Royal Oak is the 7th-best place to live in Michigan, according to a ranking by real estate blog Movoto.
Here's what the blog had to say about about our hometown:
We have to say that being the setting for the sitcom classic “Home Improvement” is a bit of a step up from Grand Blanc’s TV-related claim to fame. We also have to wonder if this fact has anything to do with why home values in Royal Oak are 31 percent higher than the state average.
We figured Royal Oak would’ve placed higher in terms of amenities with attractions like the Detroit Zoo located there, but it’s still pretty good. So’s a crime rate that’s 29 percent below the average for the rest of the state. We’re not sure if that number includes incidents relating to escaped zoo residents, though.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
In the blog's ranking, Midland was ranked the best city in Michigan, followed by Novi and Canton in the No. 2 and 3 spots, respectively. Royal Oak's neighbors to the north, Troy, tied at No. 10 with West Bloomfield, and Rochester came in at No. 14.
The blog's top 10 (actually 11, as Troy and West Bloomfield tied) is as follows:
1. Midland
2. Novi
3. Canton
4. Portage
5. Ann Arbor
6. Grand Blanc
7. Royal Oak
8. East Lansing
9. Farmington Hills
10. Troy
10. West Bloomfield
Criteria included amenities, cost of living, crime, education, employment and home value. Royal Oak scored particularly well in education, crime, employment and home value. You can read the full blog entry on Movoto Blog.
Do you agree with this assessment? Tell us in the comments.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
