Best place to retire: Downtown
Pros: New development downtown; a big-time buyer's market.
Cons: It's still got a long way to go.
Real estate: A one-bedroom at Riverfront Towers can go for $135,000. Rentals go from $750 to $2,800.
Thanks to a big civic campaign, people are finally moving back to downtown Detroit. Since 2000, 2,400 condo units have been built to welcome them.You can do your grocery shopping at Eastern Market, watch the Tigers at Comerica Park or take a stroll along the new Riverwalk on the Detroit River.
Detroit is, if anything, affordable. If you want to be close to a university and museums in a more traditional neighborhood, there are several around Wayne State University, just up the road in Midtown. Further out are quiet enclaves like Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Plymouth.
Detroit is pushing a resurgence, but it's got a long way to go, so you might feel like an urban homesteader. Other than Eastern Market, you might have to drive out to do your shopping.
If you do need to get away from the city, Detroit Metropolitan Airport has tons of non-stop flights.
See complete data and interactive map for Detroit
Public transportation maps: Bus | Subway/Rail
