9 Safest Towns In Michigan For Senior Living
Seemingly endless shorelines. This — among others — is one of Michigan’s most romanticized features. Fortunately, it is not an over-stretched exeggation. For those who dream of waking up to the shimmering beauty of a smooth, glassy lake, the Mitten State provides an unmatched experience. Chances are, you also want a town that has good hospitals or is a heartbeat away from an excellent healthcare facility. Above all, safety is a prime consideration. Everything falls or rises on it. So, which are the safest towns in Michigan? From St. Joseph to Midland, discover below the 9 safest towns in Michigan for senior living.
St. Joseph
If you believe it is an awesome thing to retire right on the water and in one of the nicest communities in the Midwest, welcome to St. Joseph. There is Lake Michigan, which offers a delicious range of outdoor adventure opportunities; St Joseph River, if whitewater rafting is up your alley, and several pretty beaches and parks, including Tiscornia Park — a scenic, lakeshore park with a pier and lighthouse. With a low burglary rate and a median listing price of $383,550, an empty nester gets safety for a penny on the dollar. Keep in mind that the median age here is 43.4, meaning a retiree will easily get the chance to bond with both the old and young.
Hamburg Township
With Detroit just under an hour and the spellbinding beauty of the Lakeland Trail a blink away, Hamburg Township is quite an underrated retirement destination. This is a small, relaxed community, ideal for retirees who don’t want to live life on the fast lane. You have numerous lakes to explore, including Strawberry, Baas, and Zukey Lakes — and the Manly W. Bennett Disc Golf Course, whose varied terrain offers the challenge golfers often need. Hamburg Township has a burglary rate of 4.67 per 100,000, almost a quarter of the statewide rate. On healthcare access, Ann Arbor, just 15 miles down the road, hosts the highly rated Trinity Health, a 2025 winner of the Surgical Care Excellence Award. Will a retiree here fit in? Hamburg Township residents have a median of 48.8, implying a demographic with a sizeable proportion of empty nesters.
Traverse City
With so many lakes to wake up to, including Silver Lake, Boardman Lake, and the bass-filled Lake Leelanau, Traverse City is the ultimate water lover’s dream. In the summer, life here is adventure after adventure. With a burglary rate much lower than the statewide rates, a retiree here will lead a safe, worry-free life. For that troublesome knee, you have the Munson Medical Center, a 2024 winner of the America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Joint Replacement Award. On the social side, Traverse City residents have a median age of 42.2, implying a scene that is mellowed out but not boringly so. Finally, houses in Traverse City have a median listing price of $460,250, which is reasonable, especially looking at what one is signing up for.
Farmington
Farmington is a small, awesome town in the Detroit Metro Area. It is quiet, welcoming, and safe, especially considering its burglary rate is just about zero. You will love the Farmington Farmers & Artisans Market, which is open from May through to the first Saturday in November. Plus, you have a library, a cute downtown, and several beautiful parks, including the trail-laden Heritage Park. The Riviera Cinema, which shows first-run films, is a great place to watch a life-changing show while mingling with friends or neighbors. Farmington residents have a median age of 39.6, implying a social scene that is soft and mellowed out but not boring. You can get a house for just $350,583, which is the median listing price of houses in the area. Many will consider this price point to be an excellent value for money, especially because one is a blink away from Detroit. To top it all, you have immediate access to Beaumont Hospital, a 2024 winner of the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award.
Saline
Saline is in a slow, laid-back area with farms and suburbs. The good thing is that it is a short, 15-minute drive from Ann Arbor, which hosts several amenities and attractions, including the award-winning University Hospital-University of Michigan. Its burglary rate is way lower than the statewide rate. You have the river-facing Mill Pond Park for walking and relaxing, Curtiss Park (and its neat trails), and the iconic Emagine Saline, a fancy theater with reclining chairs for comfort and luxury. An empty nester here will have several opportunities to mingle with peers, especially considering residents have a median age of 44.6. Finally, houses in Saline fetch a median listing price of $468,133, which is a good bang for the buck, considering its enticing range of offerings.
