Photo of Portage, MI
( 13 Ratings )

Living in Portage, MI

Portage Area Facts

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Portage Reviews

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Love the area 4.5 rating By Anonymous ( Oct 18, 2018) Good schools, sports programs are really good in the area. Portage has all the shopping you could want, my only low score was a 5/10 on nightlife, because Portage itself really shuts down around 11-12 at night, but it's 10 minutes to downtown Kalamazoo, 20-25 minutes from Battle ...Read More Creek, there's 2 casinos within driving distance, and several breweries and wineries in the area. Wings Stadium has many events year-round including a huge craft show, and Kalamazoo has local hockey and baseball teams. The lake Michigan shoreline makes for good day trips, I recommend if you're not from the area to check out the beaches in St. Joseph and South Haven, or Bridgman if you're looking for a quieter afternoon. In the winter, there's Timber Ridge Ski Area, in the summer there's pretty good fishing on the lakes in town. There's a couple decent golf courses, some well-maintained parks and playgrounds. Economy is looking up at the moment, rumors are that several of the big employers in the area are looking to hire a good number of people. Police here are fairly nice, very present and visible. (Don't speed on Westnedge Ave!) Read Less
Portage does family friendly and affordable living really well 4 rating By Anonymous ( May 14, 2015) I have lived in Portage for the last two years. I relocated here a few years after college from the suburbs of Detroit and own a home here. I would say it is similar here to other suburbs, and would be an especially easy transition for anyone moving from the suburban Detroit or G ...Read More rand Rapids areas. The close access to Kalamazoo and everything available there is great. The affordability factor is also a serious draw to living in Portage. It is definitely a commute friendly distance from Kalamazoo. It is only fifteen to twenty minutes if you live closer to the city.

Living in Portage is not a mile-a-minute level of excitement like living in a big city and activities are somewhat limited. In the summer there is great swimming in the nearby lakes (check out Ramona Park Beach), and there are quite a few beautiful parks with extensive trails. A person who loves to walk or ride their bike would really enjoy it, and if you go, try starting out at Celery park. There are also the usual stores in the area that you find through the rest of Michigan (Meijer, ect), and the average chain restaurants. For specialty food or drink (like a microbrewery), definitely venture into Kalamazoo.

There is a really neat little museum I take my visiting family to called the Air Zoo. It's an aerospace park with rides, but also has exhibits that describe air travel and flight history. My siblings all have children now so I wanted to take them somewhere they could run a little bit on a rainy day. They had a great time on the hot air balloon ‘teacup' style ride. It's not a huge place, but definitely worth a visit, especially if you have kids! Read Less
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Compare Portage, MI Livability

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      D- Amenities

      Are there many local amenities in Portage? Well, there are not many amenities close to this location.

      Parks

      Veterans Memorial Park
      Central Park
      West Lake Nature Preserve
      Liberty Park
      South Westnedge Park
      Millennium Park
      Oakland Drive Park
      Lakeview Park

      Entertainment

      Hayloft Theater
      Celery Flats Ampitheatre
      Celery Flats Interpretive Center
      Wine and Canvas
      Millenium Park
      Bernatche School of Dance
      Kalamazoo Film Society
      Celebration! Cinema Crossroads & IMAX

      Food & Drink

      Arby's
      Subway
      Dairy Queen
      Panda Express
      Subway
      Culver's
      Papa John's
      Roundbread Sandwich Company

      F Commute

      Is public transit available in Portage? Of all people who commute, 1.0% take public transportation in Portage.
      Drive to Work
      85%

      9% higher than the US average

      Take Public Transit
      1%

      4% lower than the US average

      Walk to Work
      2%

      1% lower than the US average

      C+ Health & Safety

      Is Portage a healthy and safe place to live? Yes, there are some hospitals, police and fire stations.

      Hospitals

      Pharmacies

      Meijer Pharmacy
      CVS Pharmacy
      Sam's Club Pharmacy
      Walgreens
      Walgreens
      Rite Aid
      Doja

      Doctors