2019 Best Places to Raise a Family in MichiganAbout this List

Okemos

• Town in Michigan
• 76

Current Resident: Ideal family community. Strong public schools. The high school has full range of AP classes, kids score 4-5's. Excellent school music and art programs. Very safe. Kids make friendships across social classes. Religiously diverse metro area with Jewish synagogues, an Islamic mosque, a Hindu and Jain temple, churches with services in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish, African American churches, etc. Restaurants and grocery stores from many cultures. Many cultural opportunities at MSU. Parks, trails, lakes, farmer's market.
Read 76 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 22,989 Population

Lodi Township

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 12

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 6,354 Population

Bloomfield Charter Township

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 69

Current Resident: More diversity training for the educators, including the principal/office staff. Because it starts and ends at the top just as in the home environment. My light skinned mixed son didn't know what racism or bullying were until moving into the school district, and the school's are why we moved.
Unfortunately, he was in a middle school with only 15-20% minority luckily there was only (1) senior high school and an about 35% minority mix, along with more attention paid to diversity in all respects.
Bloomfield Twp is primarily residential, no fast food or party store type businesses, mostly doctors, lawyers offices. Residents take pride in ownership and don't move often driving up prices and the school's are Rated A+ , private unless you live in district.
Lastly, BT is very safe with a police/EMS response time of 2-3min. I personally walk my poodle at 3a in my house coat& feel comfortable and safe.
Thanks
Read 69 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 41,969 Population

Beverly Hills

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 16

Current Resident: I really enjoy living in Beverly Hills. There is a great school district. The police station is very central and the people are really friendly!
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 10,424 Population

Northville

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 36

Current Resident: This is a very expensive neighborhood, but there is always something going on! I have never seen a town so busy during the summer and fall months. They are also VERY good about cleaning up after a bad snow storm and making sure the community is safe. It's a huge up and coming area for new and growing families.
Read 36 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 5,998 Population

East Grand Rapids

• Suburb of Grand Rapids, MI
• 19

Current Resident: AMAZING LITTLE TOWN!! I have lived here all my life and I couldn't think of anywhere else to live in Michigan. Everyone knows everyone else your super close with your neighbors and block. The East stereotypes aren't really that amazing though. People in other towns call us the stuck-up rich kids because the houses are big and expensive. You're super close to downtown EGR almost wherever you live. There are a few stores including Starbucks, Kilwins, A grocery store, Restaurants, and an Athleta. There are lots more but those are the most popular. We also have a local hot dog and fries shop called Crazy Charlie's which has amazing food and I highly recommend. (Can be busy because kids walk there after school). All the schools (middle and High) are less than a 5-minute walk to all these places. There is little to no crime. Overall I highly recommened raising your family in East.
Read 19 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,493 Population

Northville Township

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 30

Current Resident: Really beautiful place to live; a lot of family friendly activities! Weather is beautiful, summer is gorgeous and super enjoyable. I wish they would fix the main roads, but other than that its a picturesque, cookie cutter American Dream city.
Read 30 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 28,838 Population

Birmingham

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 59

Current Resident: I love Birmingham! Downtown Birmingham is great; the city is not too big or too small, and it is very close to many places such as Detroit. I have lived here my whole life and I have never wished to live in another city and I would love to live here again after college and raise my family here.
Read 59 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 20,836 Population

Franklin

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 3

Former Resident: In all of Michigan, this has got to be my favorite town to live. I've been everywhere in Michigan and Franklin just has the best of the best. Professional citizens, charming estate style homes, quaint downtown. Only the best of everything and people who really care! The Police and businesses are nothing but AMAZING! I really like that there aren’t a lot of crisp dollars flying around this town.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 3,218 Population

Grosse Pointe Farms

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 34

Current Resident: As a teenager, I think Grosse Pointe Farms is great! The only downside in my opinion is other people's political beliefs. I've grown up in a split household, so I've grown to make my own political choices. For others, that's not the case. The only thing I wish for is that everyone makes their own choices and doesn't just follow their parents beliefs because they think their parents are always right.
Read 34 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 9,238 Population

Bloomfield Hills

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 23

Current Resident: I have been a resident of BH for going on 10 years now. I have gone through the elementary and middle school systems through BHSD and am about to graduate high school. Overall, BH is a nice district with a variety of people of different creeds, ages, and identities. One issue is the weather-infrastructure blend. Roads are often filled with potholes which is only made worse during winter.
Read 23 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 3,981 Population

Grosse Pointe Park

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 24

Current Resident: Grosse Pointe Park is a wonderful, affluent community to raise a family. Unfortunately, those within the community are not the easiest people to fit in with. Everything, even little things like school leadership positions, can be based on the child's parents connections. Otherwise, the community is beautiful and safe. The Park has three parks that those who live here can access with ID. There are also some very nice places to go out to eat on Kercheval in the Park. The schools are fantastic, offering a great education with very wonderful teachers within safe buildings.
Read 24 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 11,240 Population

Forest Hills

• Suburb of Grand Rapids, MI
• 76

Current Resident: I love that Forest HIlls is such a safe community. They have a great school system, and the and it is extremely family friendly. It is quite pricey, and the society as a whole is very affluent. There are lots of opportunities for kids to play sports and participate in clubs, and many school options. There are Spanish Immersion and Mandarin Immersion school programs available nearby. The location is ideal, since it is a few minute's drive from Grand Rapids, but not too close, and relatively close to Lake Michigan.
Read 76 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 27,599 Population

Huntington Woods

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 16

Current Resident: Small city, with the best small-town feel in the suburbs of Detroit! Each season has reason to celebrate with friends and neighbors!
Read 16 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A+

