Oceola Township is a rustic pocket between multiple major cities
In Oceola Township, secluded properties on dirt roads and modern subdivisions near an all-sports lake combine to form a serene eastern Michigan community. “It is a little quieter,” says Laura Toms, a local Realtor with Century 21 since the mid-1980s. “But it’s really building up. There’s so many communities that are popping up.” The population here grew 23% to more than 14,600 from 2010 to 2020. People are attracted to the area because of the highly rated public schools and the easy access to highways, which can take them to amenities in surrounding cities like Howell and Fenton and to the larger cities of Flint, Ann Arbor, Lansing and Detroit.
Houses span a wide mix of eras and layouts
Oceola Township makes up an extensive swath of Livingston County and is packed with a diverse selection of homes. Much of the area features quiet country roads where buyers can find anything from an 1830s farmhouse to a 1980s ranch-style home. Many of these properties come with at least an acre of land. The southwest quadrant of Oceola Township, closer to downtown Howell and Thompson Lake, is slightly different. This area is home to more modern, suburban-style developments with single-family homes and condos. Some houses sit right on the lake. Most single-family houses around Oceola Township go for $250,000 to $690,000. Condos sell for $260,000 to $475,000.
Howell and Hartland school districts share strong reputations
Howell Public Schools and the Hartland Consolidated Schools system combine to cover Oceola Township. The Howell district serves most of the area and has a B rating on Niche. Hartland carries an A-minus grade and spills into eastern portions of this community. Students in the Howell system may go to Voyager, Hutchings or Northwest for elementary school, and all have B Niche grades. The B-minus-rated Highlander Way Middle has multiple FIRST Tech Challenge robotics teams that participate in competitions. Howell High also earns a B grade and includes a dedicated freshman campus and a separate building with Grades 10 to 12. Extracurricular opportunities at Howell High range from an archery club to an esports team.
Those in the Hartland district may attend the A-rated Creekside Elementary, A-minus-rated Lakeside Elementary or B-rated Village Elementary for kindergarten to fourth grade. The A-minus-rated Hartland Farms Intermediate includes Grades 5 and 6, and all students take a vocal music or band class. Hartland Middle at Ore Creek also maintains an A-minus rating, includes Grades 7 and 8, and has an engineering and design elective course. Hartland High gets an A-minus and offers dual-enrollment courses in collaboration with the University of Michigan-Flint.
Oceola Township’s tranquility comes with highway connectivity
Michigan Highway 59, known as M-59, is Oceola Township’s main road. M-59 takes drivers west, deeper into the city of Howell. Howell’s Trinity Health Livingston Hospital is located just off M-59. The roadway also connects to Interstate 96 for trips to Lansing, just under 40 miles away. Commuters can use the nearby U.S. Route 23 for the roughly 20-mile ride to Fenton, the 30-mile drive to Ann Arbor and the 35-mile trip to Flint. Flint is home to the Flint Bishop International Airport, which offers connecting flights to Chicago through American Airlines and United Airlines. Detroit is just under 60 miles away using I-96 and Michigan Highway 10.
Grand River features a grand selection of commercial amenities
Grand River Avenue, slightly south of Oceola Township’s homes, is a commercial thoroughfare lined with big-box stores and restaurants. Locals can head to Grand River to shop at places including Walmart, Meijer, Lowe’s and Kohl’s. And while the stretch has numerous chain eateries, like McDonald’s and White Castle, Log Cabin is among the local spots. “That’s a good one,” Toms says. Log Cabin’s brisket is popular. Many more local restaurants are available in Howell’s walkable downtown, about 5 miles away.
Thompson Lake, trails and golf courses offer outdoor recreation
The 268-acre Thompson Lake is one of the Oceola Township area’s signature features. Locals can access the lake through Scofield Park, though they must have a daily or annual pass to enter. The lake is open to fishing and boating, and the park features a beach area and a playground. The almost 5,000-acre Brighton Recreation Area, 10 miles south, encompasses 35 miles of trails where visitors can hike, ride horses and mountain bike. Brighton also has nine lakes, including Bishop Lake, a designated spot for swimming.
Balloons command the skies in June
The Michigan Challenge Balloonfest is a staple of every June in the area. Based at Howell High, Balloonfest spans three days and includes multiple balloon launches and fly-ins. “If you live in Oceola Township, when they have the balloon festival, a lot of the balloons will fly over your house,” Toms says. The event also includes a tradition called the Glow, when balloons light their burners in the evening, gleaming against the nighttime sky. The Legend of Sleepy Howell is another annual event, held in downtown Howell on the Saturday before Halloween. There’s trick or treating, games and a costume contest. “They shut down the street, and all the local community offices have tents and all the kids are dressed up,” Toms says. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
