Royal Oak, Mi

[DTWflyer]

Not sure what to say about your experience but in the 8 years I've been back in this area I've never really had a bad expereience in downtown Royal Oak. There is a variety of places that cater to anything from the 21-24 year old club/dance party scene to older and/or quieter places. Royal Oak is a destination for people from all over Metro Detroit so it gets a mix of socio-economic groups. Its safe. There is no drug problem, at least no better or worse than the rest of the suburbs. Keep in mind many of who you see in downtown Royal Oak do not live in Royal Oak, again its attracts people from all over because up until within the past 3-5 years when downtown Detroit has started to make a resurgance it was the only major entertainment option in the region.

Berkley is essentially the same as Royal Oak, it might as well be a part of the same city. Real Estate is slightly cheaper because it doesn't have the allure and not in walking distance to downtown Royal Oak. Very similar housing, but Berkley does have a litte more of the young family vibe than Royal Oak, which near downtown is really a post-college community. Once you get north of 12 Mile Royal Oak is much more of a young family/retiree community.

Clawson is really just a cheaper version of Royal Oak with a not-as-good school district. Clawson is fine by all standards but its a tiny city that can't really support itself. It really should just be part of Royal Oak. The school district by all meaures is less than all surrounding districts. The housing stock is the same as Royal Oak, but cheaper. A lot of singletons, young families, and senior citizens.

If you want quieter in Royal Oak, just get a little farther away from downtown.

[DTWflyer]

I should add that downtown Royal Oak really isn't a place for young families to hang out in the evenings. Its a younger, high-energy, bar focused scene. Its not bad, but it is what it is.

[Tekkie]

So I live in Madison Heights just on the east side of I-75. The west side is the eastern border of Royal Oak. I cannot think of anything particularly bad about the city of Royal Oak.

The houses you will find there are mixed. You can find some large, colonial style houses and you can find the smaller ranch style houses. I have heard that the property taxes are relatively high. However, the neighborhoods are generally quite beautiful IMO.

The city has nice parks and the schools are supposed to be relatively good for the area. The downtown is also very nice, with a good mix of small boutiques, restaurants, bars, and night clubs. It's probably one of the most vibrant downtowns in Metro Detroit to be quite honest.

The city of Royal Oak is far from being redneckish or hickish. I think you'll find more of that in Hazel(tucky) Park, Redford, South Warren, Eastpointe, Center Line, Wyandotte, Lincoln Park, Waterford, Pontiac, and possibly parts of Madison Heights (on the south side). If I were an educated person who wanted to live in a safe, diversified area, I would say that Royal Oak is a fine choice for that.

[DTWflyer]

If you are looking for a higher-end / more sophisticated experience, go to downtown Birmingham a few miles up the road. Birmingham is another destination for entertainment and restaurants. You will get a variety of crowds there because of the movie theathers but it doesn't have the amp'ed up bar & club experience like Royal Oak.

Birmingham for the most part is some of the most expensive (over-priced) real estate in the Metro Detroit area, at least in terms of what money will get you in the area.

It always has a love-it or hate-it type of appeal with most people too.