[Meg Lesher]

Whoa, nellie! If you are interested in a nice town, knock Jackson right off your list. Jackson is not a nice town. It's poor, depressed and run down. For years I've heard references to Jackson imparted with inflections reflecting disgust. It might not deserve this, but it isn't a place that people mention in the same sentence as "nice city". I'm ambivalent about Kalamazoo; some of the most interesting people I've met over the years come from there, and there is more to do there than in some smaller towns. It's probably more affordable than Holland or Grand Haven. But I guess it depends on what you're looking for. I think it's just treading water economically. Its neighborhoods aren't well mixed, IMHO. And it's not a town for a pedestrian, the way things are laid out. But a lot of towns don't pass that test.
The Lake Michigan towns have the edge of being near the water, of course. They draw tourists, which is not something Kazoo or Jackson are noted for. This of course is door that swings both ways. They're economically less vulnerable to the financial travails of the inland towns. If you are within 10 miles of the lake, the winters are milder, the water off the lake helping to moderate the temperatures. These factors bear consideration.

[Diamond Dee]

Yeah it would be nicer temp. wise to be near the Lake thanks Meg Lesher for your input.and everyone else for your ideas.I now need to focus back on western Michigan near the cities mentioned.

[Wabbit]

Depending on your financial situation, it's wise not to overlook the
benefits of the 'Kalamazoo Promise'. This is a program that offers
free college tuition for your kids if they attend K-zoo public schools for
at least four years.
This program has gotten a boat-load of attention nationally on NPR
CBS News etc. Here are the details:
The Kalamazoo Promise - Home (broken link)
If that's not a concern, Grand Haven, Frankfurt, T.C, and Petoskey are
great places. Grand Rapids has a booming medical field that might appeal to you.
I also have fond memories of Beulah. My fear is that over the next ten years it too
will become developed beyond all recognition. That's progress!
Speaking of progress (on an uprelated note) I spent the weekend in downtown
Plymouth and I must say, that's a neat little town you have there in South East
Michigan. Not that I wasn't happy to high-tail it back to the West side, but
props where props are due. I also really liked Royal Oak (But don't tell them that!)

[Diamond Dee]

Wabbit-thanks for your input I have to view every possiblity but I do tend to favor where the jobs are and affordable housing.that might mean anywhere I can't afford to be picky.I do want to stear clear of the bigger cities I live near Lexington Ky now and I don't like having to drive in that city unless I have to.

[WATERMELON ROAD]

My Family Lives In Mississippi,my Husband Is From Mi.and We Are Considering Relocating To Bad Axe,mi. His Family Lives There,but Would Like Some Insight As To Housing(buying Home),schools,the People In General.leaving Mississippi Is A Big Step And A Long Way To Michigan,i've Lived Here Most Of My Life And Would Be Leaving A Grown Son And His Family.our Daughter Would Be Closer To Her Dad's Family And That Is The Main Reason For The Move.i Will Greatly Appreciate Any Information On Bad Axe. Thank You,watermelon Road

[magellan]

Originally Posted by WATERMELON ROAD

My Family Lives In Mississippi,my Husband Is From Mi.and We Are Considering Relocating To Bad Axe,mi. His Family Lives There,but Would Like Some Insight As To Housing(buying Home),schools,the People In General.leaving Mississippi Is A Big Step And A Long Way To Michigan,i've Lived Here Most Of My Life And Would Be Leaving A Grown Son And His Family.our Daughter Would Be Closer To Her Dad's Family And That Is The Main Reason For The Move.i Will Greatly Appreciate Any Information On Bad Axe. Thank You,watermelon Road

You should start a separate topic. Bad Axe is in Eastern Michigan, not on the Western side of the State.

[Angelstar490]

Um...being closer to Lake Michigan doesn't make for milder winters, it makes for snowier winters. The closer you are to the lake the more lake-effect snow you get. Up in Harbor Springs - a beautiful area - I spent Christmas with family there several times, it snowed such a blinding blizzard that 8 feet of snow accumulated in the yard in just a short time. I had to rent a 4 wheel drive just to go up there and back. The roads were impassable otherwise, and even difficult with a 4 wheel drive.

[Cato the Elder]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

Grand Rapids has a booming medical field that might appeal to you.

We were quite taken with GR, especially the area around Heritage Hill and the Lake. It was almost enough to convince us to relocate there when a job came calling. As mentioned above, the downtown area is booming and GR overall is a nice mix between a neighborhoody town and a manageable city - one of the best kept secrets in the US, IMHO.

Originally Posted by Wabbit

Speaking of progress (on an uprelated note) I spent the weekend in downtown Plymouth and I must say, that's a neat little town you have there in South East Michigan. Not that I wasn't happy to high-tail it back to the West side, but props where props are due. I also really liked Royal Oak (But don't tell them that!)

You must have missed all the people eating dog food and hightailing it out of the state, IF you were to believe some of the stories on here. The thing I'm beginning to see is that few people realize that it's not "normal" for a state to have so many walkable, "main st" type towns and cities. These have usually shut down in the name of progress (and Walmart coming down the street). In a much larger city like Chicago, I can think of places like Geneva, Naperville, and Highland Park, but even then, very few have retained the character and vibrancy of GR, RO, Plymouth, B'ham, etc.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Angelstar490

Um...being closer to Lake Michigan doesn't make for milder winters, it makes for snowier winters. The closer you are to the lake the more lake-effect snow you get. Up in Harbor Springs - a beautiful area - I spent Christmas with family there several times, it snowed such a blinding blizzard that 8 feet of snow accumulated in the yard in just a short time. I had to rent a 4 wheel drive just to go up there and back. The roads were impassable otherwise, and even difficult with a 4 wheel drive.

Being closer to Lake Michigan makes for warmer weather in winter. Not a great deal warmer, but certainly warmer than the Chicago area which is further South. That's why there is a "belt" that runs from the Benton Harbor/St. Joe area all the way up to Traverse City where fruit grows well (grapes, cherries, apples, cranberries, etc.). The lake adds a lot of extra moisture and the water temperature "modulates" the inland area temperatures moreso than other parts of the State. In the winter, cloudier weather makes for warmer weather, which is the one downside (very cloudy all winter).

Within that belt area, that runs from just inland of the lake to about US-131, the area does get a lot more lake effect snow. We lived West of 131 for about 3 years and yes we would get a dumping of 8 - 10" of snow (not feet) just about every week. We now live on East of 131 (only about 10 miles from our old house), and the four years we've been here the snow has been nowhere near that. I'm even considering selling my two-stage snowblower because I only use it once or twice a year max.

Glad you liked GR Cato! It's not perfect, but it gets better every year (rather than going the other way).

[M TYPE X]

Had dinner in Stevensville on Saturday night and drove back to Illinois ... I may spend time in Grand Haven/Holland in August. The area around the lakes is going to be really busy this summer. St Joseph hasn't changed since I visited last year.