Michigan Has the No. 2 City to Live in America

There's no denying that Michigan is a great place to live. I grew up in this state, so I might be biased, but I do think that Michigan has a lot to offer, whether it's the four seasons or awesome college and pro sports or the Great Lakes.

As it turns out, it's now official that Michigan is a fantastic place to live, as one of our cities has been named the No. 2 city to live in the United States for 2022.

For nine years now, Livability.com has been ranking the most livable small to mid-sized cities in America. This year, the outlet looked at 2,300 mid-sized cities with populations of 500,000 or less. Then, it got down to its top 100. "Every year, the list changes: we conduct exclusive studies and surveys, adjust our algorithm and add new variables and data points," they state. "But one thing remains constant: We always start with the data. This year, we examined more than 2,300 cities based on more than 50 data points that are grouped into eight categories, measuring a city's economic stability, housing, amenities, infrastructure, demographics, social and civic capital and health care. This is how we calculate each city's LivScore."

The also took the "wow" factor into consideration. "Yes, these are all statistically great places to live, but would you actually want to live here?" they ask. "What are the ways in which each of these cities is creating an environment that is accommodating for remote workers? Where can you spend a Saturday afternoon or meet your friends for happy hour after a long day? How is this city different from other places?"

So, which Michigan city is No. 2 on the list? Ann Arbor. "Exciting things are happening in Ann Arbor," the outlet explains. "The University of Michigan provides a robust and homegrown talent pipeline for healthcare and tech sectors, and the college’s presence keeps the city young at heart." Madison, Wisconsin, came in at No. 1 on the tally. Find the full list here.

Summer is on the way, and that means it's about to be road trip season. I always enjoy driving around during the spring and summer months, discovering new towns around Michigan. Fall is a great time to road trip, too, because of the gorgeous colors. This state has so many beautiful small towns, which make for perfect stops during a long road trip.

So, how small are Michigan's tiniest dwellings? I actually looked up some data from the state of Michigan and discovered that many towns in Michigan have just a few hundred people. That's almost hard to imagine. Some examples are Addison at 597, Akron at 394 and Alba at 295. Now, that's really, really small.

When it comes to Michigan's quaint cities, I always enjoy South Haven. My uncle lives around that area, and I used to go there at lot as a kid. The beach town is right on the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, in the southwest part of the state. Its population is just over 4,000 residents, but it seems way bigger during the summer months, as it's a very popular tourist destination. Just thinking about South Haven's warm, sandy beaches is making me smile. If you head there, don't forget to check out South Haven's trademark red lighthouse.

Of course, South Haven is just the beginning when it comes to great places to visit. Read on for 40 small towns in Michigan that you need to visit this summer for a weekend getaway. You'll also find information on each town below with a link to that town's official website, so you can find more details about the best time to visit and how to get there.

https://www.munising.org/

https://www.travelmarquette.com/

https://www.traversecity.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/holland

https://saultstemarie.com/

https://www.alpena.mi.us/

https://tawascity.org/

https://www.sjcity.com/

https://www.cityofharborsprings.com/

https://www.escanaba.org/

https://www.frankenmuth.org/

https://www.mackinacisland.org/

https://www.ci.northville.mi.us/

https://villageofontonagon.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/paradise

https://www.copperharbor.org/

https://www.saugatuck.com/

https://www.southhaven.org/

https://petoskeyarea.com/

https://visitludington.com/

http://www.pentwater.org/

https://www.mytecumseh.org/

http://www.colonmichigan.org/

http://www.cityofboynecity.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/caseville

https://portaustinarea.com/

https://www.easttawas.com/

https://stignace.com/

https://www.michigan.org/city/suttons-bay

https://www.newberrychamber.net/

http://www.cityofmarshall.com/

https://www.harrisvillemi.org/

https://www.frankfortmich.com/

https://villageofelberta.com/

https://elkrapids.org/

https://www.michigan.org/city/au-gres

https://www.rosecitymich.com/

https://www.gaylordmichigan.net/

https://menominee.us/