I'm a fan of Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo; Holland as well. All seem quite dynamic places with lots of energy. Welcoming to young newcomers. Lansing is a bit more rundown and staid, but there are glimmers of people trying new things and attempting to revitalize decrepit areas. East Lansing is packed with students--for good and bad--but the public buses in Lansing/East Lansing are quite good. Originally being an ag school, Michigan State has a lot of resources related to farming and gardening. (My grandfather actually went to blacksmith school there a bazillion years ago!)
I do get sick to my stomach to see how much farmland is constantly being churned up for new suburban developments in the Lansing/East Lansing area. Especially when a field of corn has just been destroyed for a new strip mall because the old strip mall isn't fancy enough anymore.
Lansing/East Lansing seem more conformist to me than Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, so you may have to find your niche to discover people who are ok with a vegetable garden in your front yard or chickens in the back, for example. The fancy subdivisions often have very strict HOAs (more prevalent in Okemos and East Lansing, than Lansing). Taxes for the school district may be quite high depending on where you land.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-08-11 05:02 pm (UTC)I do get sick to my stomach to see how much farmland is constantly being churned up for new suburban developments in the Lansing/East Lansing area. Especially when a field of corn has just been destroyed for a new strip mall because the old strip mall isn't fancy enough anymore.
Lansing/East Lansing seem more conformist to me than Grand Rapids or Kalamazoo, so you may have to find your niche to discover people who are ok with a vegetable garden in your front yard or chickens in the back, for example. The fancy subdivisions often have very strict HOAs (more prevalent in Okemos and East Lansing, than Lansing). Taxes for the school district may be quite high depending on where you land.