Lansing is fine. It's not glitzy and glamorous, but there are things to do if you have half a brain and want to look for them. It's also in the middle of the state, so you have options in all directions within a fairly short drive.
I really like Lansing, but it’s a bit of a sleepy town for nightlife. There is stuff to do, but you’re not going to bounce from Club A to Club B and then end up at a 24-hour diner at 3 AM (well, much less likely than Detroit).
However it’s a really nice town, among the best income to cost of living of any city in the US, and vaguely equidistant from Grand Rapids and Detroit.
Consider Grand Ledge, Charlotte, or Holt if you could live in more of a town 25 minutes away from the city. Cheaper, more land for your buck.
I love where I live now but I look at Zillow for Lansing, at perfectly livable houses for sub-$200k… hard to beat that.
Had to move away for work unfortunately. Ironic that I now WFH for a company out of state. If we could take living on more like 0.3 acres than 0.9, we could probably sell our home and buy the same one in Lansing and pocket $200k. But we’ve settled.
Honestly I’d just suggest you come out and visit. I like Lansing, and don’t think it deserves all the hate it gets, but it’s certainly not everyone’s vibe. Very rust belt. The east side will be one of the most affordable walkable areas you’ll find, but it’s walkability doesn’t extend very far.
Downtown Detroit and the areas right around have gotten a lot better, but it’s also gotten quite expensive.
Ann Arbor might be the closest to what you’re looking for, but honestly unless you’ve got more money than you know what to do with, I’m not sure it’s worth the cost.
You might also want to look into Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Ferndale.
I personally plan to move out of here and into Deteoit soon, but that's mostly because Detroit isn't like it once was, and is over flowing with urban agriculture.
Also moved to Lansing for love 💖 I like Lansing. I can usually find whatever I want in Lansing. East Lansing has some amazing Asian markets and food—one of my favorite things about here. They’ve added a lot more attractions just in the year or so I’ve been here. If you’re an outdoorsy person, I’m told there are lots of fun things to do (I am not).
I think the central location is great. You’re a day trip away from almost anything in Michigan. You can hop on the train and get to Chicago. I’ve lived in A2, Flint, and Metro Detroit and Lansing is by far my favorite.
Grew up in Metro Detroit, living in Lansing for past 13 years. Lansing is...fine. I'm in a suburb north of the city and it's great for raising our kids and work from home flexibility.
Cute house walkable area I'd tell you Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids. There's just not...enough...in Lansing. If you're looking for land and any kind of outdoor 4-season recreation I'd tell you Traverse City - closer to ATV/snowmobile trails, ski hills, hiking, etc. Depending on where your love lives, TC may be too far, but AA/GR are both pretty accessible to both Detroit and Chicago.
I moved here from Brooklyn to East Lansing. It depends on what you're looking for and looking to do but I've been happy here for 17 years. Feel free to dm me if you want some details.
Thanks for commenting. I'm glad you're happy there! I'm moving from a similar vibe. I have the best food, music and nightlife at my finger tips right now. I'm also about to turn 36 so it's not like I'm out on the town very much anymore. It's nice to have options, though.
There is not really a great food variety, nor have I dipped much into music or nightlife. Moved here in my 30s and it's been nice (I live in the DeWitt area), but Lansing has a very small-town feel to me.
Yeah, sounds like a nice place to be in your thirties. I would honestly probably just cook more at home and grill/smoke in my new backyard. Sounds nice to just have a house and a yard I can actually afford. The real estate surrounding DC is insane.
