Living in Portage, MIPortage offers the comforts of living in a smaller city with the benefits and convenience of a short drive into Kalamazoo’s vibrant downtown. Residents enjoy an active and safe community with much to offer. The area boasts a unique and extensive biking system with over 50 miles of trails connecting neighborhoods, businesses and area parks. Several lakes, including a 110-acre wetland nature preserve, complement the city’s expansive park system. For those interested in shopping, Portage is also home to the area’s only regional mall plus many popular restaurants. Strong community programs help to complete this city’s enjoyable atmosphere.
Portage attracts those interested in a great school system, active lifestyle options, and the convenience of its neighboring city, Kalamazoo. Housing options range from impressive lakefront opportunities to multiple neighborhoods with a community feel. The average cost for a home in Portage is $155,546.
Highly regarded for excellent teachers and a respected system, Portage schools have earned a great reputation with incredible results. Recent achievements include numerous state and national “Teacher of the Year” awards, the Newsweek “Best High Schools” national ranking in 2008, International Baccalaureate programs and above state and national averages in each grade level. With 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 high schools and a community high school, Portage has much to offer its students and parents.
A growing city, Portage is home to many large employers including Pfizer, Stryker Corporation, State Farm Insurance, Meijer and Summit Polymers to name just a few. An energetic workforce helps to foster creative opportunities and future potential for many years to come. | More Local Area InformationConveniently located within driving distance to Detroit, Chicago and Lake Michigan, Kalamazoo offers diverse community living with rich cultural an... Read moreSituated amidst the beautiful hills and wineries of Southwest Michigan, Mattawan provides a rural setting with a growing community. This charmin... Read moreOriginally populated by the Potawatami Indians, Van Buren County, Mich., is considered “Michigan’s Fruit Basket.” Sometime in the mid 1800s, settler... Read moreCass County, Michigan, was established in 1828 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson and named after Lewis Cass who served as territorial governo... Read moreIn 1840 Three Rivers, Mich., was named for the three rivers—Rocky, Portage and St. Joseph River—that flow together to become one. In 1895, th... Read moreLocated in Allegan County and convenient to the larger communities of Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Chicago and Detroit, Plainwell offers its residents ... Read moreOriginally a spa community and now known for its paper industry, Otsego is conveniently located off of U.S. 131 in Allegan County. This small ye... Read moreKnown as the “Cereal City” and home to the global headquarters of the Kellogg Company, Battle Creek is a vibrant city located within driving distanc... Read moreJudge John Sturgis was the first settler in 1827 in the area now known as Sturgis, Mich., located in St. Joseph County. His rustic log cabin stil... Read moreThe first settlers of Cassopolis were the Putnams, a small family from Indiana who took up residence in October of 1825. Their humble floorless hom... Read moreThe “Grand Old City” of southwestern Michigan, Dowagiac, located in Cass County, was named after the Native American word meaning “foraging ground.... Read moreSquire Isaac Thompson built the first homestead in Berrien County in 1823. The county became official in 1831 and received its name from U.S. Senato... Read moreA small town in Elkhart County, Bristol was founded by European settlers approximately 200 years ago. Today, Bristol looks forward to the future wit... Read moreElkhart County, Indiana, offers a mix of urban and rural living with a population of nearly 200,000. The large Amish population contributes to th... Read moreA Cass County village, Edwardsburg, Mich., provides a country setting in a quiet environment. This small community is located just northeast of Sout... Read moreNestled in northeastern Elkhart County, Middlebury covers approximately 100 square miles of scenic, semi-rural landscape. The large Amish an... Read moreFrom the sandy, white beaches of Lake Michigan to magnificent sunsets and unique shopping, South Haven is an experience like no other. Residents o... Read moreLocated in the heart of Amish Country, Elkhart, Indiana, is the birth place of Alka Seltzer and claims to have produced more patents than any othe... Read morePrior to 1883, the region now known as Granger, Indiana, served as a depot for Lake Huron and Chicago Railroad. The only structures that existed a... Read moreSaint Joseph County is located on the southernmost bend of the St. Joseph River in northern Indiana. The river dips down into Indiana from Michigan... Read more |