Response to "Rat-Race" Commentator
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11/29/2006
I've lived in Sterling Heights since the spring of 2003, and metro Detroit since December of 2000. I'm originally from the Grand Rapids area, and I think the person who spoke of the city as a "suburban rat-race" didn't do much to quantify that specifically to Sterling Heights. I feel the city is no more a rat-race than any other population dense city in a major metropolitan area. There are excellent schools, very low crime, and a sense of community in Sterling Heights that is prevelant from the government level on down to the quiet neighborhood streets. I've experienced pleasantries for the most part from fellow residents.
Unemployment may be high, but that isn't uncharacteristic of virtually any area in Michigan with the manufacturing downsizing taking place. If someone doesn't have the skillset to land a professional job amongst the neighboring big business districts including Troy, Southfield, Auburn Hills, downtown Detroit, or in certain instances, Sterling Heights, then they might want to earn a higher education so they're not a part of that 8% unemployed, and, to the "rat-race" commentator, with your "rat-race" perception of a very nice, large city, maybe best for you to relocate to another "rat race" of your liking or a less population dense and quieter city, township, or village. Heck, I came from a small town outside of Grand Rapids population 6,000, and I've adjusted to metropolitan Detroit, Sterling Heights, and city life just fine.
From sterling-heights.net:
# Sterling Heights is among the best cities in the nation in which to call home, according to Money Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Live for 2006.
# Sterling Heights is honored as the 16th safest city in the nation by Morgan Quitno Press, 2006.
# According to a new study released by American City Business Journals, Sterling Heights is ranked seventh in the nation and second in Michigan on its list of the least socio-economically stressed large U.S. cities.
# Sterling Heights ranks as the ninth safest city in the United States and the safest city in Michigan based on F.B.I. statistics (Governmentguide, 2002).
# Sterling Heights' City Center is one of America's Great Community Places and Public Spaces (Project for Public Spaces, a national nonprofit education organization, 2002).
# Rated an A+ and ninth best "Family Friendly" suburban city in the United States (Population Connection, a Washington, D.C. nonprofit environmental organization).
# The 2000 Census shows Sterlin
Jeff | Sterling Heights, MI