Maybe relocating to Detroit Area (Rochester Hills, Pontiac: middle-class, apartment complexes, rent)

[HRT12]

I have been offered the opportunity to relocate to the Detroit area (possibly Auburn Hills) with my husband. All we see in the UK is bad news about Detroit. I cannot believe that it is all like this. Please can anyone give us a nudge as to where to look on the net to find out what Detroit/Auburn Hills is really like to live in/near.

[johnr83]

Rochester Hills or West Bloomfield are good places to start if you want suburban living and good schools, Royal Oak has a more urban feel if that's what you're looking for.

[urbanliving99]

Well considering the Metro Detroit region has 5 million people - don't believe all the news you see on TV. Anywhere along the M-59 corridor is a good place to live.

Auburn Hills - City of Auburn Hills*
Rochester (adjacent town) - City of Rochester, MI - Official Website

[animatedmartian]

As other posters will point out, the city and its suburbs are very different. Most of the time when you hear news of Detroit, it's from city proper and is almost completely irrelevant to the region around it (to a certain degree). Detroit's northwestern suburbs are some of the most affluent suburbs in the country and are often well mentioned as very excellent places to live. Unfortunately, the inner-city does not share the same affluence.

So in that sense, it might come as a culture shock to how different the suburbs are from the city and how bad the city actually is. Yes, there lots of urban decay, but where you'll be living, you'll rarely see any of it in your daily routine unless you drive to those areas. I actually know quite a few British who live in Metro Detroit and like it here quite a lot (based on having gone to high school with a few British classmates who have been here their whole life and assuming their parents must like it here).

[snoopygirlmi]

Yes, Detroit has had its struggles.
No, not every place in the Detroit Metro area is like the city of Detroit.

I live in Rochester Hills and love it. Close by, there are colleges/universities, parks, shopping, entertainment and museums. Rent in the area and get to know the area a bit better before you buy. Every town has its pros and cons and you really can't know what a town is like looking on the internet.

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by HRT12

I have been offered the opportunity to relocate to the Detroit area (possibly Auburn Hills) with my husband. All we see in the UK is bad news about Detroit. I cannot believe that it is all like this. Please can anyone give us a nudge as to where to look on the net to find out what Detroit/Auburn Hills is really like to live in/near.

Detroit proper is 90% residential and that's where the blight and most crime is - no draw there for most people doing business anyway. The bad news you see in the media is from these areas. Pontiac has some of these problems, but not a lot. I personally favor the north Woodward corridor or western suburbs for overall quality of life.
As for crime it is sporadic everywhere - USA or UK. Even staid little Greenville recently had a gas station shooting.

[RockChester]

Originally Posted by HRT12

I have been offered the opportunity to relocate to the Detroit area (possibly Auburn Hills) with my husband. All we see in the UK is bad news about Detroit. I cannot believe that it is all like this. Please can anyone give us a nudge as to where to look on the net to find out what Detroit/Auburn Hills is really like to live in/near.

Auburn Hills isn't close enough to Detroit to be affected by it so don't worry. Auburn is part of a four-community area that is comprised of Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Rochester and Oakland Township. All four are distinct cities but we have a very cordial and casual relationship to each other. Rochester is the one with a true downtown. Oakland Univerisity and Rochester College are nearby. One of the funny aspects to why Rochester and Rochester Hills are, in some ways, confused with each other is that the Rochester Hills public library is located in downtown Rochester. Everything I need is here. It's a very complete community, low crime and especially Rochester Hills is very well run, has a lot of green spaces and considered a great place to raise your children. There are always people walking, walking their dogs, pushing strollers, biking and running.

Someone earlier said that Rochester Hills was all Pulte subdivisions but that's nonsense. There are a few subdivisions that Pulte has a big presence in but the older neighborhoods have been around since at least the 1950s, have half-acre lots and all of the houses are distinct. We have a broad range of home prices (high end to low end), quite a few affordable condo communities and apartment complexes so you can find whatever you're looking for. If you think about moving to Rochester Hills and have (or are thinking of) having children, try to stay in the area that is part of the Rochester Schools district. The Avon School district is where most of what little crime reports there are, are located. If you want to see upscale shopping, go to The Village which is at the corner of Adams and Walton (University Drive).

