[Rawlings]

I'm looking to relocate with my family--wife and young children--to MI. We're evangelicals and active Republicans so we want a pretty conservative part of the state. But we also want the ammenities of the big city we're coming from. I've heard that Grand Rapids is a good bet...any other suggestions?

[Angel Bear]

I think you'll be just fine anywhere in Michigan IMHO.

Metro Detroit is a bit more liberal, especially in areas like Royal Oak, Detroit proper, Ferndale, Ann Arbor, etc.

Northern Michigan has its liberal pockets such as Traverse City.

I guess since I'm moderately liberal and not religious (I'm spiritual), I hang out in the above areas. So, I figured I'd be a perfect person to tell you where to avoid *hee hee!*

But, seriously, enjoy your move and enjoy Michigan! It's a pretty state with lots of opportunities for fun, along with family enjoyment/values

Hugs,
L

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Rawlings

I'm looking to relocate with my family--wife and young children--to MI. We're evangelicals and active Republicans so we want a pretty conservative part of the state. But we also want the ammenities of the big city we're coming from. I've heard that Grand Rapids is a good bet...any other suggestions?

Certain parts of the Grand Rapids area certainly would fit the bill. Try the area from Grandville, through Georgetown Twp, Hudsonville, Jamestown Twp, Zeeland, and Holland. A big sprawling area with a lot of new homes, new retail, cheap land, newer schools. Some of those areas like Grandville, Zeeland and Hudsonville have recently passed legislation OK'ing the sale of alcohol on Sundays though, so if that bothers you, you might try elsewhere.

[M TYPE X]

The most conservative part of the state in actual behavior is eastern Michigan, from Monroe up through Detroit, Pontiac, Flint, and Saginaw. Union socialists don't want change, very status quo.

The western part of the state centered on Grand Rapids is socially conservative and economically progressive, unlike the unions controlling the rest of the state.

[Wabbit]

http://www.cjnetworks.com/~cubsfan/places/grand_rapids.html (broken link)

That link above is a little present for you.
As far as midsize cities go, other than Sault Lake City, you'd be hard pressed to find a more conservative area overall than Grand Rapids/Zeeland/Holland. That said, the repressive aspects that you read so much about I think are way overblown. I personally have never felt that here.

For your most conservative areas in G.R. I would look to Hudsonville, Jenison and Walker. Grandville is more moderate conservative in my experience.
My only experience with Walker is a negative one, so I'll share it with you. When my brother and sister moved here they went to numerous realtors around West G.R. The realtor in Walker told them point plank that my sister in law, who is greek, would not be made to feel comfortable in Walker or Hudsonville. Yikes.
They ended up moving to Grandville and love it.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

http://www.cjnetworks.com/~cubsfan/places/grand_rapids.html (broken link)

That link above is a little present for you.
As far as midsize cities go, other than Sault Lake City, you'd be hard pressed to find a more conservative area overall than Grand Rapids/Zeeland/Holland. That said, the repressive aspects that you read so much about I think are way overblown. I personally have never felt that here.

For your most conservative areas in G.R. I would look to Hudsonville, Jenison and Walker. Grandville is more moderate conservative in my experience.
My only experience with Walker is a negative one, so I'll share it with you. When my brother and sister moved here they went to numerous realtors around West G.R. The realtor in Walker told them point plank that my sister in law, who is greek, would not be made to feel comfortable in Walker or Hudsonville. Yikes.
They ended up moving to Grandville and love it.

Colorado Springs is pretty over-the-top conservative. I've heard the same about Charlotte, NC. Fom a friend that lives there, I hear it has definite strong Southern bible-belt attitude (it even had a bible amusement park built by Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker that closed after their big scandal),despite its growing banking industry. It even has a Billy Graham Pkwy. I've read that "more churches per capita" title given to many cities.

Just setting the record straight on mid-sized conservative cities. I've heard Boise is a bit overzealous too, but I've never been there and can't say.

BTW Wabbit, that list of comments on Turn Left is about 10 years old. I remember finding it shortly after we moved here in 95.

In a little more recent study of voting patterns, Grand Rapids doesn't make the cut of the Top 25 most conservative cities:

http://www.govpro.com/ArticleDraw.aspx?HBC=News&NIL=False&CID=31439&OASK ey= (broken link)

[Rapunzll]

Avoid SE MI altogether. Detroit was rated the most liberal city in the country recently. Pretty much anywhere else is fine.

I'm a conservative myself and I live in TC. There are liberals in the city itself, which is quite small, but the surrounding area is conservative.

[suydam]

From the west side of Grand Rapids to the lakeshore is the most socially and fiscally conservative in the state.

Ottawa County voted 81% for Bush in 2004 even though Kerry won the state.

The nice thing is that if you're looking at Ottawa County you can live anywhere from a small town with 1920s homes(City of Grand Haven) to a brand new development in a corn-field somewhere (Allendale) and everything in between.

Lots of choices and it's a great area to live. I live on the other side of Grand Rapids. Similar choices there though I think politically it's a little more diverse (60/40 republican perhaps? just guessing).

There's a positively HUGE evangelical church in Grandville. If you're looking for a new congregation that's a good place to look too. It's called Mars Hill I think. It's like its own city.

[Schaumburger]

Anywhere Michigan is your bet, but I think anywhere in the suburbs will suit you fine. I don't think Michigan's suburbs are any less or more Neocon than suburbs of other US cities.

Metro Grand Rapids is moving more to the center. Right now, I'd put the collective ideology as a moderate place -- Republican though. There is no doubt that the left side of the metro (Ottawa County) is definitely more your fitting. Ottawa County has pockets of Neoconservative communities.

I don't think you're going to find much of an emphasis on "Conservative values" in the general Metro GR area, but more of an emphasis on common morals. It is indeed the place to raise your munchkins and make a buck.

[Rawlings]

Originally Posted by magellan

Colorado Springs is pretty over-the-top conservative. I've heard the same about Charlotte, NC. Fom a friend that lives there, I hear it has definite strong Southern bible-belt attitude (it even had a bible amusement park built by Jim and Tammy Fae Bakker that closed after their big scandal),despite its growing banking industry. It even has a Billy Graham Pkwy. I've read that "more churches per capita" title given to many cities.

Just setting the record straight on mid-sized conservative cities. I've heard Boise is a bit overzealous too, but I've never been there and can't say.

BTW Wabbit, that list of comments on Turn Left is about 10 years old. I remember finding it shortly after we moved here in 95.

In a little more recent study of voting patterns, Grand Rapids doesn't make the cut of the Top 25 most conservative cities:

http://www.govpro.com/ArticleDraw.aspx?HBC=News&NIL=False&CID=31439&OASK ey= (broken link)

I'm in Colorado now, actually. This might be ground zero for social conservatism in America! Colorado Springs and Denver are both filled with megachurches and evangelical organizations. I was just curious what Michigan held for the same type of folks.