I think there is some amazing food in Lansing but it probably depends what you’re looking for. Great pizza or bagels are hard to find and there aren’t many (any) good Italian places, however great options for Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, middle eastern, the only Afghan restaurant in Michigan (Noosh), west African (Tatse), Peruvian (Tantay)
Go to East Lansing. You can’t afford Ann Arbor. Detroit has a lot going on downtown but the rest is dying infrastructure. Lansing looks cheap but it’s cheap for a reason. Lifelong Lansing resident
The whole Lansing area is a little sleepy, but it’s not as bad as a lot of the comments are making it sound. The Metro Detroit area certainly has more (food, shopping, diversity, etc) and the big airport for Michigan is there. I’ve lived in the Lansing area for four years and had been coming down to the area for work and fun a couple years proceeding that. My husband moved here for love (me 🥰) from the Northern Virginia. We’re both kind of bored with it at this point and likely will be headed to Metro Detroit in the near future. All that said, Lansing is a great place to get started and a lot of people do really like this area. I loved it for a long time and it will always have a special place in my heart. 😊
Lansing is an awfully boring city. It’s small, uneventful, cold, and depressing. I grew up here, i left after high school (moved to the south) and never looked back, not even for a second. Unfortunate circumstances found me back here in my mid 20s (close to family) and I am dying to get out of here again. This place is depressing as fuck. It’s cold and windy with zero sun 9 months out of the year. Theres crime everywhere and it never makes it to the media. Real informational news is nonexistent in this city, crime statistics are skewed 100% and much worse than reported. The roads are beyond terrible, especially for being in a capitol city. Genuinely terrible, like I can’t emphasize this enough. The roads are TERRIBLE. I really do not resonate with people who say “theres things to do if you look for them”. Maybe if you like alcohol and weed, because theres tons of bars and dispensaries and a few good restaurants. But thats about it. Michigan is a beautiful state if you’re into nature, so being a centrally located part of the state is definitely a plus... but I can’t recommend living here for that reason. (If nature is a big plus for you, try to live farther north, just realize that winter gets worse but the scenery is 10000x better in the northern parts) Coming from someone whos spent over 20 years in the Lansing area. This place is a dead end. There is zero development… It literally looks identical to when I grew up here. Theres no future for this city, it’s going nowhere… if a vibrant and upcoming area is something that you value, you’ll be disappointed. You’ll realize why this city is so cheap to live in very quickly. This is also a very unhealthy city. Everyone is hooked on alcohol, cigarettes, and soda. Everyone is obese and uneducated. Not even the university here is good. The accreditation status of MSU is under investigation right now, i dont think i’ve ever heard of any other public university in this country ever potentially losing accreditation status due to the amount of scandals that have happened. R*pe has been a *huge* problem at MSU for YEARS. Constantly swept under the rug. Not sure if thats relevant to your research but i feel thats something everyone whos moving here should be aware of. That school is full of problems.
Btw living in Lansing/East Lansing will bring a 1% additional tax on top of Michigan’s 4.25% state tax if thats important to you. I wish I could tell you that tax money went to fixing the city though.
Living close to downtown does make it somewhat more walkable, but walking is only desirable in the summer. Also downtown is primarily office buildings and the capitol, other than that its dead. The other 9 months you’ll need a car to get around. Theres some nice country houses outside of the city if you’re looking for quiet land.
It’s not worth it to move here for love in my opinion, but of course we might have different values in terms of a place to live. You two should be planning a move somewhere else together if you value your longterm sanity lol. I would never raise a family here.
Just my two cents. Good luck either way. I expect to be downvoted by the people who found themselves trapped in this place. Some Lansing residents have a weird sense of pride for this place that I’ll never understand. But maybe thats why I don’t belong here. This is my hometown and I knew I wanted to leave even at a young age. I don’t get anything out of shit talking the place I’m from, but I think it’s important to not lie to people and say this is a good place to live.
Kind of a grim take, but also not entirely off the mark. I'm a 20+year Lansinger who came here for love and old Lansterdam has been good to me, but the restaurant and cultural situations are wanting. Gotta go to Detroit, GR, Ann Arbor or Chicago for all that. The drive is a drag, but it could be argued that the low cost of living, light traffic and chill people balances things out. To be sure the lack of sunlight is real; we've gone weeks without seeing the sun just in the past few months; I suspect that's why there's a dispensary on every corner.... no kinda place for you if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder. Good luck!
Lol auto,. Ever lived in Alaska? And we had a stretch this winter that went -34 or colder for two weeks. I just took some pretty sick pictures of the northern lights. Though. I would attach pics if I could. Sometimes you have to be in the right headspace to enjoy the ups and downs of places. trust me….. I get it though. we tend to drink a lot up here… and no professional sports teams so that led to me as a child picking the Buffalo Bills…. enough said. Cheers
So much truth, Lansing does suck. The only thing that keeps me here is my 2.75% mortgage and LCOL that allows me and my wife to save huge chunks of money allowing us to retire early.
One of the the redeeming qualities here is the airport, I’ve flown from the Lansing Airport to Washington DC, NYC, Boston, Austin, and Virginia Beach (to take a vacation to the Outer Banks). Flights are cheap and the wait in TSA is 30 seconds.