• 6,347 Population

Ann Arbor

• City in Michigan
• 413

Nearby Resident: I love Ann Arbor because it has the small town feel, while also having the city and nigh life atmosphere. The heart of this city is located on the campus of The University of Michigan, but it is also surrounded by many tight knit neighborhoods and high schools. There are unlimited restaurants located in downtown Ann Arbor. I have lived here for 16 years and still have not visited 75% of them. If you love family, food, sports, activities, adventure, great school systems, and a caring community then Ann Arbor is the perfect place!
Read 413 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 119,303 Population

Troy

• Town in Michigan
• 200

Current Resident: The city of Troy is not the city you go to to look for great stuff to do. But Troy is the city you live in if you want access to everything southeast Michigan has to offer. It is less then half an hour from downtown Detroit, with all the things that it offers, including the border to Canada and all the tourism that it offers. Troy is withing two hours of the state capital, offering many chances for learning. It is also with in reasonable driving distance of Michigan State and the University of Michigan, with other smaller colleges even closer. The most important part of the city, though, is its schools. The Troy school district is one of, if not the, best school district in the state. It is a safe city with great diversity and great schools. If you are looking to move to Michigan, I would recommend Troy.
Read 200 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 83,336 Population

Grosse Pointe

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 10

Former Resident: I grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. From a child standpoint, it was a wonderful place to grow up. The public school system was impeccable, and it was an incredibly safe neighborhood. It is a suburb for families, mostly middle class families. As I got older, however, I started to notice its' flaws. I lived with my single mother and 3 older sisters. We were not a wealthy family, to say the least, and therefore did not "fit in". I had found out my mother was completely segregated from social life with other members of the community because of her financial situation. Grosse Pointe is also not diverse at all, made up almost completely of white individuals like myself. There is no nightlife in Grosse Pointe, as many people my age joked that the city "shuts down" at 9 p.m. Overall, I think this city is a safe environment to grow up and attend school at, but it is not a place for the unwealthy or individuals without children.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 5,241 Population

Novi

• Town in Michigan
• 143

Current Resident: I am 22 and have spent my whole life living in Novi, Michigan. I attended Village Oaks Elementary, Novi Meadows, Novi Middle school, and Novi School. The educational system prepared me very well for my undergraduate studies at Grand Valley State University. One thing that I would change in the school system is their English department's difficulty. I felt that it was too easy and did not challenge me to be a better writer. I struggled in writing at Grand Valley, but I worked very hard to get better. When applying to Graduate schools, I found tremendous difficulty in writing my application essays. I wish I had a better foundation.
Read 143 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 58,835 Population

Haslett

• Town in Michigan
• 37

Current Resident: I love living in Haslett, MI. I have lived here my whole life. I've made a lot of great friends, and have had so many awesome experiences throughout my life. I especially love my neighborhood because we are all very close and feel like family. So many of my teachers have made a positive impact in my life, and I am so appreciative of all they've done for me. This community is very friendly, and I have always felt very safe living here. I also love being so close to Michigan State University and all it has to offer as well. Their isn't a lot of night life in Haslett, but I don't really mind as my family, friends and various school and community events keep me plenty busy. There really is not much I would change about this community!
Read 37 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 19,800 Population

Oakland Charter Township

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 21

Current Resident: I have always felt extremely in my neighborhoods and out in town! Everyone is friendly and helpful, there is always plenty to do with friends, and I always feel comfortable going for a run or a bike ride out into town or on local trails like the Paint Creek. I also had a great experience with my education with Lake Orion schools. That's not to mention the natural beauty of local lakes, forests, and parks to enjoy nature and get outdoors during the summer.
Read 21 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 18,494 Population

Plymouth

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 25

Current Resident: I have lived in Plymouth for the better part of 20 years. I have watched many changes, and growth come to the community. Plymouth is a safe place, with ample ammenities, and the coziest little town. Kellog Park in the center of town offers many attractions to residents such as Art in the Park, Ice Fest, music on Thursdays, trick or treating for kids, and Santa for kids just to name a few. The always seasonly decorated park is surrounded by many shops, boutiques, and restaurants that fill at night and on the weekends. While the nightlife options are rather limited, you are close enough to the freeways to head out to enjoy cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor, Novi, Royal Oak and Ferndale. I find that to be one of the biggest perks myself. If you were looking for a new community, I would absolutely recommend Plymouth, Michigan!
Read 25 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 9,005 Population

Grosse Pointe Woods

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 34

Current Resident: I have lived in the Pointes for 22 years. Split between the Park and the Woods. I have lived in the Woods for 11 years. I am not originally from the Pointes, but I wouldn't call anywhere else home! The schools are great, crime is low, private parks are awesome and you can ride your bike anywhere you need to go. Restaurants, doctor, dentist, market, we have it all!
Read 34 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 15,678 Population

Village of Grosse Pointe Shores

• Suburb of Detroit, MI
• 3

Current Resident: I like the people within the city. Everyone is so nice and thoughtful and typically there is nothing to worry about. It is a safe neighborhood where everyone fits in.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• A+

• 2,910 Population

Ottawa Hills

• Neighborhood in Grand Rapids, MI

• A+

• B+

• A+

• 3,785 Population

Dexter

• Town in Michigan
• 11

Current Resident: Dexter is a small town. Yet, as its population continues to grow the small community feel has stayed and has continued to strive. In March of 2012 an EF3 tornado ripped through Dexter. While it would have been easy to give up, for people to move away, and leave the rubble behind, Dexter did the opposite. The community came together in the dark and picked up the pieces. Everyone was there to help each other in our time of need. Everyday, Dexter fails to surprise me by its incredible sense of community and family because it is something everyone has some to expect from their neighbors. We are the Dreadnaughts, and we will always come together for each other in times of need.
Read 11 Reviews

• A+

• A

• A+

• 4,385 Population