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What BestPlaces Users Say about Ann Arbor
As one of the largest cities in Michigan and home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers a diverse and vibrant community for its residents. With a population of over 120,000, the city boasts a thriving downtown area, access to outdoor recreation, and a renowned education system. However, living in Ann Arbor comes with its own set of pros and cons, which can be seen through the various user reviews on BestPlaces.net.
According to user "Linda" on BestPlaces, Ann Arbor is "a great place to live" with "plenty of culture, restaurants, and outdoor activities." She also notes that the city is "very eco-friendly and progressive," which is a major draw for many residents.
In contrast, "Mark" shares his experience of living in Ann Arbor as "expensive" and "crowded." He explains that the cost of living is high and the traffic can be overwhelming, especially during rush hour. However, he also mentions that the "quality of life is pretty good" and there are "plenty of job opportunities."
Another user, "Caroline," praises the city for its "sense of community" and "excellent public schools." She also highlights the "beautiful parks and nature areas" that provide a great escape from city life.
On the other hand, "Jason" expresses his frustration with the "lack of diversity" in Ann Arbor. He mentions that the city is "predominantly white" and there is a "lack of representation for minority communities." However, he also notes that the city is "very welcoming" and has a "strong sense of community."
Overall, the user reviews on BestPlaces provide a well-rounded view of living in Ann Arbor. While some residents rave about the city's cultural offerings and quality of life, others point out the high cost of living and lack of diversity. Ultimately, it is up to each individual to weigh these factors and decide if Ann Arbor is the right place for them to call home.
based on 49 ReviewsGet to know Ann Arbor with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Ann Arbor
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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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