Michigan Depression/Recession Impacting Ann Arbor - 5/16/2009

Traditionally, Ann Arbor has been "relatively" insulated from national and state economic treads by the enormous budget and tax-free status of the University of Michigan. Apart from UM's direct spending and hiring, a large student population, many with parental support, helped keep a base of local service and supply businesses going. UM spin-offs also helped create jobs. While the rest of Michigan has long been economically depressed (for 10 years?), Ann Arbor was doing at least ok. Now the situation has changed significantly. The state (like many others) has a huge budget shortfall and has been consistently threatening to reduce its contribution to the university's general fund. In anticipation of future cuts, and in a shift in the value placed on long-term staff, the university has, from my personal observations, been both downsizing staff, offering short-term staff positions, and when possible, replacing older workers with younger ones and students (who are less expensive and have lower benefits costs). As the auto industry has collapsed into a much smaller configuration there has been a large ripple effect impact on all businesses in the state including hospital systems. As workers lose employment and retirements lose benefits, these hospital systems are seeing a sharp decline in demand for their services and they are now financially reeling from the loss of income. Although our Governor has worked tirelessly to bring new industries into the state (and she started long before Wall Street's problems) that is a long-term fix that will only slowly help to create new jobs. Doing a job search for zip 48105, for example, reveals only a small number of opportunities in this area. So while Ann Arbor is a great place to live, it is currently (2009) a difficult place to find a job and make a living.

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A #5 Rating for Ann Arbor is Way To High - 4/7/2009

I live in Ann Arbor, and Sperling is way off on such a high rating. Let me warn you, except for the **** cold, living outside the city would be better. High taxes, homeless, little in city services if you are a tax payer, U of M taking all the land without paying taxes or contributing, etc, etc. I'm not just whining either. I'm a middle class engineer, educated with a family. I have visited most places on Sperling's list and Ann Arbor should not be with them. Stay away from the Midwest! No jobs, corrupt government, I can go on. I liv there and wish I never bought there!

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Ann Arbor - 12/7/2008

Ann Arbor is a terrific community if you do not mind cold winters.

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Ann Arbor has good quality of life - 6/25/2008

Ann Arbor is a very complete community on a much smaller scale than many others. It has most every retail, dining, recreation or social option within a very short drive. And it is a very walkable city if you are fairly close to the downtown center.

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Fantastic Quality of Life - 5/31/2008

For anyone looking at Ann Arbor, I can't praise the quality of life here high enough. A small city with a big city feel. Great amount and variety of cultural activities, restaurants, very diverse population, adequate recreation and sports, great public schools, very family friendly. The Winter is not pleasant, that's the only downside.

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So much to do, so little time! - 3/12/2008

Ann Arbor has so much to do! There are so many events for everyone ... arts, family, entertainment, culture. Since we have moved back here, I have to prioritize which events I want to do because there are so many choices. It's a great place to live!

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Downtown life - 3/9/2008

Ann Arbor has an unusual downtown. The concentration of restaurants and coffee shops makes is very pleasant. The uspcale restaurants are more expensive than comparable places in San Francisco, and the student eateries are pricey relative to Berkeley. These prices fall pretty quickly as one gets away from the city center, but so does the ambience. The biggest problem with downtown as a place to live is that it lacks some of the conveniences within walking distance that one finds in other residential urban environments. Most noticeably, a nearby public green space, local grocers (outside of Kerrytown), a hardware store, and a laundromat. More high density housing in the center would help to support this and would certainly be in demand. And the amount of parking is ridiculous. A good city planner would get rid of the surface parking lots (keep the parking structures of course), and develop some high density housing, together with a little green doggy-park, and a commerical space with a grocer, hardware store, and laundromat, like any decent neighborhood in a major city.

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Ann Arbor - 2/24/2008

Ann Arbor is a very nice town. Ann Arbor has many parks and offers a huge diversity in restaurants and cultural offerings. Ann Arbor has a great school system at all levels. Univ of Michigan is one of the best schools academically in the U.S. Ann Arbor is a very pretty town. Ann Arbor has a very low crime rate. Ann Arbor is VERY liberal, so if you aren't a liberal minded person this perhaps may not be the town for you. Ann Arbor is a very educated town. Ann Arbor is very expensive. Ann Arbor is a nice place to raise a family. Besides the cost of living, a drawback can be Michigan winters if your not a fan of rough winters. The people in Ann Arbor are passionate fans of the Univ of Michigan and whether you like the team or not you have to admire their loyalty to their team, they are some of the most loyal and passionate fans around. Without question, Ann Arbor is one of the nicest places someone could chose to live in the midwest.

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Great schools! - 9/13/2007

Ann Arbor is a beautiful place with fantastic public schools. It is clean, safe and plenty to do. This is really a great place to raise a family and lay down your roots. Lots of wonderful shopping close by too!

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Good bus system - 6/21/2007

Ann Arbor has a pretty cheap and efficient bus system between the UM buses, the Link, and the AATA system, which is now free to all university-affiliated residents.

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Depends on your point of view - 6/20/2007

If you're from a big city, Ann Arbor won't be big enough. If you're like me, and from the sort of place where driving to the grocery store is something that shouldn't take more than a half hour, A2 is an amazing balance of livability, culture, and even cost of living.

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wonderful town - 6/14/2007

Ann Arbor is a small, compact, safe, vibrant city, enhanced by the presence of the University of Michigan.

