Detroit MI Metro 55+ Active Adult Retirement Communities

Detroit is well known for two things, music and car manufacturing. However, it is not a city that immediately comes to mind when considering retirement locations. There are many advantages to retiring in the Detroit metro area for retirees on a budget, who enjoy outdoor activities, and love music. 

55+ communities in the southeast Michigan area are located in the suburbs and small towns outside of the city. The location of these communities allow for residents to enjoy suburban and small town living while still being within easy reach of the amenities offered by a large city.

Cost of Living

The Detroit metro area cost of living as a whole is on par with the rest of the nation. The city of Detroit and many of the surrounding suburbs actually have a low cost of living but this is offset by higher costs in the areas in and around Canton Township.

Michigan’s income tax is a flat 4.25 percent which includes most retirement income although Social Security and military retirement benefits are not taxable. Michigan has above average property taxes, no estate or inheritance tax, and below average sales tax. There are some tax breaks for seniors but they are income based.

55+ community pricing can vary greatly depending on which part of the metro area you are searching in. Prices in general range from the mid $200s to over one million. The Auburn Hills and Bloomfield Hills areas tend to be more expensive than the rest of the metro area.

Climate and Geography

Southeastern Michigan is in a hot summer humid continental climate area. Summers in the area have a temperature range of low 60s to low 90s with an extreme high temperature of 105 degrees in 1934. Winters are cold and snowy with a temperature range of the low 20s to the low 30s with the coldest temperature recorded being -21 degrees in 1984. Average snowfall is around 40 inches a year, average rainfall is about 20 inches. Like most of the midwest, thunderstorms are common and often bring tornadoes. The last strong tornado to hit the greater Detroit metro area was in 1997. 

The Detroit Metro area is located in the southeastern corner of Michigan and is Michigan’s largest city as well as being the largest city to share a border with Canada. The waterway border between the two countries runs through the Detroit River, through Lake St. Clair, up the St. Clair River and all the way into Lake Huron.  

Recreation, Culture and Entertainment

Southeastern Michigan has an abundance of natural areas, lakefront beaches, golf courses, and other entertainment options. Residents and visitors alike will find something to enjoy any time of the day or any time of the year. 

Golf courses:

• Country Club of Detroit in Grosse Pointe Farms
• Fern Hill Golf Club in Clinton Township
• Fieldstone Golf Club in Auburn Hills
• Gateway Golf Club in Romulus
• Hickory Creek Golf Course in Superior Charter Township
• Indianwood Golf & Country Club in Lake Orion
• Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods
• Warren Valley Golf Course in Dearborn Heights

Performing arts:

• Detroit Opera House
• DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit
• Fox Theatre in Detroit
• Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester
• Village Theater at Cherry Hill in Canton Township

Museums & historical sites:

• Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit
• Detroit Historical Museum
• Detroit Institute of Arts
• Fort Piquette Avenue Plant Museum in Detroit
• Historic Fort Wayne in Detroit
• Michigan Science Center in Detroit
• Motown Museum in Detroit

Hiking, boating, & gardens:

• Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory in Detroit
• Bald Mountain State Recreation Area in Orion Township
• Belle Isle in Detroit
• Clinton River Trail near Auburn Hills
• Lower Huron Metropark in Belleville
• Newburgh Lake in Livonia
• Pine Knob Ski and Snowboard Resort in City of the Village of Clarkston
• William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor in Detroit

Other activities:

• Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit
• Comerica Park – home of Detroit Tigers
• Detroit Zoo
• Ford Field – home of the Detroit Lions
• MGM Grand Detroit Casino
• MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit
• Sea Life Michigan Aquarium in Auburn Hills

Healthcare

The Detroit metro area has many hospitals available for general medical surgical care as well as emergencies. Area hospitals include Ascension Providence Rochester, Ascension St. John Hospital, DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, Henry Ford Hospital, and Trinity Health Oakland Hospital. 

Ascension St. John, DMC Detroit Receiving, and Henry Ford are all Level I trauma centers. Ascension St. John and Henry Ford are certified Comprehensive Stroke Centers. Ascension Providence Rochester and Trinity Health Oakland are Primary Stroke Centers with Trinity Health Oakland having a certification as a Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Center.