Michigan Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Portage, Michigan

Population: 41,000

Located in Kalamazoo County

Located on the western side of Michigan, Portage offers residents many wonderful amenities that are not available in other cities of the same size. Portage is proud of the fact that their residents enjoy one of the lowest tax rates in Michigan. Low taxes means one's money will buy more house here than elsewhere, and make living in Portage affordable.

Portage offers a wide spectrum of homes, ranging in price from the low 80's all the way to $400,000 and up. Because of the prestige attached to the city of Portage, home prices tend to be a little higher here than in Kalamazoo, which is located just minutes away. The median prices for homes in Kalamazoo is $110,000, and in Portage it is $120,000.

Beautiful new housing or well-loved homes provide choices for every family and every need. Whether your taste in housing is contemporary or traditional, high-design or highly-functional, from a solidly-built brick ranch to a soaring, cathedral showpiece, Portage has a home to make you feel at home.

If you're looking for something to do for an afternoon, a night or a weekend, look no further than this fair city! The City of Portage supports numerous traditional recreational venues, including modern softball diamonds and numerous community parks that provide playgrounds for city children as well as facilities for tennis, basketball, volleyball, in-line skating and swimming. Renting a canoe for a peaceful trip down Portage Creek or renting a bicycle surrey to ride the Bicentential Park Trail are great ways to spend a leisurely summer afternoon.

The West Lake Nature Preserve is a 110-acre wetland bog along West Lake and within close proximity to the city center. This beautiful park features a bark trail that winds through a shaded lowland forest and ends with a dock promenade to a panoramic view of West Lake.

Bishop's Bog Preserve is another natural treasure of the City of Portage. This 152-acre preserve is the largest "relict" bog in Southern Michigan. Ancient and untouched, it is home to several rare plant species. The bog is registered with the Nature Conservancy.

While locals are happy to make an occasional short trek to Chicago for some of the nation's best shopping and dining, they can stay in town and spend time at Crossroads Mall. Local teenagers appreciate the mall for the urban, contemporary look and attitude of clothes.

Portage is a thriving city that has attracted a diverse and stable business base. It has resources to help businesses prosper and an employment environment rich in opportunities for its citizens. Portage is also home to the region's most educated work force, possessing the creativity and intellectual skills to compete in a global market, yet the city offers quality of life characteristics that rival any market. Great businesses, a strong local economy, and excellent local academic resources ensure that Portage remains a place for opportunities to grow.