Armada is best known for its orchards, farms and annual fair
Orchards and farms surround Armada, a rural bedroom community northeast of Detroit. The township of 5,000 residents shares a name with the small village at its heart. “It’s a small town surrounded by agriculture,” says Michelle Poulos, Armada’s village clerk. “The village itself is not agricultural, but the township is.” The area is best known for the Armada Fair, a weeklong August event that’s been a tradition for over 150 years. “The fair is located right where the village and township meet,” Poulos says.
A blend of 1900s, midcentury and New Traditional homes
Armada’s housing blend consists of 1900s Nationals and Victorians, midcentury ranch-style and split-level homes and New Traditional houses built in the last 30 years. Lot sizes typically measure under a quarter-acre close to downtown, but properties on the rural outskirts can measure 1 to 2 acres or more. Residents contend with a high tornado risk, plus cold winters with high winds and frequent ice storms. Fortunately, many newer builds include attached or detached garages that can help protect against vehicle damage, but these are rare for homes built before 1950. Nationals, Cape Cods and ranch-style homes cost $175,000 to $350,000, and split-level and Victorian builds typically go for $350,000 to $600,000. New Traditional houses on sizable acreage fetch prices from $600,000 to $800,000. The CAP Index Crime Score for Armada is 2 out of 10, below the national average of 4.
Highly rated schools offer STEM options and college credit
Kids attend Krause Elementary School, followed by Armada Middle School. Both receive A-minus grades from Niche, and Armada High is rated B. Accelerated learning opportunities are available at all three schools, and high school students can earn college credit through a concurrent enrollment program with Ferris State University. The Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences offers honors-level STEM and medical science classes. While the academy is part of Armada Area Schools, classes are open to students from surrounding areas. Michigan’s Schools of Choice program allows students to apply to schools outside their residential district. “They’ve got a good school system,” Poulos says. “A lot of kids choose Schools of Choice here.”
Outdoor spaces appeal to runners, cyclists, golfers and equestrians
The Macomb Orchard Trail runs across the southern edge of Armada along the path of an old railroad track. Runners, walkers and cyclists can follow the trail for 24 scenic miles through leafy tunnels, past farms and orchards and into urban and residential areas. The level terrain makes it a popular cross-country skiing track in winter. Horse people can board, exercise and socialize their horses at Arcadia Equestrian Center. Golfers choose from three sets of tee boxes at each of the 27 holes at Pine Valley Golf & Country Club to set their own difficulty levels for the course.
Coffee, local goods and eclectic cuisine in downtown Armada
Armada’s Main Street is lined with brick buildings dating to the mid-1800s. Locals drop by Tigers Den Cafe for coffee and smoothies and Tivoli’s for Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Locally sourced gifts and tasty treats like fudge and maple bacon jam fill the shelves at Armade in MI, an artisan marketplace. The pub-style menu at Armada Bar & Grille includes globally inspired offerings like Bavarian pretzels, flaming fajitas and coconut shrimp with Thai chili sauce. Groceries are available at Vinckier Foods, which claims a convenient downtown location. On Sunday mornings during the warmer months, bargain hunters navigate the antique stalls, craft booths and food vendors at the Armada Flea Market.
The Armada Fair features a rodeo, a carnival and live music
The Armada Fair is the star of the community’s social calendar. The August event — which will celebrate its 154th year in 2026 — runs for a week and features a rodeo, monster trucks, a demolition derby, tractor pulls, carnival rides and live music. The Armada Holly Days Christmas Parade rolls through town in December, with prizes awarded for the top floats. The village typically hosts an “Armada-geddon” Halloween festival, but the event is taking a break in 2025.
Nearby highways and the SMART Bus help residents get around
Armada is in a rural area several miles from the nearest major highways. Michigan Highway 53 is the most convenient starting point for the 45-mile trip to central Detroit and the 60-mile drive to Detroit Metro Airport. SMART Bus provides residents with on-demand rides and assisted medical transportation. The closest major medical center is Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Clinton Township, about 20 miles away.
