Just south of the Michigan-Indiana border, Granger is a sought-after suburb with roots in the agriculture industry. “Granger has continued to improve as long as I’ve lived here,” says Realtor Jennifer Lillie, a lifelong resident who sells homes with Century 21 Real Estate. “There’s more accessibility to restaurants and stores, more walking paths, more public spaces, improvements to the library and so much else.”
Although it’s often referred to as a city, Granger is a census-designated place of 30,000 people in the Clay and Harris townships. Residents have access to the big city’s best perks, such as athletic events at the University of Notre Dame, and most commute to work in South Bend, where healthcare and manufacturing are major industries. Top employers include the Memorial Hospital of Beacon Health System, Honeywell Aerospace, AM General and Curtis Products of South Bend.
Closer to the Michigan border in Granger is more developed with residential communities.
The Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library is home to many community events in Granger.
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A highly rated public school district
“The school system is Granger’s single biggest pull,” says Realtor Abram Christianson, who sells homes with Howard Hanna South Bend Real Estate. Students attend schools based on where they live. Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation serves the majority of Granger. Niche gives the school district an A rating and notes that it is the best school district in the South Bend area. It has higher reading proficiency and graduation rates than state and national rates. South Bend School Corporation serves Clay Township on the city’s western end and is rated B-minus. Elkhart Community Schools serves the city’s eastern end and received a C-Plus rating. South Bend and Elkhart’s reading proficiencies and graduation rates are lower than state averages.
Based in South Bend, the University of Notre Dame has roughly 9,000 undergraduates and 4,200 postgraduates. “A lot of residents work at the university,” Christianson says.
Discovery Middle School in Mishawaka has an overall A rating on Niche.com.
Horizon Elementary School in Mishawaka has an overall A rating on Niche.com.
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Direct access to shopping and dining
Dining options are plentiful, and while chains are dominant, there are several local options along Adams Road. Several clusters of grocery stores and sit-down chain restaurants are south of the city, just off Interstate 90 and Cleveland Road. “It’s an in-demand place, so it’s more expensive,” Christianson says. “Your dollar for retail and dining just doesn’t go as far here.”
Salsa's is well known in Granger for its freshly made guacamole and chips.
Martin's Super Market is the local grocery store for residents of Granger.
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Pricier homes than the surrounding area
Granger’s median single-family home price is roughly $390,000, well above Indiana and Michigan’s median but below the national median of about $400,000. Suburbs developed in the 1970s and ‘80s have a mix of contemporaries, split-levels and ranch styles that sell from $300,000 to $500,000. The pricier neighborhoods were developed in the 1990s and are filled with New Traditional-style homes on two- to three-acre lots. These houses are priced from $800,000 to $1.5 million. Christianson notes that Granger’s property taxes tend to be higher than in South Bend, something homebuyers will want to keep in mind.
New traditional style homes are becoming more common in Granger, IN.
Many of the older neighborhoods are seeing an increase in renovation of its common ranch homes.
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Plenty to do in South Bend
Entertainment options are available in South Bend. The 2,564-seat Morris Performing Arts Center started as a Vaudeville house in the 1920s and is now home to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra.
On college football gamedays, Notre Dame Stadium fills with over 77,000 “fighting Irish” fans.
Granger is only minutes from several great museums like the Studebaker Museum in South Bend.
The Potawatomi Zoo is only a few minutes South of Granger in Mishawaka.
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Getting around the area
South Bend’s downtown is 2 miles southwest of the city via Indiana State Road 23. South Bend International Airport is 17 miles west of Granger via interstates 80 and 90.
Granger’s Beacon Hospital offers emergency services and, Memorial Hospital of South Bend is available for all types of care.
Public greenspaces and a strong library
Several amenity-filled greenspaces are available throughout the city. Harris Township Park on Brummitt has a playground, a pavilion and several fields that the ECHO Soccer Club maintains. There is a sister park off Elm Road that has similar amenities with the addition of pickleball courts, basketball courts, a baseball diamond and a cricket pitch. The area also has both public and private golf courses.
Locals are also extremely proud of their public library, which hosts weekly events such as game nights, book clubs and author visits.
Harris Township Park at Elm Road is one of only a few major green spaces in Granger, IN.
The St. Joseph River, and all it offers, is only a few minutes South of Granger.
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Crime
Granger's violent and property crime scores are below the national average. The city’s violent crime rate is also well below that of South Bend.
Written By
William Palicia
Photography Contributed By
Tyler Bolduc
Video By
Maurice Boone
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Granger Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Granger, IN sell after 37 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Granger, IN over the last 12 months is $399,000, consistent with the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
The Dennis Bamber Group sells many types of properties including residential, vacant land, and commercial. Dennis and his team pride themselves on being waterfront specialists and have a marketing program designed specifically for lake properties. The Dennis Bamber team has sold more than 100 lake properties over the last few years on more than 50 different lakes. They will ensure that every client's home is marketed to the right buyers in the most appealing and professional way. Regardless of the property type, their priority is client satisfaction.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
