With a city slogan "The Center of it All," Southfield lives up to its promise. It's exactly halfway between downtown Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan, and within 30 miles of the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. While its location makes it convenient for commuters who work outside in one of the larger nearby cities, Southfield has plenty of industry that keeps people employed close to home. In fact, it's widely considered a business and commercial hub.
Ascension Providence Hospital is the city's largest employer with over 3,100 associates. The 700,000 square foot campus is comprised of a full-service hospital with 24/7 emergency care, a level II trauma center and several specialty centers for things like cancer, heart disease and strokes. The distinct cluster of golden high rises off the John C. Lodge Freeway is the Southfield Town Center. The 2.2 million-square-foot office complex is home to several Fortune 500 employers, along with the Westin Southfield Detroit, various restaurants, a conference center and more. There are dozens of other office complexes found throughout the city, housing big and small corporations and law firms alike. Southfield is also home to local news and radio stations, including Fox 2 Detroit, Channel 7 News WXYZ-ABC-Detroit, The Word Network and CBS Radio.
Like the nearby cities of Oak Park and Royal Oak, this city is a gateway between Detroit's urbanism and the suburbia of northern cities. As such, it blends suburban, rural and urban living into just 28 square miles.
The familiar skyline of Southfield Town Center houses many of the city's largest businesses.
Southfield is one of Detroit's central suburban areas with the slogan "The Center of it All"
Ascension Providence Hospital employs over 3,100 from across the city of Southfield.
Residents of Southfield enjoy well maintained public green space inside a multitude of parks.
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Major freeways and thoroughfares
The John C. Lodge Freeway and US 696 meet at Southfield's northwestern Edge, providing convenient commutes around the metro Detroit area. Major thoroughfares Telegraph Road, Northwestern Highway, 8 Mile Road and 12 Mile Road also cut through the area and are lined with shopping and dining. Southfield is mostly driver-centric, but Mayor Ken Siver says they are working on making it more pedestrian-friendly.
“We’re very much into public trails. As we speak, more trails are being constructed,” Siver says. “We’re encouraging people to walk, bike or rollerblade rather than get in the car.”
These 8 to 10-foot-wide urban trails follow the path of the Lodge freeways and feature benches, dog-resting stations and bike-repair stations. They’re also covered in vibrant public art. “When people think of trails, they think about going to the woods or walking along the river, and we’ve changed that dynamic,” Siver says.
An urban pathway follows along the path of Southfield's Lodge freeway and past local art.
Southfield is driver-centric but has growing transit options provided by SMART and DDOT.
Sky bridges span major roadways across Southfield, giving pedestrians safe egress.
8 Mile road borders the south edge of Southfield and is lined with retail and dining.
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Established homes on neat lots
The city’s quiet, tree-lined streets generally resemble the typical established American suburb. They feature 2,000-square-foot brick and shingle homes — ranch-styles, bungalows, Cape Cods and Tudors among the most common styles — on about a quarter acre. Most were built in the 1940s and ‘50s, but there has been an increase in newer developments. Condos and townhouses are generally concentrated around the Southfield City Center, but options are dotted throughout. And many of the city's neighborhoods have a self-contained feeling.
“You can go into Southfield neighborhoods, and you would never know there are high-rises and highways nearby,” Siver says.
While many residential streets follow this prototype, some options break the norm. The Rouge River veins throughout the city and backs many properties, especially west of Telegraph Road. Neighborhoods on this side of the town have a more rural feel. Yards tend to be larger — generally greater than an acre — and offer a bit more privacy. Backyards are semi-wooded and sit on cliffs that drop off to the water’s edge, encouraging visits from white-tailed deer, rabbits and American toads.
Homes sell relatively fast, at 29 days on the market, compared to the US average of 44 days. At $240,000, the average sale price is lower than Farmington Hills but on par with Oak Park.
Southfield's suburban residential areas are largely organized into flowing grids.
Brick and shingle ranches are lined up in neat rows throughout suburban Southfield.
Ranch homes bring simpler floor plans to Southfield's residential streets.
