Bloomfield Hills & Rochester Hills... vs West Bloomfield (Detroit, Sterling Heights: crime rates, houses)

[Xtreme]

Hi all,

We've recently relocated to the Detroit area and looking for a home. Based on much advice, we've been focused on the Rochester Hills area, though open to most areas. We also heard that Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township are really nice, so that's a focus. But, we're running out of options in these areas, so we started looking in West Bloomfield. We don't know much about this area, so any advice would be very helpful. How is the crime? How are the schools? Is it as family- and community-oriented as Rochester Hills and Bloomfield Hills? How are the schools? (intentionally repeated for emphasis) Any advice you could provide would be great!

Thanks!
X

[Xtreme]

Also, thoughts on Orchard Lake (within West Bloomfield)...

And Bloomfield Township, encompassing Bloomfield Hills...

Ok... let me summarize this way: how do all the "Bloomfield's" and related areas stack up vs Rochester Hills? vs Troy? vs Sterling Heights? vs Shelby Twp?

THANK YOU!!

[Northsider 248]

Well I can't provide much information due to the fact that I'm never really in the Bloomfields often, but Rochester Hills, Troy, Shelby and Sterling heights are all on different levels from it. In summary though,

- The Bloomfields are for the rich. Crime is alot lower, and I'd imagine schools are better. They're less family and community oriented, however.

- Rochester Hills and Troy are upper middle class areas. Crime is still in a good shape, but schools may not be as good. I know Troy has good schools, unsure about RH. They're more family oriented cities, but not community.

- Sterling Heights and Shelby are pretty much run of the mill middle class. Crime is higher than the other cities, schools may not be as good, and there's less family/community orientation.

Alot of the community and family orientation is in the "very-high" density, "very low" land area cities such as Hazel Park, Ferndale, Clawson, Birmingham, Berkley, et cetera. Excluding Birmingham, these are less affluent areas, though, and tend to have slightly higher crime rates. From what I know, the schools and municipal services in every city I listed besides Ferndale are beyond exceptional

[MIEng]

Originally Posted by Xtreme

Also, thoughts on Orchard Lake (within West Bloomfield)...

And Bloomfield Township, encompassing Bloomfield Hills...

Ok... let me summarize this way: how do all the "Bloomfield's" and related areas stack up vs Rochester Hills? vs Troy? vs Sterling Heights? vs Shelby Twp?

THANK YOU!!

All of the areas you have mentioned are very family oriented and safe. From all of them I believe Troy and Bloomfield Hills have the best schools.

Troy and SH are mostly suburban sprawl and they are very dense, unlike RH and Bloomfield Hills.

Bloomfield Hills is very upscale and more expensive and have very good schools.

Troy is more upscale to the west and the rest of it is mostly middle class and not too different from Sterling Heights. The schools are probably one of the best in the state.

Sterling Heights and Shelby are in Macomb County which is cheaper and they are more middle class. SH is very dense and Shelby is more spread out with more options in new construction if you care for that. Shelby and the north half of SH are in the Utica schools which is where you want to be if you are in Macomb Cty.

Rochester Hills is my favorite suburb. I think you will get more for the money compared to Troy and BH because you are farther north but still close enough to all the amenities. The schools are not as well regarded as Troy and Bloomfield Hills but they are still very good.

West Bloomfield I don't know much but from what I have seen driving around it looks very nice, lots of options if you are looking at a lake front home and I believe is not as expensive as the other Bloomfields. Some one from the area will give you as better assessment though.

Don't get too hung up on the schools. All of the places you mentioned the schools are considered A or B. But all these cities have a different feel. Do you what to live in an upscale community or more middle class? Do you what an acre of land (which you will NOT get in Troy and SH) or do you like to live in a more dense area with more ammenities? Do you want to live by the water or not?
Hope this helps.
Good Luck

[Bhaalspawn]

Where do you and your wife need to commute to for work every day? Rochester Hills/Troy and West Bloomfield are miles apart. The answer to what would be best for you depends on where you need to go.

Bloomfield Hills is where many of the area's wealthy people live. It has a couple lakes with fancy lake houses and mansions. However, it is located close to the City of Pontiac, which is a poor ghetto that just happens to be out in the suburbs.