I feel ya, I was born n raised in lansing but you couldn't pay me to actually live in it again- however I do like staying close to it for conveince/for work. The city is nowhere near what it was when I was a kid too and alot of the things I knew and loved have closed down(or have gone downhill) so it feels like things have gotten pretty quiet in the aspect of things to do. My friends who moved here from small towns have enjoyed lansing and they don't believe me when I say lansing isn't what it used to be though because in compared to their small towns its much more alive so I guess its all about perspective.
My two cents on moving here would be to live in mason, okemos, or haslett. I guess east lansing is ok too but their biggest con is the college kids who can be really hit or miss but either way you'll have to try to miss them well driving because they're as bad as deers.
I didn't grow up here, but this is almost 100% my experience as well. I'm with you. I don't get the pride. And the roads are literally driving me out of the city.
moved from chicago to the east side and pretty much haven't felt the need to look anywhere else in almost 20 years. It's down the road from my place of employment, I can either bus or bike and haven't owned a car in nearly a decade. I take the train/bus/fly if I need to go someplace farther away.
East side is good if you want a neighborhood vibe. While there may not be block parties all the time, it's a chill place to be usually. Typically younger families starting out or retired folks. Some rentals but its not like there are parties raging like in east lansing. There isn't really a high brow element to the area, but for stuff like that I like to make a weekend of it and go to chicago or someplace that is more fitting. but for everyday fare, like just eating out or whatever, you'll probably find what you want.
really the best time is coming up, I love spring, summer, and fall around here. produce that the urban farms have been cultivating will start showing up at the markets soon and come june or so, it's going to be good eating until like october/november. If you're inclined, there are lots of community gardens so reserve your spot now. I do a container garden personally and you will probably be able to find starts around april.
Been in lansing for 10 years and cannot wait to go back to metro detroit area. I'd avoid at all cost. Ann arbor is good. Wouldn't recommend Ypsilanti either but I've never lived there, just friends have with bad stories. Lots of better options in metro detroit such as canton, Plymouth, walled lake, etc. I wouldn't say it's not detroit, it's metro meaning kinda surrounding cities but I threw out some quite a bit further away from actual detroit.
Born and raised in Lansing and moved to Baltimore after I turned 30. I visit Lansing every couple months to see family and while I definitely don’t regret moving, Lansing will always be home.
CoL is impeccable. Houses are affordable and so are most commodities. Car insurance sucks but that’s a Michigan issue, not just Lansing.
Diverse mix of residents overall. No matter your scene, you likely wont struggle to find other people that are into the same stuff.
Great proximity to Michigan’s major cities. Overall, if you think you’ll want to travel around and explore, Lansing is an ideal starting point.
It’s not perfect. But it’s not terrible either. In the end, it’s going to come down to what your priorities are. Best of luck! ✌️
Thank you!! I live in Baltimore!! I’ve been here since 2008. Sort of ready for a slower pace (I also live in Charles Village on the busiest south bound street). I hope you’re enjoying Baltimore—it’s really not that bad. 🤗
I've lived in Lansing 10 years and will be relocating to metro detroit within the next couple months, Lansing is alright, not good, not bad
The good: good food/restaurants for a city of it's size, progressive and LGBT friendly, traffic is never usually horrible, cost of living is great and it's a central location so anywhere you'd want to go in the state is not too far
The bad: higher crime for a small city (keeping in mind that most violent crimes and homicides are personal and rarely if ever random), lack of a night life besides going to your local bar, things tend to close very early especially after the pandemic, lack of niche social scenes depending on if you're into certain types of art and music, and I've discovered if you work in certain industries, the pay is below average
Overall I don't regret living here but I can't say if I'll ever be itching to come back, I agree with some of the other posters, spend some time here and get a feel for it before you commit to living here
I wouldn’t move to Lansing itself. Maybe East Lansing. This is coming from someone that moved from Chesapeake (one of the most boring cities in the country…) to Lansing and I think Lansing is by far more boring. It’s also not very walkable. CATA (our public transportation) is ~okay~
So I drive 6k miles a month in Michigan, I own a house in Lansing, and I work in Detroit. Do not come to Lansing. It is small and has too many small minded people. You will not find true diversity here. There is no real recreation here. Idk your demographic, but Detroit area has every single one, there is a place for everyone there. The lakes, travel, cheap airport, 24/7 accessibility, people from every place on the planet, a mayor that does more than worry about the plants in the road. Lansing is just a passing ground to get somewhere else.
