[Sharks With Lasers]

I know these aren't exactly everybody's ideal locations, but suppose you're in Lansing, and you have pick from doing a program at Mott vs. Jackson College and you want in-district tuition, so you're thinking of moving somewhere in those general areas- not necessarily inside city limits. Which would you pick?

Flint seems like it has a bit more to do, is a bit more progressive, and isn't next to the state prison. It's closer to northern Michigan as well.

Jackson seems a bit calmer and quieter, and big enough to have things like Meijer's and everyday shopping not as to make life inconvenient, and I'm guessing it's a bit safer overall and cheaper in areas that would be safe to live in. It's a bit closer to taking road trips out of state as well.

What are your thoughts?

[mjlo]

I'd go with Flint. Bigger area, more options. Plus plenty of places to live within the area that are safe and functional if you are in the burbs.

[beachmouse]

Flint puts you more metro Detroit-adjacent, which gives you a lot more options for many things. There just isn;t much there in Jackson.

[Coldjensens]

Jackson gives you nice access to Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Marshall and Lansing. Also the West side beach towns and dunes (and the coolest dog beach - Kirk Park near SouthHaven). Closer to Chicago. Shipshewana indiana is nearby and cool to visit. Battle Creek actually has some cool things too. Jackson has a cool fountain. My sister and husband lived there. Their property bordered the prison fence. It never bothered them. The prison was a long way off and they never heard it or saw anyone. They liked Jackson a lot but the commute to Downtown Detroit got to be too much after a decade or so.



Flint Gives you Saginaw/MIdland, MIO (Au Sable area), the thumb and the UP somewhat closer. It has a cool little park with a train. Some of the surrounding towns are very nice.



Both are not too far from Detroit'


As a place to live I think I would prefer Jackson it is quieter and more nature oriented. However you will nto find your answer in the computer. It will depend on what areas you happen to stumble into where living quarters are available. There are appealing areas near both places and it all depends on what you find and how you react to it int he first look. Go explore.





You will find nice safe places to live in both locations. Both are nicely located for freeways to elsewhere.

[michigan91]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

It has a cool little park with a train. Some of the surrounding towns are very nice.

Haha, are you talking about the Huckleberry Railroad?

We are from the tri-cities but have lived in Flint before. The thing that I like about Flint is that it's in a good location, and it's not too expensive. The traffic is rarely bad.

[scorpio516]

Flint would be a ton more interesting for a college student. There's even an airport that can get you some places.

Jackson is a backwater, unless you like nascar and can get to Brooklyn easily. And it's very easy to get to DTW.

South and SW of Jackson is a historic Dutch area. Besides the obvious - Brooklyn hills, the Anglication of Breukelen (a town near Utrecht) - my wife's family moved from New Amsterdam to Jackson county a ~175 years ago with other Dutch families. It's not really that Dutch at all though.

[craig11152]

Originally Posted by scorpio516

Jackson is a backwater, unless you like nascar and can get to Brooklyn easily. And it's very easy to get to DTW.

If you are inclined to hop on an Amtrak to, say Chicago, Jackson has 3 trains a day while Flint has one.

[ProMich]

I live across the street from Mott College in a very nice old neighborhood called the College-Cultural Neighborhood. The campus is nice and well policed and maintained, the surrounding area has the Flint Institute of Arts, The Flint Public Library, The Dort School of Music, Sloan Museum, and two theatres-one being a large auditorium. The downtown area has vastly improved in the last 20 years. Flint has the University of Michigan-Flint campus and Kettering University (formerly known as the General Motors Institute). So, there are nice areas, and then you have areas that contain eye-opening blight. Funding has allowed the city to eradicate many structures, and many are on the slate. The suburbs surrounding the city are nice, I especially like Flushing with its small nice old downtown and beautiful old homes, all set on the Flint River. Getting to the Detroit Metro area is a quick trip, Ann Arbor is about 45 minutes. A couple of other neighborhoods in Flint are well-maintained, one full of stately homes. Flint's crime issues are still present but it's mostly property crime. It's also a very good city for biking, a 20-mile rail trail.
Jackson may be a little cleaner but Flint is a larger college town.
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