Wake up to hear birds singing. Drink your coffee while watching rabbits scamper across your property. Bask in the summer sunshine while grilling in your spacious backyard. Living in Oakland Township, you’ll enjoy the many elements of a wooded and rural community but have access to the many features of the metro Detroit area. Indeed, if you’re headed to a Tigers or Lions game, you can be downtown in 45 minutes, or if you want to do some shopping at Great Lakes Crossing or Somerset Mall, you can be at either in 20-30 minutes.

By living in Oakland Township, you’re making the choice to live a luxurious lifestyle in one of the region’s most prestigiously rustic communities.  Homes in the township proper, along with the directly-surrounding communities, typically are 3,000 to 5,000 square feet with 4-5 bedrooms and 4-6 bathrooms. Finishes are top-notch and modern; wine cellars, floor-to-ceiling windows, and heated bathroom floors are not uncommon. In the larger picture, the township’s ordinances attempt to cap population, while zoning laws limit commercial and industrial development, making the city almost exclusively residential and full of large homes and even larger lots.

The rural and non-commercial character of Oakland Township lends itself to numerous parks and nature preserves.  Residents can take advantage of ten parks, all of which go to great lengths to highlight the area’s flora and fauna. While parks in other cities and townships often are primarily of the court/playground/picnic pavilion variety, Oakland Township’s parks are built for hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and biking. They’re spacious, have a peaceful aura about them, and can give you the feeling of being at one with nature. And again, due to the character of the township, hawks, turkey, and deer are plentiful if you’re into wildlife viewing. Three public golf courses are within the township’s limits, and like the parks, they are able to give you the feel of being connected to your surroundings.

Right across the southeastern township line is Stony Creek Metropark, where nature-lovers can kayak, fish, and swim; on land, there’s hiking and biking on numerous paved and non-paved trails; in the winter, snowboarding and tobogganing are encouraged. And for summer events, there are numerous picnic shelters, baseball diamonds, volleyball courts, and soccer fields.

Children attend one of three school districts that serve Oakland Township. Rochester Community Schools handles the bulk of the students. Rochester Community Schools sports 13 elementary schools, 4 middle schools, and 4 high schools. Both Rochester Adams and Rochester High School have regularly appeared on US News and World Report’s “Best High Schools” list; they have both received the coveted “Silver” ranking from the publication.

Though Oakland Township is one of Michigan’s oldest townships (first named in surveys dating to 1785), you’ll find yourself living a very modern, and very comfortable life here. The wooded character of the township, combined with the nearness of city attractions, gives residents the best of country living and urban living. If you’re a particularly discerning homebuyer, or someone who wants a quiet (but not too quiet) life, give homes in Oakland Township a look.