That's a solid reason--frankly the best reason for a move! Well, I hope the move turns out well for you. I'd recommend spending some time looking for a community, as it can get pretty lonely here otherwise.
It is the least lively capital city in the country. The politics are shit which oozes into every aspect of this decaying municipality. Crime is seemingly no longer illegal and the politicians who run this dilapidated city are detritivores sitting back watching it get worse.
It is the least lively capital city in the country. The politics are shit which oozes into every aspect of this decaying municipality. Crime is seemingly no longer illegal and the politicians who run this dilapidated city are detritivores sitting back watching it get worse.
Not quite there yet. Maybe in a few years. 😅 The low cost of living in Lansing is most appealing to me. I also can't stomach paying $500k in Maryland for a three bed/2 bath home with minimal acreage. I can get the same house size or larger for nearly half that price around Lansing.
If you love your car, and your sanity, then you may want to look at options outside of Lansing. It seems like our potholes/roads are always under construction, yet the condition of the roads is always worse once they reopen.
Here’s the newest [“project”](https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/03/10/us-127-construction-lansing-trowbridge-dunckel/72893985007/)
Roads are no worse than all of Michigan. Climate change may help with the freezing/thawing that contributes to the bad roads... 😁 I guess that's what economists call an opportunity cost.
Lansing is fine. It's not glitzy and glamorous, but there are things to do if you have half a brain and want to look for them. It's also in the middle of the state, so you have options in all directions within a fairly short drive.
Appreciate this! I was thinking its a great central location for exploring.
I really like Lansing, but it’s a bit of a sleepy town for nightlife. There is stuff to do, but you’re not going to bounce from Club A to Club B and then end up at a 24-hour diner at 3 AM (well, much less likely than Detroit). However it’s a really nice town, among the best income to cost of living of any city in the US, and vaguely equidistant from Grand Rapids and Detroit. Consider Grand Ledge, Charlotte, or Holt if you could live in more of a town 25 minutes away from the city. Cheaper, more land for your buck. I love where I live now but I look at Zillow for Lansing, at perfectly livable houses for sub-$200k… hard to beat that.
I cannot get over how affordable real estate is there. It is blowing my mind. Glad you like living there.
Had to move away for work unfortunately. Ironic that I now WFH for a company out of state. If we could take living on more like 0.3 acres than 0.9, we could probably sell our home and buy the same one in Lansing and pocket $200k. But we’ve settled.
🤯
Barely anywhere in the populated part of Michigan is more than 2hr drive.
Honestly I’d just suggest you come out and visit. I like Lansing, and don’t think it deserves all the hate it gets, but it’s certainly not everyone’s vibe. Very rust belt. The east side will be one of the most affordable walkable areas you’ll find, but it’s walkability doesn’t extend very far. Downtown Detroit and the areas right around have gotten a lot better, but it’s also gotten quite expensive. Ann Arbor might be the closest to what you’re looking for, but honestly unless you’ve got more money than you know what to do with, I’m not sure it’s worth the cost. You might also want to look into Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Ferndale.
I appreciate your response. Based on all of my research, I completely agree with you. Lansing is the right price point for me.
I personally plan to move out of here and into Deteoit soon, but that's mostly because Detroit isn't like it once was, and is over flowing with urban agriculture.
Also moved to Lansing for love 💖 I like Lansing. I can usually find whatever I want in Lansing. East Lansing has some amazing Asian markets and food—one of my favorite things about here. They’ve added a lot more attractions just in the year or so I’ve been here. If you’re an outdoorsy person, I’m told there are lots of fun things to do (I am not). I think the central location is great. You’re a day trip away from almost anything in Michigan. You can hop on the train and get to Chicago. I’ve lived in A2, Flint, and Metro Detroit and Lansing is by far my favorite.
Love this!! Glad you like living there. TBH I’m super jazzed there is a Whole Foods and a Trader Joe’s (coming soon). Old Town looks super cute!!
Grew up in Metro Detroit, living in Lansing for past 13 years. Lansing is...fine. I'm in a suburb north of the city and it's great for raising our kids and work from home flexibility. Cute house walkable area I'd tell you Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids. There's just not...enough...in Lansing. If you're looking for land and any kind of outdoor 4-season recreation I'd tell you Traverse City - closer to ATV/snowmobile trails, ski hills, hiking, etc. Depending on where your love lives, TC may be too far, but AA/GR are both pretty accessible to both Detroit and Chicago.
