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Is Michigan a Good State for Millennials?

There are roughly 80 million millennials living in America, and now, they’re at the age where they’re having kids, buying houses and doing adult things. While the term “millennial” is…

Millennial generation

Millennial generation

There are roughly 80 million millennials living in America, and now, they're at the age where they're having kids, buying houses and doing adult things. While the term "millennial" is often associated with the super young, in reality, some millennials are in their 40s these days.

So, which states are the best for millennials? The crew at WalletHub.com has put together a study to determine the best states for millennials. In the study, they note that millennials are "the most popular and unpopular generation alive. While they’re currently the largest generation, having overtaken the baby boomers in 2019, they are likely to lose that status to Generation Z by 2026. However, with a population of around 80 million, millennials will continue to have a huge influence on American culture and consumption. Today, these mid-20-to-early-40-somethings who are often depicted through negative stereotypes — entitled, parentally dependent, emotionally fragile — are responsible for 21% of all consumer discretionary spending in the U.S."

WalletHub.com also states that even with millennials' higher education, "they are economically worse off than their parents." They add that "the financial crisis remains a big part of the reason. Millennials have come of age and entered the workforce in the shadow of the Great Recession, which has significantly reduced their job prospects and earning potential for decades to come. Plus, many millennials are struggling due to financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they may find new opportunities in the current job market, where employers are desperate to hire and applicants have more leverage to get good compensation and benefits."

So, how does Michigan rank when it comes to millennials? It's interesting, because Michigan is ranked No. 24 for millennials out of all the states, so right in the middle. That said, Michigan is actually ranked No. 5 for the lowest housing costs for millennials, making this a prime spot for the generation to land. The best state for millennials, according to the study, is Washington. Find the full list here.

It's a wild time to buy a house. The prices seem to just keep going up and up, with no end to this housing bubble in sight. I would love to buy my first hour, but like many, I'm being forced to wait until the housing market drops a bit, and it's anybody's guess when that will happen.

If you are buying a house right now, you should make sure it's in a good place to live, since you're likely paying a pretty penny for it. Thankfully, the folks at Niche.com have done the homework to determine the best places to buy a house in Michigan. They recently released a list of the best places to live in the state, factoring in both cities, suburbs, towns and city neighborhoods.

"The Best Places to Buy a House ranking provides a comprehensive assessment of the housing and community of an area," they explain the in the study. "This grade takes into account key factors of a location’s housing market, including home values, taxes, crime rates, and quality of local schools, in an attempt to measure the quality and stability of an area’s real estate market." They also look at aspects such as home value to income ratio, public schools grades, monthly housing costs, the cost of living, the higher education rate, the median home value and much more. Statistics are mainly obtained from the U.S. Census and represent the most recent data available, they state.

So, what places are the best to reside in Michigan? Read on for the top 50 list via Niche.com, and best of luck with your home buying experience.

50 Best Places to Buy a House in Michigan

This list is via Niche.com.

50. Oneida

49. Royal Oak

48. Williamston

http://new.williamston-mi.us/

47. Blendon Township

46. Tecumseh Township

http://www.tecumsehtownship.org/

45. Sheridan Charter Township

44. Jamestown Charter Township

http://twp.jamestown.mi.us/

43. Ferrysburg

http://www.ferrysburg.org/

42. Lima

41. Frankenmuth

40. Courtland Township

39. Bloomfield Charter Township

38. Ingersoll

37. Grand Haven Charter Township

36. Baldwin Township

35. Haslett

34. Jenison

33. DeWitt

32. Quinnesec

31. Freeland

30. Resort Township

29. Midland

28. Grosse Point Woods

27. Oakland Charter Township

26. Webster Township

25. Troy

24. Fulton Heights

http://fultonheights.org/

23. Brighton Township

22. Texas Charter Township

21. Portage Charter Township

20. Crockery Township

19. Norway Township

18. Zeeland Charter Township

17. Northville

16. Cannon Township

15. Beverly Hills

14. Forest Hills

13. West Ishpeming

12. Tilden Township

11. Huntington Woods

10. Hudsonville

9. Ottawa Hills

8. Grosse Pointe Farms

7. Okemos

6. Lodi Township

5. Royalton Township

4. East Grand Rapids

3. Berkley

2. Eastgate

1. Larkin Charter Township

http://www.larkintownship.org/

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.