Oakland Township has a lot of upscale homes and some huge multimillion dollar estates but also has a big swath of farmland and a lot of rural charm. It's also home to a lot of the Detroit Pistons who need the short commute to The Palace where they play.

This overall four-city community is very bicycle friendly and great for families and singles alike. There are two very popular Rails-To-Trails bicycle/walking/running trails (Paint Creek and Clinton River Trails). We are in a different county, Oakland, and at least 20 miles from Detroit (Wayne County). Oakland County is very well run and one of the top counties in the country. All four cities are very well run and insurance (at least in Rochester Hills since it's where I live) is low. Stay away from Pontiac unless you like a big challenge and have a lot of money to throw at insurance costs. It's known as 'Little Detroit' for a reason.

Auburn Hills has a great community center and it has grown quite a bit over the past twenty to thirty years. Oakland University is located half in Rochester Hills and half in Auburn Hills and just opened its medical school this fall.

[froglipz]

Moving to Detroit from the UK will be an experience you will always remember!

[Republic of Michigan]

Originally Posted by edwardvanderbosch

Moving to Detroit from the UK will be an experience you will always remember!

It will be a pleasant experience. You will see. I am originally from Orange County California, and I grew up in Paris. I have also worked in different parts of the globe so I can give you an objective opinion of the city. You are moving to Oakland County. One can argue that the "New Detroit" is Oakland County. It is highly urbanized with many cultural, educational, and economic institutions. Case in point, your husband has been offered a job is in Oakland County. Moreover, Oakland County is one of the wealthiest counties in the USA and its population is 1.2 million! If you drive in areas such as Bloomfield Hills you will think you are in England's countryside with all the hills, tudors, and beautiful trees and greenery. Go on google maps and you will see. Don't listen to Americans who reside outside of Michigan to describe Detroit to you. Many Americans spew hatred toward Detroit and they have never stepped foot in the city: there is economic competition and regionalism in the USA which plays a big part in people attacking the Detroit region. This region is a highly technologically advanced city, the 4th highest in research and development. Not too many big cities in the USA have the suburbs that Detroit has! Don't listen to the views of people from the South and/or Chicago about Detroit as there is an agenda to attempt to keep it down and to up-play the importance of their economies. (there is a whole psychology behind it). Anyway, the city of Detroit has vast areas of urban decay as the population dwindled from 1.8 million to 675,000. Living in Oakland county, you will not see it. Instead, you will see beautiful homes, shopping centers, and lush green vegetation. Lastly, you will be in Michigan. You will see how breathtaking beautiful this state is. It comes close to California (sorry I am originally from there so I had to say that)

For living, there are many pedestrian friendly densely population downtown areas full of cafes, shops...etc. Also keep in mind, the city of Detroit only represents 15% of the total population of the Metropolitan Detroit area. Oakland County is a wonderful place with the exception of one city called Pontiac. I can only think of a pocket of other places in the USA that are as nice. You will see. My only advice is to stay out of Pontiac which is next to Auburn Hills. Bloomfield township has really good schools.

[Bimmerfanboy]

Originally Posted by HRT12

I have been offered the opportunity to relocate to the Detroit area (possibly Auburn Hills) with my husband. All we see in the UK is bad news about Detroit. I cannot believe that it is all like this. Please can anyone give us a nudge as to where to look on the net to find out what Detroit/Auburn Hills is really like to live in/near.

You'll be fine. Auburn Hills and the rest of the suburbs are nothing like the city. Plus, Auburn Hills is roughly 45-60 minutes from Detroit.

I used to live in the Rochester Hills/Auburn Hills area. It's a well-manicured upper middle-class area with great schools, nearby shopping malls, and all the stores/amenities you'll ever need.

I would not hesitate if I were you. Detroit proper is pretty bad (but getting better), but the outer-lying suburbs, especially in Oakland County, are quite nice.