Affordable Ann Arbor Storage Units

Moving and storage go hand in hand. Whether you are traveling across town or across the country, moving is an exciting and fresh start. While Storage Rentals of America is here to help you with all your storage needs, we also want to help you get familiar with the area. That's why we put together this resource guide for Ann Arbor.

About Ann Arbor, MI.

Ann Arbor is one of the best-known and most visited cities in Michigan, thanks to the University of Michigan. As the life support system for this bustling college, Ann Arbor is a quintessential college town and the fifth-largest city in Michigan, with 123,851 people. Its the seat of Washtenaw County and is also part of the Greater Detroit Combined Statistical Area, existing on the fringes of this region.

Ironically, the city losing out on its bid to become the state capital may have been its saving grace. After setting aside land for the state capital right in the middle of the city, they were forced to open the college there as compensation. Since then, the university has remained one of the most impressive and vital in the nation and is the nexus of all activity in Ann Arbor.

What to do in Ann Arbor, MI.

When visiting this city, Ann Arbor visitors and residents should find plenty to do. Some of the most popular activities include:

• Performance Arts Groups: The University of Michigan holds dozens of events every year, including Shakespeare plays, ballet performances, orchestral shows, music, dance, and much more. These groups help to bring people to the area and provide a little culture that makes Ann Arbor a great place to live.
• Art Fairs: Ann Arbor hosts four juried art fairs downtown every year. They draw over half a million visitors annually, as does the Ann Arbor Film Festival. This festival brings in over 2,500 submissions from 40 countries around the world.
• Sports Performances: Though Ann Arbor lacks professional sports competitions (besides a semi-pro soccer team, The Mighty Oak), visitors can check out "The Big House," the nation's largest college football stadium, or attend basketball, baseball, volleyball, and even tennis matches.

Working in Ann Arbor, MI.

It's hard to talk about Ann Arbor's economy without focusing on the University of Michigan. It employs 30,000 workers throughout the area, including 12,000 in the medical center alone. The university also employs many professors, graduate assistants, lab professionals, research experts, and much more. It also employs many students staying at the college, which helps keep them financially sound as they work.

Ann Arbor also has a heavy influx of tech companies, with various online marketing, traffic engineering, security providers, and software manufacturers existing throughout the region. These include Arbor Networks, Arbortext, JSTOR, MediaSpan, Truven Health Analytics, and ProQuest. Other heavy employers in the area include auto manufacturers and service industries, including many restaurants that serve the downtown region.

Ann Arbor, MI. Neighborhoods

Ann Arbor's population density, thriving social scene, and active job market make it a very desirable place to live in Michigan. However, that desirability does drive up prices in the area. Therefore, people looking to move to one of the neighborhoods throughout this city may need to choose carefully to find a home that works for their needs. These neighborhoods include:

• Plymouth Road/Green Road: This neighborhood has a median real estate price of $948,394, which is more expensive than 99.8% of Michigan neighborhoods and 94.4% of the rest of the US. The rental median is $1,827, higher than 88.2% of communities in the state.
• Foster: Foster's median real estate cost ($630,018) is far lower than Plymouth Road/Green Road but higher than 99% of all Michigan neighborhoods. The rental price here is $2,173, which is higher than 94.5% of areas in Michigan.
• West Liberty Road/South Wagner Road: Ann Arbor's cheapest neighborhood has a median real estate price of $555,815, which costs more than 97.7% of all Michigan neighborhoods. Rent here is $2,047, higher than about 92.5% of all Michigan areas.

Ann Arbor, MI. School District

Ann Arbor takes education very seriously, and the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) district includes multiple elementary, middle, and high schools. These include Huron and Skyline, two schools focusing heavily on arts education, particularly music. Many private schools, including Emerson, Father Gabriel Richard, Rudolf Steiner School, Clonlara, Michigan Islamic Academy, and Greenhills School. Some of these schools are religious, and others are not.

No article examining Ann Arbor's education would be complete without discussing the University of Michigan. The town centers on this university and its well-known and respected hospital. Other higher education options in the area include Washtenaw Community College and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Moving to Ann Arbor, MI. Resource Guide

Ann Arbor's modern government is very adaptable to new residents, mainly as many students come and go throughout the years. They provide resources like snow removal, trash help, sewage, and more.

New residents will also find plenty of fun outdoor activities to keep them busy during the beautiful Michigan summers, including a trip to nearby Lake Huron or Erie. Things you can do right within the city's limits include:

• Visiting the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market
• Play basketball with friends or student
• Bike one of the many trails
• Kayak in one of the area's rivers
• Visit a disc golf course and improve your game
• Head out to a lake and go fishing
• Hit the hockey rink both in summer and winter seasons

Ann Arbor, MI. Housing

Ann Arbor's dense student population and professional atmosphere, combined with its relatively small area, give it an overall cost of living rating of 117.5, well over Michigan's 89.6 and the nation's 100 ratings. The biggest reason for this change is the housing costs (164.2) which is well over Michigan's (65.5) and the nation's (100) rating. Ann Arbor housing consists of many one-family homes, with some two-family or even three-family houses in denser areas.