where I am going stay for good, I wanted it to be Hillsdale but things got in the way}

I lived in Battle Creek from 1982-home for college during summers til 1991 or there abouts, is Battle Creek becoming a rougher town? Is crime getting worse there or better? How is urbandale nowadays?

I really want to move to a place that is safe, and while my mother can afford the nice suburbs of Battle Creek {Lakeview} I cannot, and I may choose to go to a small safe town instead. There is a lot of things I have to decide, weighting help from family vs. living in town, that for poorer people may be a living nightmare. I lived in the ghetto of Chicago during a period of my young adulthood and I want to avoid EVERYTHING that living in the ghetto entails.

I have noticed the disabled housing in Battle Creek all seems to be in neighborhoods I know are rotten to the core and still are.

[northstar22]

I go to school in Battle Creek (WMU College of Aviation). Don't move to Battle Creek. Much of it can be described as "the ghetto." It's a dump, unsafe, and economically down. There are plenty of good small towns (including Three Rivers and Colon) within an hour's drive of B.C.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

I go to school in Battle Creek (WMU College of Aviation). Don't move to Battle Creek. Much of it can be described as "the ghetto." It's a dump, unsafe, and economically down. There are plenty of good small towns (including Three Rivers and Colon) within an hour's drive of B.C.

I substitute taught in Battle Creek so know that all too well. My mother wanted me to move back there, but I think to myself I am poor, I am not well-heeled my life style is nothing like my mothers. I know what the ghetto is like there all too well as I worked in the Battle Creek school system as a sub teacher for 5 years. I could not find any disabled housing there that was decent and even one place in lakeview that was decent enough, in safe area, took only 55 and over. I am a bit younger. I know Battle Creek is a LOT UGLIER then where I live now. Probably the fact of the matter is, LAKEVIEW is nice, but really only yuppies can afford to live there, I cant and only growing area is out by Beckely Road and the mall.

Three Rivers does soundlike a possiblity though I have written friends in HIllsdale to ask how things are there, is there any hope...of recorvery and what about hospital.

[deslok]

Battle Creek like many cities has good and bad areas. I'd try Battle Creek if you have the money. They certainly are not too many yuppies in Battle Creek that I know of, yuppies spend money on excessive clothes and accessories, buy new BMW's with cash. This maybe fits 1% of Battle Creek's population.
Try the Battle Creek tower. They have luxury apartments there.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by deslok

Battle Creek like many cities has good and bad areas. I'd try Battle Creek if you have the money. They certainly are not too many yuppies in Battle Creek that I know of, yuppies spend money on excessive clothes and accessories, buy new BMW's with cash. This maybe fits 1% of Battle Creek's population.
Try the Battle Creek tower. They have luxury apartments there.

I am poor so too no luxury apartments for me.

Well the only place with yuppies but maybe they are more middle-aged professionals, is Lakeview.

I just don't want to be in a ghetto. Even here in St. Joe, Benton Harbor is too close for comfort. {Had significant other, have three young thugs come after him the other day to try and rob him, he was able to get away, and just driving to get gas, I had a scary moment, thought I was going to be robbed. Maybe I saw too much in Chicago, but everytime I leave the St. Joe city limits to the north or east I feel like I am taking my life in my hands}

[michelleb_cargirl]

I've lived in Battle Creek since June, moved from Jackson. Job wise it is slightly better, but where I live I'm hearing sirens pretty much everyday - whether from police cars, mostly ambulances and fire engines though. Couple months ago I almost got hit head on by a police cruiser who was charging the wrong way down the Columbia Ave exit ramp since he was trying to stop traffic on the highway due to a young male looking to jump off the overpass there. I've already heard of 2 robberies from people I know. Even a friend of mine that I met after I moved here told me he'd been jumped by some young wannabe gang bangers in his Apt complex down Dickman by Denso. So you tell me, if it weren't for the mostly nice scenery and stuff to do downtown during the spring and summer months, I'd probably move out of state if I could afford it. Michigan as a whole sucks economy wise until things get better, and that's completely up in the air as to whether they will or not. I pay less than $500 a month for rent incl. utilities besides Electric, and I'm only a 5 min drive from the nice Lakeview area. I don't love where I live, but atleast the people are nice and there doesn't seem to be much in my immediate area but it's tolerable until a nicer home of my own is obtainable. If you're in the same situation financial wise (aka low income) there are a number of apts (incl 2 br) that are on the more affordable side and are within 10-15 min of Lakeview. As a whole, Battle Creek isn't that bad, but you'll find crime everywhere. I've walked around late at night with nobody bothering me, so all I'm saying is that it's not exactly a ghetto (I know where those are around here) and it may be what you're looking for. I'd like to help if I could.