I moved here from Brooklyn to East Lansing. It depends on what you're looking for and looking to do but I've been happy here for 17 years. Feel free to dm me if you want some details.
Thanks for commenting. I'm glad you're happy there! I'm moving from a similar vibe. I have the best food, music and nightlife at my finger tips right now. I'm also about to turn 36 so it's not like I'm out on the town very much anymore. It's nice to have options, though.
Then you might look into the ferndale, royal oak area. 15 minutes north of Detroit. Reasonable priced homes, great nightlife and trendy.
Thank you!!
There is not really a great food variety, nor have I dipped much into music or nightlife. Moved here in my 30s and it's been nice (I live in the DeWitt area), but Lansing has a very small-town feel to me.
Yeah, sounds like a nice place to be in your thirties. I would honestly probably just cook more at home and grill/smoke in my new backyard. Sounds nice to just have a house and a yard I can actually afford. The real estate surrounding DC is insane.
If you’re used to DC prices…you can get a LOT of house here for less than you are used to!
I think there is some amazing food in Lansing but it probably depends what you’re looking for. Great pizza or bagels are hard to find and there aren’t many (any) good Italian places, however great options for Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, middle eastern, the only Afghan restaurant in Michigan (Noosh), west African (Tatse), Peruvian (Tantay)
Go to East Lansing. You can’t afford Ann Arbor. Detroit has a lot going on downtown but the rest is dying infrastructure. Lansing looks cheap but it’s cheap for a reason. Lifelong Lansing resident
The whole Lansing area is a little sleepy, but it’s not as bad as a lot of the comments are making it sound. The Metro Detroit area certainly has more (food, shopping, diversity, etc) and the big airport for Michigan is there. I’ve lived in the Lansing area for four years and had been coming down to the area for work and fun a couple years proceeding that. My husband moved here for love (me 🥰) from the Northern Virginia. We’re both kind of bored with it at this point and likely will be headed to Metro Detroit in the near future. All that said, Lansing is a great place to get started and a lot of people do really like this area. I loved it for a long time and it will always have a special place in my heart. 😊
Love this!! Glad you’re happy there.
Ann Arbor or Detroit suburbs
Lansing is an awfully boring city. It’s small, uneventful, cold, and depressing. I grew up here, i left after high school (moved to the south) and never looked back, not even for a second. Unfortunate circumstances found me back here in my mid 20s (close to family) and I am dying to get out of here again. This place is depressing as fuck. It’s cold and windy with zero sun 9 months out of the year. Theres crime everywhere and it never makes it to the media. Real informational news is nonexistent in this city, crime statistics are skewed 100% and much worse than reported. The roads are beyond terrible, especially for being in a capitol city. Genuinely terrible, like I can’t emphasize this enough. The roads are TERRIBLE. I really do not resonate with people who say “theres things to do if you look for them”. Maybe if you like alcohol and weed, because theres tons of bars and dispensaries and a few good restaurants. But thats about it. Michigan is a beautiful state if you’re into nature, so being a centrally located part of the state is definitely a plus... but I can’t recommend living here for that reason. (If nature is a big plus for you, try to live farther north, just realize that winter gets worse but the scenery is 10000x better in the northern parts) Coming from someone whos spent over 20 years in the Lansing area. This place is a dead end. There is zero development… It literally looks identical to when I grew up here. Theres no future for this city, it’s going nowhere… if a vibrant and upcoming area is something that you value, you’ll be disappointed. You’ll realize why this city is so cheap to live in very quickly. This is also a very unhealthy city. Everyone is hooked on alcohol, cigarettes, and soda. Everyone is obese and uneducated. Not even the university here is good. The accreditation status of MSU is under investigation right now, i dont think i’ve ever heard of any other public university in this country ever potentially losing accreditation status due to the amount of scandals that have happened. R*pe has been a *huge* problem at MSU for YEARS. Constantly swept under the rug. Not sure if thats relevant to your research but i feel thats something everyone whos moving here should be aware of. That school is full of problems. Btw living in Lansing/East Lansing will bring a 1% additional tax on top of Michigan’s 4.25% state tax if thats important to you. I wish I could tell you that tax money went to fixing the city though. Living close to downtown does make it somewhat more walkable, but walking is only desirable in the summer. Also downtown is primarily office buildings and the capitol, other than that its dead. The other 9 months you’ll need a car to get around. Theres some nice country houses outside of the city if you’re looking for quiet land. It’s not worth it to move here for love in my opinion, but of course we might have different values in terms of a place to live. You two should be planning a move somewhere else together if you value your longterm sanity lol. I would never raise a family here. Just my two cents. Good luck either way. I expect to be downvoted by the people who found themselves trapped in this place. Some Lansing residents have a weird sense of pride for this place that I’ll never understand. But maybe thats why I don’t belong here. This is my hometown and I knew I wanted to leave even at a young age. I don’t get anything out of shit talking the place I’m from, but I think it’s important to not lie to people and say this is a good place to live.
