Your Guide to Buying a Home in East Lansing, MI

Buying a Home in East Lansing, Michigan

(Beaumont Tower on Michigan State University's campus
(Photo courtesy of MultiMag))

East Lansing is located in Ingham County

East Lansing is the home of the Michigan State University (MSU) Spartans, a Big Ten school with strong sports and academic programs. The town of East Lansing actually began forming in the 1850's, when a group of houses called Faculty Row were built on the site that was to become MSU. As expected, the growth and vitality of East Lansing has closely paralleled that of the university over the years. Most of the "college gothic" architecture of the early 1900's is preserved in the neighborhoods surrounding the university, giving East Lansing a unique historical feel.

The population of East Lansing has grown by about 800% since its founding and the city now has its own system of nine public schools. Because the university largely shapes the businesses in the downtown area, there are plenty of coffee shops, sandwich shops and other unique stores. However, only minutes away from campus there are shopping and dining opportunities galore for the non-student residents of East Lansing.

The summer months are decidedly less active, as most of the 40,000+-student population return home. While this may free up special events for local residents, such as festivals and musical performances, much of the liveliness of the East Lansing area is dependent upon the presence of its students. The centerpiece of this liveliness is the continuous Big Ten sporting events that draw students, residents and Spartan fans from all over the state. In addition, culture and science are more widely available with the opening of Abrams Planetarium and several visual arts and historical museums on campus.