17 Assisted Living Facilities near Kalamazoo, MI

Benefits and Drawbacks of Assisted Living in Kalamazoo

• Kalamazoo is close enough to Battle Creek to share its weather, which is typical of the northern Midwest. Daily highs here average 58 degrees Fahrenheit, and lows average 37 degrees. Kalamazoo gets snow and just over 35 inches of rain a year which can affect seniors with asthma or COPD on the coldest days.
  
  
• Kalamazoo's air quality can be challenging for seniors with respiratory issues. According to the American Lung Association's report on the city, Kalamazoo is relatively high in ozone pollution, but the rates of fine particles in the air are fairly low. These figures are expected to continue dropping and improving.
  
  
• Kalamazoo is quite affordable by both national and state standards. Across categories, the average cost of living here is 20 percent lower than the national average. Groceries, for example, are 20 percent cheaper in Kalamazoo than nationally, and healthcare is 10 percent cheaper.
  
  
• Kalamazoo residents pay a 6 percent state sales tax on most goods. There is no local sales tax at all. SSI and most retirement income is exempt from state taxes.
  
  
• Crime rates in Kalamazoo are among the highest in the nation. Property crimes are much more common here than elsewhere in the United States, or even in the rest of Michigan. Residents have a 1-in-80 chance of being the victim of a crime annually.
  
  
• Kalamazoo's transit authority goes by the lively name of Metro!, and it operates multiple bus routes around the city. Connections are available with the transit system of nearby Battle Creek, and fares on both networks are relatively low. Seniors, students and riders with a valid discount ID get half off their fares, and transfers are provided free of charge.