Detroit suburb with a central location and highly rated schools
Located 20 miles from downtown Detroit and 25 miles from Ann Arbor, Livonia is one of the most centrally located cities in Wayne County. From its inception in the 1830s until the late 1940s, the area was primarily used for agriculture and dairy farming. When General Motors and Ford Motor Company built plants here in the 1950s, the farming town was transformed into an industrial suburb. These days, Livonia attracts buyers who want access to highly rated schools, a convenient location and lower tax rates.
“Livonia is a thriving suburban haven where community spirit has taken center stage since the 1950s,” says Matthew Talbot, founder and team lead of The Talbot Team of RichRealty. “With top-notch schools and convenient amenities, [it] offers a nurturing environment perfect for families of all shapes and sizes.”
Livonia is 36 square miles, and is home to 95,000 residents, making it the ninth-largest city in Michigan. While this mid-sized city has one of Michigan’s highest State Equalized Values, taxpayers pay the lowest overall tax rate in Wayne County.
“We have the lowest tax rate out of surrounding communities, but we maintain excellent city services,” says Dave MacFarland, a Livonia resident and Realtor with Keller Williams. “We have a habitually top-ranking school district and a ton of great parks.”
Lush trees neatly line the streets of Livonia.
Homes neatly line the streets of Livonia.
Livonia locals head to one of the many parks in the city for activities.
There is a wide variety of home styles in Livonia.
1/4
Using highways to commute and working in the city
Detroit is 20 miles east of Livonia, Ann Arbor is 25 miles west, Romulus is 20 miles south, and Novi is 15 miles north. “You’re only 20 minutes from anywhere,” MacFarland says. With Interstate 96 cutting the city in two and Interstate 275 along its western border, residents have easy access to major freeways. Livonia also has major internal thoroughfares, including Haggerty Road, Five Mile, Six Mile and Seven Mile.
While drivers can move around the city easily, there is limited access to public transit. Livonia Community Transit provides rides to seniors and people with mobility issues for doctor appointments, shopping and work, but there are few options for others. Sidewalks are sparse, and the city has few bike lanes. The only bus line in the city is the Plymouth bus, which operates through the Detroit Department of Transportation – referred to as DOOT.
While bigger cities are a short commute away, several employers are located in Livonia, including Amazon, AlphaUSA and Trinity Health Livonia Hospital. Most career options are in the city's industrial and commercial corridor on the southeast edge along the train tracks. Two major hospitals, Garden City Hospital and Corewell Health Farmington Hills Hospital, are just outside Livonia. The Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is located in Romulus and offers thousands of careers.
Immersive schools and higher education
Most of the city is served by Livonia Public Schools, although part is zoned to the Clarenceville Public School District. Livonia Public Schools educates over 13,000 students each year across 26 campuses. It has an A-minus rating on Niche and is ranked the sixth-best district in Wayne County. The district stands out for its STEM pathways and language immersion programs. Niji-Iro Japanese Immersion Elementary is one of four nationwide immersion schools offering two-way Japanese-American immersion.
The Clarenceville School District was established in 1837 and serves less than 2,000 students annually across four campuses. Niche ranks it as one of Michigan’s most diverse districts and gives it a C-plus rating.
There are several options for higher education, too. Schoolcraft College is well known for its culinary arts program, which four certified master chefs teach. It enrolls more than 30,000 people annually and offers professional certificates alongside traditional degrees. Madonna University rests on 80 forested acres and is one of the largest Franciscan colleges in the nation. It offers more than 130 programs for associates through doctoral degrees.
SMB Estates locals can walk to Madonna University for higher-level education.
Franklin High School challenges students by offering an all-encompassing curriculum.
Children are offered a great education at Stevenson High School.
Emerson Middle School serves students in the Clements Circle
community.
1/4
Michigan green spaces for pets and people
Livonia has almost 1,400 acres reserved for public use and operates more than 60 parks, green spaces and recreation facilities. Rotary Park is one of the most popular and offers a nature trail, tennis courts, picnic pavilions and more. The Civic Park Senior Center is open year-round and offers flu shots, painting classes and a large print library. The Super-Duper Dog Park is found in Bicentennial Park and provides pooches with water stations and room to run in separate large and small dog sections. The city also maintains facilities, including a skateboard park, an archery range, hiking trails and ice arenas.
The Jack E. Kirksey Livonia Community Recreation Center offers year-round indoor recreation, even when Michigan winters make it harder to enjoy the great outdoors. There’s a rock-climbing wall, hot tub, swimming pool, fitness center and more.
