Nature and recreation shape everyday life in Napoleon
In Napoleon, laid-back living close to nature is the draw. Trees, fields and water border homes on spacious lots. "We've got plenty of freshwater lakes that attract people for full-time residency," says Tim Creech, a broker at Five Star Real Estate Leaders and a native of southeastern Jackson County. "Most lake homes are for permanent residence, which is a big shift from what it used to be." Locals take advantage of their sprawling surroundings, hunting, boating, fishing and farming in the township's quiet pockets. "People are realizing they don't have to live in a big noisy city," Creech says. "With high-speed internet, people can work from home and be in this pristine, quiet, no-traffic, family-friendly area." Napoleon is a short drive from Jackson and within an hour's drive of Lansing and Ann Arbor . So, everyday necessities are never too far. "It's got great accessibility without the headache of being right in it," Creech says.
Suburban areas and old lake cottages renovated for full-time residency
Ranch-style homes, Cape Cods, manufactured houses and early-1900s cottages are along intersecting streets and around the lakes, ranging in price from $50,000 to $315,000. "Most properties have transformed from summer cottages to permanent homes," Creech says. "Some are still seasonal, with no insulation, but others were renovated to be livable year-round." Occasionally, new homes are built from the ground up after two or three neighboring lots are cleared, Creech adds. The newer lake homes with many bedrooms and waterfront access range between $850,000 and $1.3 million. Traditional suburban developments branch out from county roads. There, larger ranch-style homes, farmhouses and Colonial Revivals price from $280,000 to $460,000. New Traditional and Modern Craftsman homes sell for $440,000 to $850,000.
Recreation at nearby lakes, hunting and farming at home
Stony Lake, Center Lake, Wolf Lake, Little Wolf Lake and many others are located around Napoleon, with public access for fishing, boating and swimming. Little Wolf Lake County Park has water access, a playground and picnic tables with charcoal grills. Lefglen Nature Sanctuary is 208 acres of forest and marshland, with almost 700 native plant species and 50 bird species. Residents also get active and enjoy hobbies on their own properties: "If you like hunting on your own land, or want to raise chickens, cows and other animals, you can do that in Napoleon, depending on zoning, of course," Creech says. "It's not uncommon for people to have many acres and be full-time farmers." Napoleon Township Park received a new playground in 2022. Napoleon Athletic Field, where the local sports teams play, has baseball diamonds, a football field and a track.
Traffic-free roads lead to a few major Michigan cities
Michigan State Highway 50 is the area's main road, heading 10 miles northwest to Jackson and U.S. Route 127. Ann Arbor is about 35 miles east, and Lansing is 50 miles north. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is 60 miles away, and the nearest hospital, Henry Ford Allegiance Health, is in Jackson. Cars are a necessary part of life, and traffic is practically nonexistent. "Our idea of traffic is getting stuck behind a slow-moving tractor once or twice a year during harvest season," Creech says. "We're not nearly congested enough to warrant public transportation." Napoleon has a CAP Index Crime score of 1 out of 10, compared to the national average score of 4.
Local students benefit from inclusive teams and a shared campus
Through Michigan's School of Choice program, students can enroll in any public school outside their district. Those living in the area are zoned to attend Napoleon Community Schools, rated B by Niche. Ezra Eby Elementary School and Napoleon Middle School are rated B, and Napoleon High School earns a B-minus. Creech explains that some parents are attracted to more rural districts so their kids can get a good education and explore extracurriculars they may not be able to in a larger district. "If they want to try out a sport, you know, they'll at least make the team," he says. "In bigger cities with more kids and team cuts, they may not get to explore what they're interested in." The three schools are on the same street, making drop-off and pick-up simple.
Grocery shopping is in Brooklyn, with big-box stores in Jackson
Two Dollar Generals, a lawn care store and small restaurants are along Highway 50, or Brooklyn Road. Napoleon Cafe is a cozy diner that serves 30 varieties of homemade pie and has an all-you-can-eat fish fry on Fridays. Country Market, in Brooklyn, is the nearest grocery store, and large shopping centers with a mall and department stores are in Jackson.
Written By
Heather Haggerty
