[Ami]

Does anyone live in Grand Rapids, Michigan? My husband wants to move back to the Midwest area. We are currently in Phoenix, Az. He grew up in Chicago and I grew up in Missouri. Is grand rapids a good place to raise a family?

We want a place that is friendly, has diversity, good education, and ideally leans left or is middle of the road politically.

AZ is a purple state but it is very red. He spoke with a recruiter at the local hospital and the position would require him to work less days a month (one week on and one week off-he will be off 2 weeks every month), he would get a guaranteed paid 3 week chunk off in the summer, our house has appreciated so much in az we would be mortgage free if we moved there, and the job is offering more base salary too.

It all sounds like an easy decision but with kids we want to make sure it’s something that we will enjoy.

I know winters will suck coming from Az but our summers are brutal (can’t really be outside 5-6 months out of the year).What would you guys do?

[Jennifer]

I live here, actually in a streetcar suburb (close in, old suburb) of East Grand Rapids (which leans left). It is a great place to raise a family. Diversity is getting better.

People are friendly and very midwestern (no showing off, keep to yourself, stay out of others business, polite).

The healthcare is top notch and so are our museums. Great Lakes are easy drive (40 minutes to Lake Michigan!) With climate change our winters have not been that bad, in fact I wish we would get more snow.

Sometimes it is grey slush! In my mind Feb and march tough – marsh is a blah month — you really are sick of it and grey – but our summers and falls are gorgeous and sunny.

[Erika]

I’m a Chicago transplant to Grand Rapids, MI (originally because I went to college here, graduated, and then never left). Definitely less of the Chicago and Phoenix “show off” vibe here.

Family friendly activities for all ages in every season. Lake Michigan on this side is so much cleaner and beautiful compared to Chicago!

My favorite part is that you can experience downtown life to suburban life to rural life in 30-60 minutes.

I would make this move in a heartbeat every single time.

[Author]

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