[annika08]

Thanks for the honesty everyone, and if anyone else has any more input I would love to hear it.
My husband and I currently live in Ann Arbor but he's considering taking a job in Battle Creek next spring. A2 is a bit pricey but we really love where we live; the apartment complex is very clean and quiet and SAFE. No police or guns or boom-boom music.

So, are there any decent areas in Battle Creek? Are there any decent apartment communities?
Input much appreciated...

[deslok]

I'd say from battle creek to aa, the answer would be no.
The only apartment complex I would consider based on what you are used to would be the Battle Creek tower Battle Creek Tower Luxury Suites - High-Rise Residential Apartments
or Keystone Lake. Keystone Lake, Battle Creek Prestigious Rental Community Both places are a bit more pricey but give you a bit of a better crowd to be around. The tower has a doorman and a great lobby, so you have a bit of a big city feel to it. Keystone is more private and more apartment like, but very nice compared to the other offerings in the area. I wouldn't rent from any other complex in the city. You won't find much violence in either community, although the city of Battle Creek isn't as safe as AA.
Battle Creek is a blue collar city for the most part. There are plenty of police running around, and violence is most certainly around. It would be an adjustment coming from AA.
However, do not let people do the usual thing they do on this forum and send you out towards Kalamazoo. I've lived both places and if I had to choose, I would just pick the place that is closest to my employer.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by michelleb_cargirl

I've lived in Battle Creek since June, moved from Jackson. Job wise it is slightly better, but where I live I'm hearing sirens pretty much everyday - whether from police cars, mostly ambulances and fire engines though. Couple months ago I almost got hit head on by a police cruiser who was charging the wrong way down the Columbia Ave exit ramp since he was trying to stop traffic on the highway due to a young male looking to jump off the overpass there. I've already heard of 2 robberies from people I know. Even a friend of mine that I met after I moved here told me he'd been jumped by some young wannabe gang bangers in his Apt complex down Dickman by Denso. So you tell me, if it weren't for the mostly nice scenery and stuff to do downtown during the spring and summer months, I'd probably move out of state if I could afford it. Michigan as a whole sucks economy wise until things get better, and that's completely up in the air as to whether they will or not. I pay less than $500 a month for rent incl. utilities besides Electric, and I'm only a 5 min drive from the nice Lakeview area. I don't love where I live, but atleast the people are nice and there doesn't seem to be much in my immediate area but it's tolerable until a nicer home of my own is obtainable. If you're in the same situation financial wise (aka low income) there are a number of apts (incl 2 br) that are on the more affordable side and are within 10-15 min of Lakeview. As a whole, Battle Creek isn't that bad, but you'll find crime everywhere. I've walked around late at night with nobody bothering me, so all I'm saying is that it's not exactly a ghetto (I know where those are around here) and it may be what you're looking for. I'd like to help if I could.

Thanks for your input. I am worried about ending up in a ghetto area. I guess I see Battle Creek as going down, and some of ghetto stuff encroaching into where it used to be nicer part of Lakeview, like that pawn shop across from where Hallmark used to be.

I am probably going to go to a small town, think I would be happier over all.

[WheredoIlive?]

Originally Posted by annika08

Thanks for the honesty everyone, and if anyone else has any more input I would love to hear it.
My husband and I currently live in Ann Arbor but he's considering taking a job in Battle Creek next spring. A2 is a bit pricey but we really love where we live; the apartment complex is very clean and quiet and SAFE. No police or guns or boom-boom music.

So, are there any decent areas in Battle Creek? Are there any decent apartment communities?
Input much appreciated...

Stay in Lakeview, South of Columbia Avenue.

I dont know how Urbandale and those areas are doing, used to work in area 15 years ago.

A2 is much busier and wealthier then Battle Creek. Too rich for someone low income like me.