Why Midland?
If you're considering a move to Midland, we're confident that you'll love our community. Why? We're home to excellent schools, a safe and quiet living environment, plenty of outdoor recreation and cultural activities to enjoy, a generous philanthropic community, and a thriving local business community, just to list a few reasons!
Watch the video to the left and continue reading to learn more about our community and how you'll feel right at home.
Midland in the News
Midland is a great place to live, work, and play - and the nation is taking notice!
Check out some of the recent accolades given to our community:
- #2 Safest City in the U.S. (2021)
- #2 Most Budget-Friendly City in Michigan for Homeowners with a Mortgage [#31 in the United States] (2020)
- #2 Safest City from Property Crimes in United States (2020)
- #20 Best School District in Michigan (2019-2020)
- #3 Most Dynamic Metropolitan Area in United States (2019)
- 9th Healthiest County in Michigan (2019)
- #10 Best Place to Raise a Family in Michigan (2019)
- #30 Safest College Town in America (2019)
- #1 Best Place to Retire in Michigan (2018)
- #5 Safest City for Families in the United States (2018)
- #4 Safest City to Retire in the United States (2018)
About Midland - "The City of Modern Explorers"
The City of Midland is located in the beautiful Great Lakes Bay Region in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, about 80 miles north of Lansing and 125 miles northwest of Detroit . The City covers 36.06 square miles, making it the fifth-largest city in the state by land size, and has a population of approximately 42,000 residents. Midland provides the amenities of life in a major metropolitan area - numerous shopping and dining options, a vibrant downtown district, a thriving local business community, scores of outdoor recreation and entertainment options, post-secondary education, and more - with the charm and safety of a mid-sized community.
Light traffic, a healthy economy, affordable cost of living, impressive housing options, excellent schools, and convenient access to area attractions have made Midland a community of choice for many in the Great Lakes Bay region. The City has a median household income of $66,303 and a median home value of $149,000, with the average homeowner paying just $94 per month in property taxes for the many amenities and services that the City provides. Midland is also a highly-educated community, with approximately 45% of its residents having earned a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Services
The City provides a full array of services, including police and fire protection; planning and community development; building inspection and code enforcement; street maintenance; sanitation (refuse and recycling); forestry; horticulture; parks and recreation; fiscal services (assessing, treasury, finance, and purchasing); information services; engineering; clerk (local elections); community affairs, including the oversight of two tax increment financing (TIF) districts; and utilities (water, wastewater, storm water management, and a renewable gas-to-energy plant). It also operates Currie Municipal Golf Course; the Grace A. Dow Memorial Library; Midland Community Television; the Midland Civic Arena, with an indoor ice rink and turf field; Dial-A-Ride, a curb-to-curb on-demand transportation system; Jack Barstow Airport; the Sanitary Landfill; and two senior apartment complexes: Riverside Place and Washington Woods.
The City has an annual consolidated budget of $97.4 million and employs 327 full-time and 111 part-time employees.
Governance
The City of Midland operates under the Council-Manager system and is governed by an elected 5-member, non-partisan City Council whom are elected by residents from the ward in which they reside. The mayor is chosen from the elected Council by a vote of its members and the City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney. Responsibilities of day-to-day operations and management of resources are delegated to the City Manager. The City Council determines the policies that affect the City’s present and future well-being and provides leadership for planning and community development.
To learn more about the many opportunities available to Midland residents, click on the tabs below.
A Leader in Industry

As “The City of Modern Explorers,” Midland has long been recognized as a leader in the science and chemical industry. Dow, a Fortune 55 company, was founded in Midland in 1897 and continues to operate its global headquarters in the community. With its recent spin-off into three separate companies, Midland now hosts sites for DuPont and Corteva Agriscience as well.
Another major community employer, MidMichigan Health, is a statewide and nationwide leader in medical care and advancements in the health sciences. Other large employers include Midland Public Schools, Chemical Bank, the City of Midland, Northwood University.