The Civic Park Senior Center offers many amenities for the city of Livonia.
Livonia locals use the Super-Duper Dog Park, which is found in Bicentennial Park.
The Jack E. Kirksey Livonia Community Recreation Center has activities for all ages in Livonia.
Friends get together to play their weekly game of tennis in Livonia.
1/4
Shopping centers and a growing downtown district
Livonia does not have a traditional downtown, so shopping is spread over much of the city. Chain restaurants and big-box retailers are the most common options, but there are many locally-owned favorites. For instance, Joe's Produce Gourmet Market separates itself from big box retailers by personally hand-selecting local produce. When in season, Joe’s staff visit the Detroit Eastern Market and Detroit Produce Terminal, six to seven days a week, carefully expecting which fruits and vegetables will make it to the shelves. Bad Brads BBQ and Bates Burgers are longtime community stalwarts, attracting diners from across the Detroit metro.
“The only thing we are lacking is a downtown, which is why we’re working on building one,” MacFarland says. “We are renovating the city center to become a walkable area with shops, restaurants and townhouses.”
The downtown will be concentrated around the Livonia City Hall and Civic Center Library. MacFarland says the library is a crucial element of the city. “We want to make the library one of the main hubs for families and people to visit,” he says. “We want to make sure it’s a resource for everyone.”
While downtown Livonia is in the works, several current shopping centers exist. Laurel Park Place has served the community since 1989 with 74 fashion-based stores. Town Peddler Craft and Antique Mall is made up of a community of more than 400 artists and sellers of retro and vintage clothing and items, antiques, artworks and more. Twelve Oaks Mall, in nearby Novi, offers more than 180 stores and eateries, making it easy for locals to find what they need.
Bates Burgers is the hot spot in Livonia.
Livonia locals enjoy award-winning barbeque at Bad Brads BBQ.
The XXX Library is an excellent destination for any bookworm in Livonia.
Livonia locals head to Laurel Park Place shop at over seventy stores.
1/4
Midcentury, mid-priced housing options
There are roughly 39,000 housing units in Livonia, 87% of which are detached single-family houses. Most were built in the 1950s and ‘60s, and 86% are currently owner-occupied. Homes here have consistently appreciated over the past ten years and rank among the nation's top 40% of appreciation areas. With a median housing price of $295,000, prices are less expensive than those in cities like Canton but more expensive than cities like Inkster. Homes spend an average of 17 days on the market compared to the US average of 44 days.
Owners take great pride in maintaining their homes in Livonia.
Colonial-style homes stand out in Livonia.
Many lots in Livonia are split-level homes featuring towering trees and expansive front lawns.
Brick Ranch-style home with a tidy lawn in Livonia.
1/4
Community events, sports and history
While close to Detroit's art and cultural centers, Livonia has plenty to offer on its own. It’s home to Michigan’s largest amateur hockey association, appropriately named the Livonia Hockey Association. There’s also the Livonia City Soccer Club. With 1,300 participants, it’s one of the largest soccer clubs in the state. Greenmead Historical Village covers 103 acres and houses several 1850s buildings from Livonia’s early years. The site is home to the Fine Arts Festival, while historic Wilson Barn is a community events venue that hosts car shows, a farmers' market and the holiday sing-along. The Livonia Symphony Orchestra and the Livonia Civic Chorus provide musical performances for the community throughout the year, and the city celebrates its birthday in style with a week-long festival called the Livonia Spree. Each June, residents gather for live music, fireworks, carnival rides and a variety of local foods.
Livonia hockey teams use the Eddie Edgar Ice Arena for practice and games.
Livonia kids participate in one of the largest soccer clubs in the state.
Greenmead Historical Village covers 103 acres and houses 1850s buildings in Livonia.
Caretaker House at Wilson Barn in Livonia's Clements Circle.
1/4
Environmental factors and crime
Livonia experiences all four seasons just like the rest of southeast Michigan. The city has very little chance of tornadoes, wildfires or flooding. Less than 10% of all homes have a 26% chance of experiencing severe flooding in the next 30 years.
Livonia also has an overall crime rate 15% below the national average. That trend continues with the area having less violent crime than much of Michigan, according to FBI statistics released in September 2023. Livonia does have a slightly higher rate of property crime than the rest of Michigan, with one in 57 falling victim to burglary or theft, as opposed to one in 65 throughout the state.
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.