Condos and townhomes are dotted throughout Southfields suburban layout.
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Southfield Public School District and Lawrence Tech University
The Southfield Public School District has a C-plus rating on Niche. With 10 schools, it serves close to 5,000 students and is one of the city’s largest employers. There are also several private academies and charter Montessori schools to choose from. Lawrence Technological University also calls the city of Southfield home. The private institution specializes in engineering, design and architecture. It has a B rating on Niche and is ranked the 89th-best design college in the country.
“The school is tremendous, and we are very pleased to have it in our city,” Siver says. “One of the things I like to do is go over to the school and look at the projects created by students, and it’s spectacular.”
Lawrence Tech also offers several programs for metro Detroit residents, including youth camps and an entrepreneurial advancement program. Centrepolis Accelerator provides grants, investments and services to entrepreneurs with innovative ideas that support lowering the carbon footprints of major energy companies.
Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology cares for over1200 students.
Southfield Christian School boasts that 88% of students earned a scholarship in 2023.
Country Hills Montessori inspires, educates and empowers all students.
Lawrence Technological University in Southfield specializes in engineering and architecture.
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Shopping and dining along Telegraph Road
Most shopping and dining options are concentrated along Telegraph Road, Evergreen Road and Northwestern Highway. There aren’t many mom-and-pop shops, but this city offers a variety of big-box stores and local and national chain restaurants.
Some popular dining spots include Nikola's Barbecue, Cornbread Restaurant and the Original House of Pancakes. Not to be confused with IHOP, this local chain is known for its hubcap-sized German pancakes and made-to-order omelets.
While Northland Mall closed nearly two decades ago, Twelve Oaks Mall and the Somerset Collection are a short drive away. Southfield also has numerous grocery stores and shopping centers to cater to residents' needs, such as Sam’s Club, Kroger and Meijer.
Southfield's retail centers are largely found on main thoroughfares like Telegraph and 8 Mile.
The Original House of Pancakes serves up massive pancakes to hungry Southfield diners.
Southfield also has numerous grocery stores such as Sam’s Club, Kroger and Meijer.
Sky bridges span major roadways across Southfield, giving pedestrians safe egress.
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Flower gardens and summer concerts at Burgh Historical Park
Southfield offers 33 green recreational spaces with 774 acres of parkland and open space.
Beech Woods Recreation Center features a public 9-hole golf course and a 17,000-square-foot gymnasium. The center hosts several recreation programs for members of all ages, such as youth basketball leagues and Midmorning Movies for older adults.
One of the most notable outdoor spaces is the Burgh Historical Park, which features renovated centuries-old buildings on green manicured lawns and abundant flower gardens. Burgh is also the location of the Gazebo Concert Series in the summer, which draws crowds from across metro Detroit.
17,000 square feet of indoor space is available at Southfield's Beech Woods Recreation Center.
Southfield golfers can master their swing and then hit the course at Beech Woods Golf Course.
The Burgh Historical Park provides plenty of room to picnic and enjoy natural surroundings.
The City of Southfield hosts events all year long, giving residents plenty to do.
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Higher than average crime levels
According to reports submitted to the FBI, Southfield experiences higher crime rates than the US and Michigan averages.
In December 2023, the city reported about 263 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The Michigan violent crime average was about 134 incidents per 100,000, and the US’s was 121 per 100,000.
Property crimes saw similar trends, with the Southfield Police Department reporting about 191 incidents per 100,000. Michigan reported an average of 130 property crimes, and the US average was 180.
Southeast Michigan weather
Like other Southeast Michigan cities, Southfield experiences all four seasons. Temperatures start to drop below 50 in November, and light snowfall follows. Snowfall is heaviest in January and February, as the city gets around 10 inches each month. The weather begins to warm up around May. Summer highs are generally around 85 degrees but can sometimes peak upwards of 90.
Written By
Kaitlin Davis
Photography Contributed By
James Gordon
Video By
Francisco de la Vera
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GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Southfield, MI sell after 41 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Southfield, MI over the last 12 months is $240,000, up 6% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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