APageInHistory

Gosh, I love this city so very much. Great social/music/religious/academic/art scene. For apartment finding, check out the Twitter account d:Hive Live -- they update their feed with new apartments regularly. 10 years ago, Midtown was the safe neighborhood. 5 years ago, you could live in Corktown/ Downtown. Now folks live in Eastern Market, New Center, Woodbridge, North Corktown, Brightmoor (with a car, of course), Riverfront, and in the Villages. We walk downtown on Woodward and side-streets at night to go out/ get late-night food/ etc. Great cafe culture here. 

The reputation of detroit being "as bad as it sounds" is founded largely on institutional racism and classism. I agree with StephanieJ. Detroit gets a bad rap. It's just as bad as any other major city, but it has felt the effects of an industrialized economy backsliding harder than most others. There are a lot of poor and street involved people in the city, and people equate these things with "bad." I've never felt particularly unsafe in Detroit, but every person has their own level of street awareness.

Campuses and the areas surrounding them tend to be little bubbles of student life and not always reflective of the city at large, as well.

Thought I'd chime in. (a) I'm also a PhD applicant at Wayne State. ( I grew up in the suburbs and go to church near campus.

Detroit gets a bad rap. The downtown area is being revitalized by young people. I love the city. You have to be smart sometimes, but it's not a bad deal.

I'm with the above. I actually don't live in Detroit. I live in Cincinnati. My partner is a professor at UDM and finishing her MFA at Cranbrook, so we lease a place up there year round and we commute every weekend (headed up there tomorrow actually after I give a presentation at a conference here in Cincinnati). I think Detroit is a cool place. Hamtramck is a fascinating little enclave. Mexicantown (I'm Hispanic) is a wonderful little part of town regardless of whether one is or isn't Hispanic... mmmm.. yea, and again, what bettycraft said.

Hello, I went to undergrad in detroit right by wayne state (an art school) and lived by wayne state campus and I loved it. There are certainly parts of detroit that one should be cautious of but midtown especially woodbridge is a great place to live. I knew my neighbors and cost of living was incredibly cheap. Also wayne state wants the area to be safe so if you live right around campus (not on campus) and something happens their security will respond much faster than the police. They work hard to keep the area around campus safe. I love detroit and I've always had a bad reaction when I tell people I live here. Yes there is a high crime rate but having spent 6 years here (as a white girl who walks by herself at night) I still feel safe and I am confident that if you are aware of your surroundings there is nothing to fear. Please at least visit and give detroit a chance. There is a wonderful young and supportive community here (especially in the arts) if you have any specific questions I will answer them to the best of my ability. I still live here (although now in Hamtramck which is a small city within the city of detroit) and spend almost all my time in mid town and downtown.

There are probably areas of Detroit where you will be safe, but it's reputation as a shithole is warranted. I have never heard a positive review of a Detroit visit, either. I've never personally been there (because I value my life), but my brother went this year. He was optimistic, that at least downtown Detroit had to be kind of cool. He was unimpressed.