Lansing neighborhoods to avoid (East Lansing, Okemos: houses, rent, lease)

[OrygunDO]

I'm moving to the Lansing area in the next few months and love some of the older homes in NE and NW Lansing. i am concerned about the crime statistics in the neighborhoods and with recent information I have gained from friends who have lived in Lansing. I want to purchase a home but need to know what areas of Lansing I should avoid? Please help me out if you have any thoughts.

[GAisGreat]

If you have kids and they will go to public schools then avoid Lansing all together.

As far as nicest neighborhoods, probably Waverly area, West side, also southside between Pennsylvania and Cedar past MLK before Riley (I think?) is pretty nice. There are nice neighborhoods in Lansing, but you really have to look. Downtown near LCC campus has lots of nice older homes that have been renovated. But I think crime is still bad around there.
It's hard to get away from crime in Lansing.

[JimmyInGreatLakes]

A beautiful neighborhood I lived in about 14 years ago was on the west side just east of Waverly road (western city limits) and south of Mt. Hope (and the Grand River). Took a bike ride through there last summer and it is still a very nice, park-like area with decent well-kept homes. Even more picturesque now since the trees are even larger. Never had a problem with crime and people were, for the most part, friendly. Stayed about 5 years but left for better schools. Make sure you look at houses NORTH of Holmes road though.

[ellswo33]

Okemos seems to be a good area, but pricey. East Lansing seems to be okay in spots too. Personally I would avoid downtown and South Lansing. I avoided it all together and moved to Mason (about 10 miles south of Lansing).

[Sociologist]

Growing up south of lansing (near okemos) I spent alot of time near msu's campus. Lansing is a town thats connected to many other cities in MI trying to hold on to the manufacturing base. Although I will give much praise to Verge for his work in giving the city a new image. Prevoius posts regarding schools are correct, as the quality of schools there is below par (test scores, attendance). Okemos has a great facility, but their community is loosing its tax base rapidly as people exit the area. Sadly it took many years for residents to approve the milliage that build their new school. Mostly the community is supported by MSU facultiy and extensions of the school. If you must go to the area consider Okemos. G Luck cheers

[thersa12]

We currently live in the Colonial Village area in Lansing (Mt Hope/MLK area) and it's a great neighborhood. The SE part of Lansing (Mt Hope/Cedar to Aurelius) is nice as well. Grosbeck neighborhood (north Lansing, over by Eastwood Towne Center) is always popular, too.

Pretty much all the surrounding areas are nice--Holt, Grand Ledge, Mason, Okemos, EL, Bath, etc.

Lansing public schools are about the same as anywhere else, until 6th grade (or so says my neighbors, both public school teachers) and then the test scores start to drop.

[GuardRail]

Lansing city
burbs

[us2indaup]

I'd like to hear what areas of the Lansing area have the higher crime, also. When I was growing up near Lansing, North Logan was a questionable area, but I don't know about now.

[GuardRail]

us2indaup. The security of the neighborhood has not improved. The street name has changed recently and you may not be aware of it. Currently, it's referred to as Martin Luther King Boulevard. Personally, I believe the former name of Logan was more appealing.

[ElphinKnight]

I lived in the Lansing area for about 5 years. There are some acceptable areas of Lansing, but I would suggest looking in Okemos and Haslett. East Lansing has a lot, but you have to be careful to buy in areas that the MSU students aren't trampling through. If you don't mind being a few miles out, Williamston is a great little town with pretty easy access into Lansing, and Mason isn't too bad either.