The City oversees two tax increment financing (TIF) districts: the Downtown Development Authority and the Center City Authority. These districts play host to a variety of businesses and organizations ranging from one-employee entrepreneurs to generations-old local businesses to franchises. Residents can always find a fun event - such as Downtown's Larkin Beer Garden or Holly Jolly Days or Center City's Circle City Wire Garden or Second Saturday Food Truck Festival - or a unique place to eat and shop.
Education 
K-12 Education
Midland Public Schools serves over 7600 K-12 students in the city. The district consists of seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools, including the newly-opened Central Park Elementary, a STEM-based elementary school for children in grades K-2. The district enjoys a long-standing tradition of excellence and consistently ranks as one of the best school systems at the state and national level.
Colleges and Universities
For those pursuing higher education, there are several post-secondary options in Midland. We've been the proud home of Northwood University since 1961 and also host satellite campuses for Central Michigan University, Delta College, and Davenport University. In 2019, Delta College broke ground on a new campus in Downtown Midland that is expected to open in Fall 2020 (read more here). Saginaw Valley State University is located less than 20 miles away from Midland in University Center.
Cultural Amenities
Midland residents have the unique opportunity to experience "big city" cultural amenities that are nearly unheard of in a city of our size!
Midland Center for the Arts offers a wide range of musical and theatrical productions, two museums, a historical campus, and the Midland Symphony Orchestra. For larger events and musical concerts, residents may travel to the nearby Dow Event Center in Saginaw, a short 30-minute drive.
Dow Gardens sprawls over 110 acres of beautifully-maintained gardens, providing visitors with spectacular photo opportunities with many species of perennials, annuals, and distinctive bridges. Whiting Forest of Dow Gardens is home to the world's longest Canopy Walk, which gives guests the opportunity to walk amongst the trees and explore the forest grounds from a new perspective.
As the home of world-renowned architect Alden B. Dow, Midland has become a hub of midcentury modern architecture and design: over 400 midcentury modern structures exist in the city today! (Click here to find them.) In addition, residents and visitors can tour the Alden B. Dow Home and Studio to view the architect's amazing home.
Are sports more your idea of a cultural outing? Midland hosts Dow Diamond, home of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Single A affiliate Great Lakes Loons. The Loons offer an excellent, affordable night of fun with theme nights, concerts, fireworks, and most importantly: great baseball close to home.
In July, Midland hosts the annual Ladies' Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. This exciting event brings the best female golfers in the world to the Midland Country Club and celebrates with a variety of festivals, kids' activities, and more.
Recreation
The City of Midland operates 72 parks and 2700 acres of park land - more than Saginaw, Bay City, and Mt. Pleasant combined! In addition to these parks, the City offers a robust array of recreation options, including miles of walking and biking trails; youth and adult leagues for softball, kickball, and more; free youth programs, such as the popular annual Santa Calling initiative; and access to the Tittabawassee River for kayaking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Winter aficionados can visit Midland City Forest to enjoy ice skating, a sledding hill, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails, and a toboggan run.
In addition to City parks and trails, the Chippewa Nature Center provides breathtaking scenery, trails, and nature programming to get residents outside and in touch with our gorgeous natural surroundings. The Pere-Marquette Rail Trail trailhead also begins at the Farmers Market in Downtown Midland.
Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention our famous Tridge: a three-legged footbridge in Downtown Midland that stands at the intersection of the Chippewa and Tittabawassee rivers. The Tridge is one of Midland's most recognizable landmarks and is sought out by visitors from all over the world!
If events are more your style, Midland offers many festivals and fun things to do! Downtown Midland plays host to Tapped, a yearly craft beer festival every June; Riverdays and Midland Balloon Festival, a combined community celebration during the first weekend in August; Tunes by the Tridge, a free weekly live music event held every Thursday evening from June through September; and scores of other events. Check out our vibrant Downtown District for upcoming events and activities.