West Bloomfield also has wealthy people but is mostly upper middle class. It also has a couple lakes. You might also want to consider Commerce Township which is more rural but filled with lakes.

You might also consider northwest Farmington Hills, Novi, and Walled Lake (all middle class-upper middle class areas).

[snoopygirlmi]

I have to disagree with the idea that Rochester Hills isn't community oriented. We have a lot of festivals and community events every year in downtown Rochester. The reason why I like this area is because it really feels like its own city within the Metro area. I've never gotten that anywhere else I've lived in the metro area. It's really a fun community to live in. The parks are amazing and we are very impressed with the city services and management.

The main differences between Troy/RH are that Troy has more large businesses based there and doesn't have a downtown -and a lot of people only move there for the schools because they are some of the best in the state/nation, but I've never sensed "community" there. Troy is a place where people drive to more than it is a place where it seems people really live. And the city of Troy lost a millage vote so now they are cutting the library and other city services drastically.

Rochester Hills area is more small-town than metro area. The schools are still excellent, but they aren't on any of the national lists as being the best of the best (like Troy/BH). However, they still offer a ton of AP classes and other programs and a lot of people move here because they want to be in the Rochester school district.

I'm with Bhaalspawn in that you really need to live close to where you work. A lot of the roads in the Rochester area are getting revamped because there is a huge need to keep traffic moving and the roads as designed weren't cutting it. However, the more north you go, the less lanes of traffic you find for using.

And I agree with the others, you have to figure out exactly the type of lifestyle you want as that will also put you in different areas. I know one guy who is looking for a house by a lake because he wants to be by the water. Other people really don't want that lifestyle. I know others who are willing to put up with a long commute, but others that won't.

I wouldn't be comfortable in the Bloomfields unless I was pulling down a mid-six figure income. The big, luxury houses and just it's style is way out of my league. I mean, it was only this year that they passed an ordinance to allow garage sales. Just too snooty for my tastes.

[Northsider 248]

Originally Posted by snoopygirlmi

I have to disagree with the idea that Rochester Hills isn't community oriented. We have a lot of festivals and community events every year in downtown Rochester. The reason why I like this area is because it really feels like its own city within the Metro area. I've never gotten that anywhere else I've lived in the metro area. It's really a fun community to live in. The parks are amazing and we are very impressed with the city services and management.

Rochester, not exactly Rochester Hills. I honestly should have listed Rochester in my last paragraph simply because Rochester and RH are two completely different cities in so many ways

[snoopygirlmi]

Rochester/Rochester Hills share a lot of their services and locals don't tend to make the distinction between the two areas.

Yes, you can note that there are differences between R/RH, but for the most part, locals think of the area as the Rochester community.

For instance, there aren't two different school districts, there's only one - the Rochester community school district and there's one C&G paper for both towns. And the public library - in the downtown area - is called the Rochester Hills Public Library. And if the Christmas parade was only open to Rochester residents/businesses only, then it would be a really small parade. And when the Rochester Community House serves its monthly meal to the poor, they don't block people who live in Rochester Hills just because the Community House happens to be located in the city of Rochester.

However, I guess I will have to amend my statement and say that both Rochester/Rochester Hills take care of their parks, provide amazing city services, are well-run and there are a ton of amenities in the area. It is a great area to live in.

[us66]

Originally Posted by snoopygirlmi

For instance, there aren't two different school districts, there's only one - the Rochester community school district and there's one C&G paper for

Isn't SW RH in the Avondale district?

[Northsider 248]

Originally Posted by snoopygirlmi

and there's one C&G paper for both towns.

C&G tends to print papers for very unrelated communities for some reason, probably circulation and availability of news. Examples:

- Hazel Park and Madison Heights. Two communities extremely diverse from eachother that only share a Chamber of Commerce.

- Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge. Extreme income disparity as well as a lack of any shared community or government services/programs whatsoever.

- Berkley and Huntington Woods. Again, income disparity, lack of shared services, huge architectural differences.

Even though there's geographical similarity, there's not much similarity otherwise as far as architecture, economy, demographics, et cetera. While the others in that post are very good points, the newspaper doesn't quite prove it.