The Great Lakes, which include Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Erie, are spread through eight states and cover parts of Canada as well. They’re so vast that they look more like an ocean depending on your vantage point. Superior is the largest of all, bordering Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, but the lakes also touch New York, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
While there are small towns that are surrounded by wilderness in this region, it’s also home to major cities like Chicago and Milwaukee. Of course, life in a rural area will be a lot different from life in a busy city, but there are many similarities.
Recreational Activities
Living by these lakes brings multiple advantages for those who like the great outdoors and want to enjoy recreational activities like boating and fishing. Sportfishing is very popular here, bringing the thrill of the catch and a feast to the dinner table. It’s even possible to surf. Lake Michigan gets up to 4-foot waves in the summer and 8-foot waves in the winter – you’ll just need to wear a wetsuit.
Outdoor recreation on land runs the gamut from scenic hikes and bike rides to camping and golfing.
No Matter Where You Are, There’s Likely to Be Plenty of Water
Odds are, you’ll be close to the water no matter where you live here. For example, in Michigan, the Department of Natural Resources notes that you’ll never be further than about six miles from some natural body of water. It has 3,300 miles of shoreline along the Great Lakes and 11,000 inland lakes. Minnesota is called the “Land of the Lakes” with over 14,000 of them, despite Wisconsin claiming to have slightly more. It’s an ongoing argument between the two.
If you want to live by the water and enjoy all the activities it offers, along with big-city amenities, you might consider looking at the Milwaukee houses for sale. Set on the shores of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers, it’s truly a water city. Plus, the cost of living is lower than the national average. If you also like sports, cheese, and beer, you might as well stop looking anywhere else.
The Weather and Natural Disasters
No matter where you are here, you can expect warm summers and cold winters with plenty of snow. While this region can get humid, it’s not extreme like places in the South. And, the even better news is that natural disasters are practically unheard of – there are no hurricanes, tsunamis, or cyclones. While there is a rare earthquake, they’re barely perceptible as severe ones occur near or in ocean trenches.
Affordability
The Great Lakes Region is a lot less expensive to live in as compared to many other places on the east and west coasts, like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, or Boston. While smaller towns in rural areas tend to have the cheapest home prices, even Chicago is affordable when compared to cities on either coast.
Friendliness
The Great Lakes Region is part of the northern Midwest, though some areas overlap with the northeast. Either way, most places here boast midwestern friendliness, with people who tend to be warm, genuine, and down-to-earth.
