Best Places to Live: Kalamazoo, MI
In U.S. News & World Report’s latest list of Best Places to Live, Southwest Michigan hub Kalamazoo made the list for its arts & culture, craft brewery scene and affordable cost of living.
Read the Full Article from U.S. News & World Report
What’s it like to live in Kalamazoo, MI?
Kalamazoo is as fun and quirky as its unusual name suggests. Its theaters, museums and live music venues make the city an arts and culture hot spot, and its craft brewery scene attracts visitors from around the region. Community events such as chili cook-offs, vintage fairs and farmers markets make this a place where residents never find themselves without something to do.
What is there to do in Kalamazoo, MI?
Shoppers can explore the Kalamazoo Mall, the nation’s first outdoor pedestrian mall, or The Crossroads in nearby Portage. Hiking trails and green space throughout the area, including Asylum Lake Preserve and Portage Creek Bicentennial Park, provide recreation opportunities for nature lovers. The local arts scene in Kalamazoo is thriving. The Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo hosts Art Hop, a free event displaying the work of local artists all around downtown, once a month. Theater lovers can find plenty to enjoy at The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre, which features local and youth performances, and Miller Auditorium, which hosts touring comedy and Broadway shows. The State Theatre hosts touring music acts as well as interactive movie experiences.
The Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, and Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Museum in Portage offer hands-on exhibits on topics from history to cars and planes. Art lovers can visit the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts to view exhibitions or take advantage of the art classes and programs the museum offers. It is impossible to talk about what Kalamazoo has to offer without mentioning its craft breweries. Bell’s Brewery and Eccentric Cafe is a popular local hangout.
What’s the cost of living in Kalamazoo, MI?
One draw of Kalamazoo is that the median housing cost is below the national median. Income and sales taxes in Michigan also are relatively low. At the same time, though, the average household income in Kalamazoo falls below the national average. Kalamazoo offers a better value than similarly sized cities when you compare housing costs to median household income.
Housing Costs in 2024
- National Average: $281,900
- Kalamazoo, MI: $181,145
Who lives in Kalamazoo, MI?
Kalamazoo can be an attractive place to live for families, largely because of the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship. The Kalamazoo Promise grants free college to Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates who have been in the school district four years or more. Eligible students receive money to attend a participating school of their choice. Higher education also attracts young adults to the area, which is home to Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College and Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Creative types are attracted to Kalamazoo’s rich music scene. The Vine neighborhood’s house music venues host local and touring bands.