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Next time you’re fighting rush hour traffic, imagine a place with easy commutes, pollution-free air, and trees instead of billboards. The Upper Peninsula combines outstanding business opportunity with the best of small town living. Walkable neighborhoods and traditional downtowns. Friendly neighbors, unlocked doors and low crime rates. Toss in the region’s top-ranked schools, a lower cost of living, and more than 16,000 square miles of natural recreation space, and you’ve got a lifestyle that gives you room to breathe and innovate.

People who live in the Upper Peninsula have access to everything great

  • 3 national parks
  • 1,700 miles of rugged shoreline
  • More than 200 waterfalls
  • 10 ski hills
  • 3 great lakes
  • Thousands of miles for hikers, bikers, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers
  • Brightest northern lights in the continental United States
  • 3rd snowiest region in America (according to Weather Channel)
4 National parks
  • 3 SmartZones, 4 business incubators and 4 co-working spaces
  • 6 commercial airports
  • 4 universities and 5 community colleges
  • Midwest’s top-rank public schools
  • America’s safest communities – very low crime rates
  • 2 national healthcare systems
3 Smart Zones

cost of living

U.P.MinneapolisMetro DetroitSeattleSan FranciscoAnn ArborAnchorageDenver
Inexpensive Restaurant (1 meal)$17.00$20.00$15.26$22.00$25.00$15.00$18.25$18.00
Imported Beer$5.00$6.00$6.00$8.00$8.00$6.00$8.00$7.50
Bottled Water$1.50$1.89$1.81$2.00$2.27$2.15$2.38$2.14
Milk$3.56$3.37$3.36$4.33$5.87$3.33$4.26$4.04
Dozen Eggs$3.55$4.38$3.50$4.10$5.31$2.50$4.29$4.70
New Car$25,250.00$21,936.88$26,901.67$25,447.19$25,728.43$22,387.97$23,535.20$24,489.00
Utilities$88.04$143.19$262.92$249.99$258.26$156.53$247.19$181.67
Fitness Club (per month)$52.50$72.00$45.95$63.14$98.33$43.33$74.75$70.42
Pair of Jeans$42.50$46.64$53.50$66.03$66.04$59.80$44.37$57.98
1 bedroom rent downtown$1,166.67$1,596.92$1,266.67$2,434.17$3,275.90$1,986.67$1,383.33$1,934.50
3 bedroom rent downtown$2,150.00$3,177.50$2,716.67$4,479.53$5,894.00$3,900.00$2,400.00$3,490.48
1 bedroom rental$850.00$1,138.50$858.33$1,901.67$2,579.66$1,320.00$1,199.06$1,611.20
3 bedroom rental$1,850.00$2,287.50$1,600.00$3,307.42$4.381.77$2,427.50$2,133.33$2,631.43
Mortgage Interest Rate %5.43%5.58%4.86%4.39%5.02%5.43%5.43%4.95%
Per Gallon of gas (based on 1.3.19 prices)$3.38$4.28$3.46$4.09$4.12$3.60$4.29$2.94

wild neighbors

Vast homes choices, from affordable to spectacular — all in a region with priceless lifestyle opportunities. Average listings for beautiful “in-town” neighborhoods: Houghton – 148K. Marquette – 164K. Keweenaw – 200K. There are traditional apartments and rental homes for newcomers and unique property conversions and opportunities in U.P. towns everywhere. Discover fantastically remote locations…modern homes and rustic cabins in the woods where nature is your neighbor. Homes, land and camps on the lakes and rivers where water life rules. Lakefront luxury with boat lifts and yacht stalls. Your neighbor might even have a seaplane!

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