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Dance in the Ann Arbor area - 4/13/2007

You can virtually find any kind of dance available here. The University of Michigan has a very active and well respected Ballroom Dance Team. They have a reputation of winning many collegiate competitions. U of M also has a Ballroom Dance club that meets every Sunday and offers 3 hours of lessons before hand. Washtenaw Community College and Eastern Michigan University also offer courses in Ballroom Dance, Latin Dance, African Dance, Modern Dance, Jazz, Tap, and Swing Dance. There is a very active Swing Dance club in Ann Arbor. There are many locations for people interested in Latin Dance too. Clubs, studios, etc. Belly Dance is also popular here and there are private studios that cater to just that, and courses that can be taken at local schools for a low cost. There are also many professional Dancers available to take private lessons from. Ann Arbor is a very good area for those interested in Dance.

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Expensive! - 4/8/2007

Ann Arbor is a terrific city to raise a family in, due to excellent public education, and an excellent city to live in if you are young and single - primarily due to the University of Michigan and neighboring Eastern Michigan University in the nearby town of Ypsilanti. The major downfall of Ann Arbor is the cost of living. It is very expensive to live in Ann Arbor. A four bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 2000 square foot house will run you $375K and up. In addition, the property taxes will also run you anywhere from $4,500 to $5,500. The other drawback is the weather. The sky becomes gray around the end of October and stays that way until early to mid May. There are occasional breaks but this is just the general rule of thumb.

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Climate - 4/8/2007

Ann Arbor, like most of southeastern Michigan, has a climate that varies a lot. The summers are pleasant, with high temperatures usually ranging from 78-84. The fall, September to mid October, is one of the prettiest you'll find anywhere in the United States with temperatures in the 68-72 degree range. As with most of Michigan, the problem is the winters. Contrary to what most people from out of state believe, we do not get a lot of snowfall in this area compared to other areas this far north. On the average, I'd say we average around 30 inches a year. The biggest problem with Ann Arbor, and Michigan for that matter, is that it is persistantly gray from late October until early to mid May. All in all, is a very pretty area though.

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Excellent City to Live in - 3/25/2007

I moved to Ann Arbor to attend school and I never left! I love the cultural diversity of the city and the schools. The school system offers many choices and has award-winning music departments at the local high schools. It's a "green" city with a large number recycling, has a liberal mentality, lots of parks and shops. Although Michigan is going through a bad time with it's economy right now (and Ann Arbor is losing Pfizer, a blow to the city), but I still believe that Ann Arbor will survive. The only downside is the winters, which can be cold but don't last very long. The spring and summer in Ann Arbor is beautiful to behold. Another downside is that rentals and housing prices can be daunting but it's worth it to live here. Come and give Ann Arbor a try. It's a wonderful place to live, raise a family or be single.

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not perfect, but no place is... - 1/17/2007

kevin (recently posted about pretenders) sounds a little bitter. ann arbor is actually quite a decent place to live. of course you get some pretentious people, but i think that's a small sacrifice for being able to live in a well educated, culturally rich community. the city has a lot to offer in terms of the arts and culture and i love the liberal mentality. and belive me, comapared to about 95% of midwest towns, you won't do better. i don't live there because the winters are just too cold for me, but it's a great place, especially for well educated young people, to live.

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The city of Pretenders - 1/16/2007

Overpriced apartments house twice the legal limit of occupants (because ann arbor is such a good place to live of course) The rich kids slowly drive through campus with their benz or land rovers (going extra slow so you note their face). Huge homes lay empty of furniture, freshly constructed, with cars in the driveway that look as though they belong to a retail worker (as long as they have the house, its all good) Early thirties moms push their expensive strollers down s.main wearing north face head to toe along with a fake smile (just for the name of course), and hiking shoes (just to fit in with the outdoor types). Hopelessly faking their cell phone conversations while overusing the word "like" until it has become nauseating to pronounce. Kiddies line up outside of the clubs eager to drink away their college savings and pretend to have fun. The " career sophisticates" push their shopping carts around whole foods glaring at seemingly "non belonging" individuals, and hassling the clerks for pure enjoyment as they pretend to listen to voice mail, proud as they present a silver piece of plastic to pay with (which notes status and the fact their able to pay interest on their food). The mall rats roam the mall waiting for moms cc (although shes had to take out money from retirement to look wealthy). Grumpy old ladies protect their apples at the farmers market, along with their 20 dollar syrups. The women that are "too good to touch" drink their 10 dollar glasses of wine at vinology and nauseate themselves with valley girl chatter and comparisons of (lied about) future employment offers or the latest one night stand. Zingerman's rakes in cash while unsuspecting consumers pay 20 dollars for a nothing special sandwich. The mindless joggers run through no walk signs staring at you with disdain if you proceed with your green light. Freshman girls sport their new wardrobes from urban outfitters (which they spent their leftover financial aid on), strutting down state street hoping to fit in for the next four wasted years. The businessmen hold up their drunken one night stands as they exit the Earl, praying their wives don't drive by. To try to sound intelligent is the rule if you visit Borders, and almost always misuse of long words is noticed by the housewife glaring(as she pretends to read her own art magazine)through her bulletproof glasses with skin tight twill capris. Yes, the city vibrates a extraordinary amount of diversity in which the only reason for its rea

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Ann Arbor is super safe - 1/2/2007

Ann Arbor is a very safe city with zero homicides in 2005.

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Beautiful City - 9/19/2006

Small town feel with the benefits of a larger city. Great parks system - nature is always close by.

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