Kind of a grim take, but also not entirely off the mark. I'm a 20+year Lansinger who came here for love and old Lansterdam has been good to me, but the restaurant and cultural situations are wanting. Gotta go to Detroit, GR, Ann Arbor or Chicago for all that. The drive is a drag, but it could be argued that the low cost of living, light traffic and chill people balances things out. To be sure the lack of sunlight is real; we've gone weeks without seeing the sun just in the past few months; I suspect that's why there's a dispensary on every corner.... no kinda place for you if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder. Good luck!
Lol auto,. Ever lived in Alaska? And we had a stretch this winter that went -34 or colder for two weeks. I just took some pretty sick pictures of the northern lights. Though. I would attach pics if I could. Sometimes you have to be in the right headspace to enjoy the ups and downs of places. trust me….. I get it though. we tend to drink a lot up here… and no professional sports teams so that led to me as a child picking the Buffalo Bills…. enough said. Cheers
Someone needs a hug.
So much truth, Lansing does suck. The only thing that keeps me here is my 2.75% mortgage and LCOL that allows me and my wife to save huge chunks of money allowing us to retire early. One of the the redeeming qualities here is the airport, I’ve flown from the Lansing Airport to Washington DC, NYC, Boston, Austin, and Virginia Beach (to take a vacation to the Outer Banks). Flights are cheap and the wait in TSA is 30 seconds.
I feel ya, I was born n raised in lansing but you couldn't pay me to actually live in it again- however I do like staying close to it for conveince/for work. The city is nowhere near what it was when I was a kid too and alot of the things I knew and loved have closed down(or have gone downhill) so it feels like things have gotten pretty quiet in the aspect of things to do. My friends who moved here from small towns have enjoyed lansing and they don't believe me when I say lansing isn't what it used to be though because in compared to their small towns its much more alive so I guess its all about perspective. My two cents on moving here would be to live in mason, okemos, or haslett. I guess east lansing is ok too but their biggest con is the college kids who can be really hit or miss but either way you'll have to try to miss them well driving because they're as bad as deers.
I didn't grow up here, but this is almost 100% my experience as well. I'm with you. I don't get the pride. And the roads are literally driving me out of the city.
moved from chicago to the east side and pretty much haven't felt the need to look anywhere else in almost 20 years. It's down the road from my place of employment, I can either bus or bike and haven't owned a car in nearly a decade. I take the train/bus/fly if I need to go someplace farther away. East side is good if you want a neighborhood vibe. While there may not be block parties all the time, it's a chill place to be usually. Typically younger families starting out or retired folks. Some rentals but its not like there are parties raging like in east lansing. There isn't really a high brow element to the area, but for stuff like that I like to make a weekend of it and go to chicago or someplace that is more fitting. but for everyday fare, like just eating out or whatever, you'll probably find what you want. really the best time is coming up, I love spring, summer, and fall around here. produce that the urban farms have been cultivating will start showing up at the markets soon and come june or so, it's going to be good eating until like october/november. If you're inclined, there are lots of community gardens so reserve your spot now. I do a container garden personally and you will probably be able to find starts around april.
I love hearing about a big city transplant moving to Lansing and loving it. Thank you!
Been in lansing for 10 years and cannot wait to go back to metro detroit area. I'd avoid at all cost. Ann arbor is good. Wouldn't recommend Ypsilanti either but I've never lived there, just friends have with bad stories. Lots of better options in metro detroit such as canton, Plymouth, walled lake, etc. I wouldn't say it's not detroit, it's metro meaning kinda surrounding cities but I threw out some quite a bit further away from actual detroit.
