[tuebor]

I'll second what Fripper said. Like most of Michigan, the Muskegon area is a good place to live if you can find work, but finding work is the hard part.

I've lived in Norton Shores for about 4 years now. My house is two blocks from the border of Muskegon and about 1.2 miles from the beach. I've had zero problems with crime, and my house cost much less than a comparable home would have cost in Grand Haven. Homes in Muskegon are even cheaper, but Mona Shores schools (the district for Norton Shores and Roosevelt Park) are better.

Go ahead and apply for the Muskegon job. If you get an interview, see how you feel about that school. If you find it to your liking, then take the job. You'll find affordable housing in a safe neighborhood in the area.

[Beach2112]

The lakeshore can be very windy-and cold in the winter. Summers are paradise, much nicer than Florida.http://www.flickr.com/photos/30759108@N08/5374928598/ (broken link)

[VM1138]

Michigan as a whole has been really, really windy the last year and a half or so. I heard once it was because of the La Nina weather pattern. I hope so, I'd hate to have another super windy summer.

[partswapper]

Looking at relocating to the area. How are the schools, I have read that Muskegon Heights is in dire straits for the schools. Was looking at area between Muskegon Lake and Whitehall for housing. What impacts with the shutdown of the BC Cobb power plant have on taxes in that area? What about new jobs coming into the area?

Thanks for the info!

[Fripper]

Because of the problems with Muskegon Heights schools, there are plenty of questions regarding neighboring school districts at this time (Muskegon, Mona Shores, Fruitport) if the Heights closes their students will most likely be divided between those 3 districts. For that reason if I were to make a decision right now on a place to live I would head south to Spring Lake or north to N Muskegon schools or the Whitehall/Montague schools. As far as jobs go, yes there are jobs out there but you need the skills required. There was just a news report the other day about a manufacturer who had plenty of job openings but could not find qualified workers, so his present workers are putting in a lot of overtime to keep production up.

[GraniteStater]

Mona Shores is the best bet.

[partswapper]

How about the Reeths-Puffer school system?

[aircorps]

I see this was an old post- with a new poster asking questions..
michigan83 described the reason for warmish weather perfectly. The warm unfrozen water of Lake Michigan brings warmer winds from the west- we don't have 20-30 below. It can be blowy(sp), snowy at times.
As far as the schools...I grew up in Muskegon and I still come back to visit. I see how dirty/depressed the city is when I am away and come back. As with other things in life- you don't see how things are until you go away, then come back to visit.
I wouldn't live there now due to the poor economy and the effect that that has on the rest of the outcome of the city. As someone else said, Grand Haven, Holland would be a better choice. Both economics/jobs/cleanliness/crime. You might also want to look at the other demographics- race/income/housing(some are less expensive but not very nice)/school ratings.
Depends on what you are willing to 'trade'.
Take care.

[313Weather]

Originally Posted by michigan83

This is not true. This is Michigan, not North Dakota. Due to the moderating effects of Lake Michigan, we get more clouds (which keeps temps warmer at night) and the warmer waters of the lake insulate us from the extreme cold. During a really cold stretch of weather, we might see 10 to 15 below at night, with daytime highs from 0 to 10 above. But a typical winter day in lower Michigan is probably 25-30 degrees above zero and cloudy.

Bottom line: Michigan is noticeably warmer than other upper Midwest states, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc. But we usually get more snow. I think we have the nicest winter climate in the Midwest, personally. It's nice to have snow but not deal with dangerously cold weather.

Yes, that is pretty much true. It may also be true, that in the lake effect snow belts, on the skin it may feel COLDER than it actually is because of how deep the snow pack is and the wind blowing over it. But generally, you're correct.

But to answer the OP's questions, Michigan isn't any windier than other states away from the lakes. The reason it's pretty windy along lakeshore is because the colder lake waters is mixing with the warmer land airmass. The mixing of air creates wind.

[partswapper]

Originally Posted by aircorps

I see this was an old post- with a new poster asking questions..
michigan83 described the reason for warmish weather perfectly. The warm unfrozen water of Lake Michigan brings warmer winds from the west- we don't have 20-30 below. It can be blowy(sp), snowy at times.
As far as the schools...I grew up in Muskegon and I still come back to visit. I see how dirty/depressed the city is when I am away and come back. As with other things in life- you don't see how things are until you go away, then come back to visit.
I wouldn't live there now due to the poor economy and the effect that that has on the rest of the outcome of the city. As someone else said, Grand Haven, Holland would be a better choice. Both economics/jobs/cleanliness/crime. You might also want to look at the other demographics- race/income/housing(some are less expensive but not very nice)/school ratings.
Depends on what you are willing to 'trade'.
Take care.

That was one reason we were looking at the reeths-puffer schools. Felt they were far enough from the city of Muskegon, and Muskegon Heights, to kind of be out of the poorer parts of the town.