Ludington
Ludington is a stunning beach town that gets a lot of action in summer (because of tourists) — before transforming itself into a quiet, relaxing oasis the rest of the year. It reclines on the shimmering beauty of Lake Michigan, and you know what that means to a water enthusiast. You also have the trout-filled Pere Marquette River, if angling is up your alley, and Waterfront Park, a fantastic place to people-watch and see the historic SS Badger entering and exiting. There is Corewell Health, a 49-bed acute care hospital that offers a full range of medical services. On the social side, Ludington residents have a median age of 42.3, representing a social scene that most retirees would easily fit into. Keep in mind that you don’t have to break the bank either: Houses in Ludington sell for a median price of just $260,483. Ludington’s rate of violent crimes is considerably lower than the state average.
Trenton
Trenton is a nice and calm town where you don’t have to worry about watching your back. Its burglary rate, according to the FBI Data Explorer, is low. Brace yourself for lots of retail opportunities nearby and tons of locally-owned restaurants. The most exciting part about retiring in Trenton is that downtown Detroit is just 20 miles away, meaning you have convenient access to an unbelievable number of excellent hospitals. Still, Beaumont Hospital, a repeat winner of the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award, is a doorbell away. Considering you can get a house for only $214,233, the town’s median listing price, you have one more reason to consider retiring in Trenton. However, if affordability is not a clincher, the social landscape should. Trenton residents have a median age of 49.1.
So, what will you be doing here? You will be torn between enjoying rounds of golf at several spots, including the Grosse Ile Golf & Country Club, floating down the Detroit River, or enjoying evening walks at the Elizabeth Park Marina, a quiet, clean space with wooded areas and swoon-worthy trails.
Petoskey
Petoskey is a nice, walkable town positioned right on the shore of Lake Michigan. From biking The Little Traverse Wheelway to enjoying mind-calming views at the aptly named Bayfront Park, a retiree here has several delightful ways of spending her golden years. There is also the Bear River Valley Recreation Area, which is beautifully set along the eponymous slow-moving waterway. Petoskey’s burglary rate is virtually non-existent, so there is no need to worry about a spine-freezing break-in. Another comforting aspect about retiring in Petoskey is that McLaren Northern Michigan, a 2024 winner of the Surgical Care Excellence Award, is at your doorstep. Will you feel out of place? Highly unlikely. Petoskey residents have a median age of 41, just the soft, calm spot that implies a notable presence of empty nesters. Houses in Petoskey fetch a median listing price of $650,833.
Midland
Midland is another safe, charming town a retiree will quickly fall in love with. With its more than 80 parks — and you don’t get that often — Midland has several ways of keeping an empty nester active, engaged, and physically fit. Chippewassee Park, which spans about 35 acres, is a nice, grassy beauty with all the hallmarks of a recreation pleasure spot. Occasionally, a retiree will enjoy an afternoon round of golf at the Currie Golf Course or float down the Tittabawassee River, which flows through the town.
Is Midland safe? Considering it boasts a low burglary rate, empty nesters here will always feel safe and at ease. On another favorable note, MyMichigan Medical Center, which boasts an affiliation with the University of Michigan Health System, is right in town. With a median age of 38.8, the social scene here strikes the sweet spot between old and young. Finally, houses in Midland fetch a median listing price of $238,317, a price point that is commonly associated with states like Alabama.
From its pine-speckled forest, sun-dappled ridges, shimmering lakes, and warm, busy summers, Michigan’s retirement appeal is hard to beat. Still, you want to be part of a community, to be close to a good hospital, and most importantly, to spend your golden years in a safe, peaceful neighborhood. Fortunately, Michigan is strewn with small, charming towns that effortlessly strike all of these boxes. The above-mentioned, whether Traverse City or Trenton, are excellent starting points.
