Meet Southwest Michigan: Coastal Access and Affordable Living
March 27, 2025
If you’re looking for small-town charm with major opportunities, Southwest Michigan is for you. Whether it’s a beach town on the coast of Lake Michigan like South Haven or the affordability and outdoor recreation in Battle Creek, the region offers a place to build your career with a high quality of living. Plus, it’s all within a short drive or train ride to cultural and tech centers like Detroit, Grand Rapids and Chicago.
📈 Leading the Way
- #90 Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2024 (Kalamazoo, MI) (U.S. News & World Report)
- #1 Coolest Place in the U.S. with the Lowest Cost of Living in 2021 (Kalamazoo, MI) (PureWow)
- Top 25 United States Best of the Best Beaches in 2025 (Oval Beach, Saugatuck, MI) (Tripadvisor)
- Top 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. in 2024 (Kalamazoo, MI) (Money)
- #3 Best City for Recent College Grads in 2023 (Kalamazoo-Portage, MI metro area) (SmartAsset)
- Top 40 Arts-Vibrant Communities in 2023 (Kalamazoo-Portage, MI) (SMU DataArts)
🙋 Who’s Hiring?
⏰ Off the Clock
- Get involved in and inspired by Southwest Michigan’s incredible art scene by attending events or classes at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts or visiting Michigan’s Art Coast in the cities of Saugatuck and Douglas.
- Taste some of the world’s best beer when you check out Bell’s Brewery, headquartered in Kalamazoo.
- Hit the beach or explore the dunes in Van Buren State Park and Saugatuck Dunes State Park.
- Join a wine tour at one of Southwest Michigan’s world-class wineries.
- Sign up for Link Kalamazoo, the region’s uber active young professionals group where members network, volunteer and create connections for job opportunities.
- Grab a cup of coffee with 1 million cups Kalamazoo, a monthly event that brings entrepreneurs and community members together to discuss economic challenges and opportunities.
📰 What’s New
- Construction has begun on Ford’s BlueOval Battery Park in Marshall. As the name implies, the 500-acre space will develop lithium batteries for its electric vehicles and is expected to create over 1,700 jobs. Ford is currently hiring engineers and managers for the facility.
- A downtown Kalamazoo event center that will seat 8,000 is set to begin construction in November. It’ll include a performance center for Western Michigan University athletics, community space and host over 200 events a year. The arena is set to open by 2028.
Explore our Kalamazoo page to learn more about everything Southwest Michigan has to offer, or reach out to our partners at Southwest Michigan First.