Royal Oak MI downtown

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
664
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 80
Demographics 22
Economy 64
Education 48
Health 62
Housing 59
Infrastructure 57

#88. Royal Oak, MI

A few miles north of Detroit lies the suburb Royal Oak. Yes, a big city is right next door, with parks, an eclectic collection of restaurants, a thriving downtown scene, pro sports teams and breweries. But there’s lots to love about this suburban enclave, which has a motto of “Life Now Playing.” It’s walkable, has earned Tree City USA status and is home to an award-winning hospital (and adorable zoo animals). 

Top Colleges/Universities: Oakland Community College – Royal Oak Campus

Top Industries & Employers: The largest industries are manufacturing, health care and social assistance, and professional, scientific and technical services.

Weekend Plans: Royal Oak is home to the Detroit Zoo, where visitors can feed giraffes, watch kangaroos jump and have breakfast with their favorite animal. 

Favorite Place to Feast: KouZina is a small but mighty restaurant serving some of the best Greek street food outside of Greece. 

Beloved Beverage: Craft beer aficionados worldwide know Jolly Pumpkin for its wide variety of vegan sour beers. 

Outdoorsy Activity: Starr Jaycee Park offers 28 acres of outdoor recreational areas, including disc golf, playgrounds, volleyball courts and sports fields. 

Rooftop Bar: Enjoy a boozy popsicle at Pinky’s Rooftop all-pink rooftop garden overlooking Main Street. 

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: The Mark Twain Dog Park has three fenced-in, off-leash areas, wooded trails and plenty of squirrels to chase. It is the cat’s meow of dog parks. 

Remote Work Perk: If you need an early afternoon pick-me-up but want to avoid coffee, head to the Goldfish Tea Cafe for a hot cup of loose-leaf tea. 

One More Thing … Tim Allen’s popular 1990s sitcom “Home Improvement” was set in Royal Oak.

– Brittany Anas

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