Sitting between the Detroit River and the Detroit Metro Airport, Southgate is a small city that offers a small-town suburban feel with plenty of ways for residents to stay active or entertained. “It’s quiet, but there’s plenty of stuff to do, so you’re never bored,” says Zoey Kuspa, President of the Southgate City Council. Though small, the city boasts a decent collection of parks and facilities like a nature center and an ice arena, and its restaurant scene has become known as one of the best in the area downriver of Detroit. Not just a place for play, the city hosts major employers like Meijer and the Southgate Community School District, a large inventory of small homes and easy access to the interstate and downtown Detroit.
The Southgate neighborhood is located in Southgate, MI.
Southgate's Market Center Park is well equipped with a brand new amphitheater.
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Brick bungalows, classic craftsman and modern builds
Small ranch-style homes are popular throughout Southgate, but the city has a variety of home styles, including modern colonial revivals, Tudors and townhomes. Prices for single-family homes range from $70,000 to $550,000. In 2024, the median home price was $200,000, up 11% from the previous year, and homes spent an average of 20 days on the market. Kuspa says city officials are also focused on increasing the number of apartments. “We’re redeveloping the old Security Bank Tower into apartments,” she says. “It’s the largest project in Southgate history and is set to open in the summer of 2025. It’ll also have a new park with pickleball courts, putting greens and a pedestrian bridge across Trenton Road.”
Traditional brick ranch style homes are available in Southgate.
The Southgate neighborhood is full of new construction.
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Southgate Community School District
The Southgate Community School District has 3,370 students and earns an overall C-plus on Niche. The district has five elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools. Its student-teacher ratio is 21:1, and the average graduation rate is 69%. After graduation, students can further their studies at the Downriver Campus of Wayne County Community College, which offers programs in accounting, homeland security and more.
Davidson Middle School offers high quality education for all students in Southgate.
Southgate Thomas J. Anderson High School is a public high school.
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Family-focused parks and recreation facilities
Southgate Parks and Recreation manages 15 sites, 12 of which are parks. Kuspa says the city prioritizes investing in its park system, with new amenities and updates added regularly. “We’ve updated three to four with new playscapes, benches and pavilions,” she says. While playgrounds and other free-to-use equipment are the focal point of many Southgate parks, facilities like pavilions, gazebos and baseball fields are also available to rent. Trails are in limited supply, though Kuspa says Kiwanis Park will soon host a new walking trail. Besides parks, residents can enjoy the largest YMCA downriver of Detroit, the Southgate Nature Center, which offers a biking and walking trail, and the Southgate Golf Course, an 18-hole, par three course. More unique offerings include the miniature train at Train Park.
Awesome downriver playground at Kiwanis Park in Southgate.
Southgate's Rotary Park is located on the corner of Ludington and Drake Street.
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Market Center shops and a big collection of restaurants
“We don’t really have a downtown since we were incorporated after downtowns were a major thing,” Councilwoman Kuspa says. “But we’re trying to make Market Center the go-to for shopping, events and recreation.” Located on Eureka Road in the city’s southeast corner, Market Center holds the city’s movie theater, a few boutique shops and local restaurants and a green space with a pavilion where the city holds small community events and farmers markets. However, the restaurant scene spans beyond Market Center, and the city has become known as a culinary hotspot in the Detroit metro area. “We have a lot of different restaurants,” Councilwoman Kuspa says. “That’s why we’re considered the Restaurant Capital of Downriver.”
Besides its large selection of restaurants, Southgate holds an ample catalog of chain grocers. National brands like Kroger and Meijer have locations in Southgate, and the city’s Walmart Supercenter sits on Dix Toledo Road.
Visit Sam's Club on Northline Road for bulk shopping needs in Southgate.
Southgate's famous Mallie's Sports Grill and Bar's Two Pound Taco eat 3 and they are free.
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Heritage Fest, summer concerts and more
Though roughly 15 miles south of downtown Detroit, Southgate attracts people from all over the metro Detroit area with events like the annual Heritage Days Festival, held at Market Center Park. This summer event spans a whole weekend each summer and features a parade, live music, food trucks from local vendors and more. Other events include a community Thanksgiving Dinner Take Out, the Winter Wonderland Tree Lighting Ceremony and The Southgate Summer Concert Series.
Sidewalks, SMART buses and lots of options for drivers
Most of Southgate’s roads are accompanied by ample sidewalk space, though bike lanes are rare, and most residents get around by car. The Detroit metro area SMART Bus system operates four routes through the city with stops along larger thoroughfares like Eureka Road. Fort Street and Interstate 75 offer drivers a direct route into downtown Detroit, just under 15 miles away, and the interstate connects to Upper Michigan and Canada or the lower southern states. Just about 12 miles west, travelers can take off or land at the Detroit Metro Airport, which links residents to other major airports worldwide.
Some crime concerns but minimal environmental risks
Until recent years, Southgate’s crime rates have remained consistently below those for Michigan and the United States. Data from the FBI shows a dramatic increase in the city’s violent crime rate in 2021, and since then, the rate has hovered nearly double the national average. The property crime rate has generally fluctuated around the overall national rate in that time. Environmental data shows the city has a minor risk of flood damages over the next 30 years, and air quality tends to be lower than that of other cities in Michigan.
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