If you’re searching for a community with easy access to the Motor City, look no further than Livonia, Michigan. A quick jaunt northwest of downtown Detroit, Livonia epitomizes the word “suburb”. It was originally settled by pioneers from New England, and saw a growth in population through the 50s and 60s, as citizens from Detroit migrated outwards.
Being mostly residential neighborhoods and home-owners, Livonia isn’t much of a renter’s haven
Livonia, Michigan
If you’re searching for a community with easy access to the Motor City, look no further than Livonia, Michigan. A quick jaunt northwest of downtown Detroit, Livonia epitomizes the word “suburb”. It was originally settled by pioneers from New England, and saw a growth in population through the 50s and 60s, as citizens from Detroit migrated outwards.
Apartment Hunting
Being mostly residential neighborhoods and home-owners, Livonia isn’t much of a renter’s haven. Only about 11% of the population rents homes or apartments here, but that doesn’t mean finding a place is impossible.
Apartment complexes, especially the larger variety, are pretty easy to find. Expect to see most of your apartment options in small, usually two or three floor, buildings. Some of these will be multi-building communities with small community amenities, like covered parking and laundry facilities. There are also newer and nicer condo-quality units, too. If a house is what you’re looking for, there are plenty of different types and sizes available in nice neighborhoods. Average rental prices range from the upper 100s to the mid 1000s per month, depending on the size and quality you choose.
But Where to Look?
Some factors may affect location slightly, but on the whole, don’t expect the neighborhoods to be too distinct. Here are a few things to remember as you explore your housing options:
Cardinal Directions: The I-96 freeway cuts through the southern half of the city, and the portion immediately south of the freeway is a little sparse for living. This area has some industrial sections and shopping centers. The largest neighborhoods you’re going to find will be on the northwest side, where streets spread out, and wind around all willy-nilly. For the most part, though, there’s very little directional pattern to the city’s neighborhoods.
Living in Livonia
Livonia may not have many ground-breaking national claims to fame, but is considered by locals to be one of the most “liveable” cities of metro-Detroit, and a great place to call home. The community has easy access to nearby cities for commuting or entertainment. It has many areas for recreation and shopping.
Getting Around: Like all of Metro Detroit, Livonia is a car-based city (gotta show that Motor City pride!) Livonia has no public transit system, but it runs shuttle buses that pick up and drop off commuters from SMART and D-DOT bus lines in nearby cities.
We’ve seen Livonia described by locals as being very “wonder bread”, which is great for some, but can be a bit of a disappointment for others. Maybe you prefer wheat bread, challah or pita, or maybe even a nice pumpernickel loaf. We can never be quite sure until we take a bite though, so we’ll leave you to do your own taste test of Livonia’s lifestyle and see for yourself.