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Kalamazoo, Michigan is an attractive city for families. It has about 75,000 people. Kalamazoo is 50 miles south of Grand Rapids and 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. The median home price in Kalamazoo is $96,600. This is 24% lower than the median price found in other cities in Michigan. The median rent in this city is $752, which is 11% lower than other Michigan cities.

Best Kalamazoo Neighborhoods

• Oakland-Winchell
• Hill N'Brook
• Westnedge Hill

The median household income is around $35,000 This is about $15,000 less than the household income in other cities in Michigan and $20,000 less than the national average. Even though the household income is modest, the cost of living is low in Kalamazoo as well. The cost of living is 9% lower than the median cost of living in Michigan and 21% lower than the national average. The median age is 26 years old. This is much lower than the statewide average of 40 years old. The lower median age is due to the many college students who live in this city making up about one-third of the population.

There are 20 public schools and nine private schools in Kalamazoo. The biggest colleges and universities include Western Michigan University (enrollment 20,840), Kalamazoo Valley Community College (enrollment 7,369), and Kalamazoo College (enrollment 1,446).

Here are the best neighborhoods for families in Kalamazoo:

• Oakland-Winchell is ranked the second-best neighborhood in Michigan.
• Hill N' Brook is ranked the third-best neighborhood in Michigan.
• Westnedge Hill is ranked the seventh-best neighborhood in Michigan.

Oakland-Winchell

This neighborhood is on the southwestern side of the city. This is the area where Western Michigan University is located. Also, in this neighborhood are the Winchell Elementary School and the Woods Lake Elementary School.

Home Styles

The houses in this neighborhood are large with three or four bedrooms, two or more bathrooms, and two-car garages. They are built close together; however, they have nice-sized lots with a decent setback from the street and big backyards. There are many mature trees that surround the homes.

Housing Prices

The median price for a home in this neighborhood is $221,578. This is 78% higher than the median home price in other parts of Michigan and 53% higher than the national average. The median rent is $793. This is very reasonable and lower than 90% of the other parts of Michigan. The cause for the lower rents is the abundance of student housing and apartments that are for rent near the university.

Things to Do in Oakland-Winchell

Nature lovers will enjoy the beautiful Asylum Lake Preserve that is just on the north side of the Western Michigan University campus. For those who can afford a membership, the Kalamazoo Country Club has nice facilities. Right next to the country club is the public Woods Lake Park that is good for fishing.

Hill N' Brook

The Hill N' Brook area is directly south of the Oakland/Winchell neighborhood just northeast of the intersection of I-94 and Highway 131. It is just south of the Western Michigan University campus. It has Nature's Way Preschool, the Angling Road Elementary School, the Hackett Catholic Prep High School, and is close to the Portage Northern High School.

Home Styles

This is a luxury area with beautiful estates built on large lots in the hills. The houses are huge, and most are kept in good condition. Ranch style homes are popular that were built after the 1970s. The houses have huge front and back yards. The mature landscaping offers plenty of privacy.

Housing Prices

The median home price in this area is $181,642. This is 65% more than the median home price found in other parts of Michigan and 43% higher than the national average. The median rent is $1,125, which is 42% lower than the rents found in other parts of the state.

Things to Do in Hill N' Brook

This neighborhood is only made up of residences; however, it is conveniently located for taking a short drive to all the nearby amenities. There is a nice lake called Lake Hill N' Brook that is a glacial lake with pure freshwater and is great for fishing.

Westnedge Hill

Westnedge Hill is adjacent to Southside. It has the private Kazoo School (K to 8th grade), the private Gagie School (K to 8th grade), and the public Parkwood Upjohn Elementary School. The Phoenix High School and the Maple Street Magnet School for the Arts are in nearby Southside.

Home Styles

This a middle-class neighborhood. It is a mixed-use area with small businesses scattered about and fast-food restaurants. Most of the homes have two or three bedrooms. There are apartment complexes in this neighborhood as well.

Housing Prices

The median price for a home in this neighborhood is $91,951. This is 28% lower than the median price of homes in other parts of Michigan and just 14% above the national average. For Kalamazoo, this neighborhood has many value-priced homes. The median rent is $1,058. This is 51% lower than the median rental prices found in other parts of Michigan.

Things to Do in Westnedge Hill

For those who like nature walks, there is the Kleinstuck Preserve Nature Trail to enjoy for a pleasant hike. The public Crane Park is a nice place to have a picnic with a playground for the kids. There are two tennis courts. This park is popular for outdoor weddings.

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