MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Township residents are living in one of the 2020 Best Places to Live in Michigan.

Niche released their top places to live in Michigan recently, ranking Okemos at #1 and Haslett at #13. In the Lansing area, Okemos was rated 1st and Haslett 2nd.

“It’s not surprising that the Villages of Okemos and Haslett rate so highly as terrific places to live,” said Meridian Township Supervisor Ron Styka. “It’s the people who live in a community that create a livable environment. The prime residents of Meridian have made it the best place to live.”

Niche bases this rating system on key factors that make a living location desirable. This includes how well-rated its schools, jobs, nightlife, crime and employment rates are, as well as a couple of other factors that are appealing to residents.

Niche ranks villages and cities on these categories alone as well. Another area that Meridian Township has excelled in is Niche’s 2020 Best School Districts in Michigan rankings.

Okemos Public Schools placed 4th on the list and Haslett placed 31st.

The Best School Districts are determined by its teachers, academics, extracurricular activities, diversity, how well they prepare students for college and more.

“The residents of Meridian care deeply about education,” said Styka. “They have made our school districts outstanding.”