Livonia, Michigan’s founders hailed mostly from Pennsylvania and New York and created the first settlements in 1835. In the years that have followed, Livonia has become home to a wide variety of businesses, homes, and activities.
Originally a farming community, General Motors and Ford built factories in Livonia in the 1940s, and were followed by, in 1949, a thoroughbred race track shepherded by the Michigan Racing Association. Federal highways, including I-96 and I-275 came next, and people followed, growing Livonia into one of Detroit’s largest suburbs.
The city’s suburban character is on display throughout many of its neighborhoods, which feature well-kept ranches and colonials. Streets are typically tree-lined, and most homes are within minutes of the freeways, giving residents convenient access to the Detroit metropolitan area. The city boasts some 40,000 residences, over which 95% are occupied.
Livonia, Michigan, has been recognized as the second safest city in Michigan (by the FBI). Other accolades include: Second Best Kid Friendly Place In The Nation (Population Connection), and one of the Top 50 Green Cities in the US (Popular Science). Six US presidents have visited Livonia: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.
The 25 public schools in the Livonia Public Schools District serve the community, alongside a handful of schools in the nearby Clarenceville District and at least four parochial schools. Stevenson High School offers the School of Global Education, a magnet program that provides students with a focus on their fit in the world. Former Detroit Red Wing Mike Modano graduated from Franklin High School. Seven institutions of higher education also use Livonia as their address, including Madonna University, Davenport University, and Schoolcraft College.
When they’re not learning or working for one of the 4,000+ businesses in the city, Livonia’s residents may be found in one of the city’s 60 parks, which feature hiking trials, playscapes, and picnic pavilions. Also scattered throughout Livonia are three 18-hole public golf courses, two ice arenas with three sheets of ice (leased to a private operator), three outdoor swimming pools, seven in-line skating courts, 10 sand volleyball courts, 32 tennis courts, six walking paths, 43 baseball diamonds, 25 soccer fields, and an archery range. Finally, residents can enjoy the Recreation Center, which boasts a pool, gyms, a track, a climbing wall, four soccer fields, a skate park, and two sand volleyball courts.
Special events in Livonia, Michigan include Scottish Highland Games, Summer and Fall Flea Markets, Specialty Teas, all of which happen and Greenmead Historical Park, a collection of Livonia’s original buildings from as early as the 1920s. The city can also claim its own symphony, the Livonia Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Livonia Civic Chorus; each group performs at various times throughout the year. Livonia is home to the Livonia Hockey Association, the largest amateur association in Michigan, and the Livonia City Soccer Club, one of the state’s biggest soccer programs.
To learn more about Livonia, download our Livonia Area Booklet.