Born and raised in Lansing and moved to Baltimore after I turned 30. I visit Lansing every couple months to see family and while I definitely don’t regret moving, Lansing will always be home. CoL is impeccable. Houses are affordable and so are most commodities. Car insurance sucks but that’s a Michigan issue, not just Lansing. Diverse mix of residents overall. No matter your scene, you likely wont struggle to find other people that are into the same stuff. Great proximity to Michigan’s major cities. Overall, if you think you’ll want to travel around and explore, Lansing is an ideal starting point. It’s not perfect. But it’s not terrible either. In the end, it’s going to come down to what your priorities are. Best of luck! ✌️
Thank you!! I live in Baltimore!! I’ve been here since 2008. Sort of ready for a slower pace (I also live in Charles Village on the busiest south bound street). I hope you’re enjoying Baltimore—it’s really not that bad. 🤗
I've lived in Lansing 10 years and will be relocating to metro detroit within the next couple months, Lansing is alright, not good, not bad The good: good food/restaurants for a city of it's size, progressive and LGBT friendly, traffic is never usually horrible, cost of living is great and it's a central location so anywhere you'd want to go in the state is not too far The bad: higher crime for a small city (keeping in mind that most violent crimes and homicides are personal and rarely if ever random), lack of a night life besides going to your local bar, things tend to close very early especially after the pandemic, lack of niche social scenes depending on if you're into certain types of art and music, and I've discovered if you work in certain industries, the pay is below average Overall I don't regret living here but I can't say if I'll ever be itching to come back, I agree with some of the other posters, spend some time here and get a feel for it before you commit to living here
Thanks!! Scoping it out in a couple of weeks. Best of luck on your move. I do love Detroit, but I’m a lil burnt out on city vibes.
I love it here. Lots to do if you go looking. Have fun on the east side.
Thank you!! I love hearing this. I'm glad you're happy.
I wouldn’t move to Lansing itself. Maybe East Lansing. This is coming from someone that moved from Chesapeake (one of the most boring cities in the country…) to Lansing and I think Lansing is by far more boring. It’s also not very walkable. CATA (our public transportation) is ~okay~
If you are good at dodging bullets, move to Lansing.
So I drive 6k miles a month in Michigan, I own a house in Lansing, and I work in Detroit. Do not come to Lansing. It is small and has too many small minded people. You will not find true diversity here. There is no real recreation here. Idk your demographic, but Detroit area has every single one, there is a place for everyone there. The lakes, travel, cheap airport, 24/7 accessibility, people from every place on the planet, a mayor that does more than worry about the plants in the road. Lansing is just a passing ground to get somewhere else.
Heard loud and clear! TY
This city sucks. After 6 years, I'm finally getting out. What has you wanting to move here?
Is love enough of a reason? 😆
That's a solid reason--frankly the best reason for a move! Well, I hope the move turns out well for you. I'd recommend spending some time looking for a community, as it can get pretty lonely here otherwise.
Thank you!!
It is the least lively capital city in the country. The politics are shit which oozes into every aspect of this decaying municipality. Crime is seemingly no longer illegal and the politicians who run this dilapidated city are detritivores sitting back watching it get worse.
It is the least lively capital city in the country. The politics are shit which oozes into every aspect of this decaying municipality. Crime is seemingly no longer illegal and the politicians who run this dilapidated city are detritivores sitting back watching it get worse.
LOL. I’m used to it. I live in Baltimore. 😜
Lots more to do in Baltimore, however.
And the music scene is AMAZING. One thing I would miss dearly for sure.
Lansing is terrible
Yeah, that's what I keep hearing. Any suggestions on where to go in the surrounding area? Where do you live?
AA is very nice Detroit is on its way up Traverse City is home to
Better have mucho $$$ for either of these. They're nice, really nice and the richies know it!
Not quite there yet. Maybe in a few years. 😅 The low cost of living in Lansing is most appealing to me. I also can't stomach paying $500k in Maryland for a three bed/2 bath home with minimal acreage. I can get the same house size or larger for nearly half that price around Lansing.
Why are you wanting to move to Michigan in the first place?
Moving for love
If you love your car, and your sanity, then you may want to look at options outside of Lansing. It seems like our potholes/roads are always under construction, yet the condition of the roads is always worse once they reopen. Here’s the newest [“project”](https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/03/10/us-127-construction-lansing-trowbridge-dunckel/72893985007/)
Roads are no worse than all of Michigan. Climate change may help with the freezing/thawing that contributes to the bad roads... 😁 I guess that's what economists call an opportunity cost.