A directory of belonging
Places where community is built into where you live — not another club to visit, but somewhere the people around you are part of daily life. Monasteries that welcome guests, cohousing, co-ops, ecovillages, seniors villages, and neighbourhoods that actually function. Start where you are.
Compiled with AI, checked by nobody yet. These are starting points, gathered for Michigan — real places as far as we know, but details change. Verify with a phone call before you set your heart or drive across the state.
A 37-home cohousing community beside Sunward on Ann Arbor's west side, known for well-run consensus governance. It welcomes families, singles, and elders who like shared meals and shared decisions.
Visit website →Marquette Cohousing is an emerging community focused on sustainable living and strong neighborly connections. Residents will have private homes but share common facilities and participate in community governance.
Visit website →The first of Ann Arbor's three neighboring cohousing communities, built in 1998 with forty homes around wetlands and a big common house. It welcomes households of every shape who want cooperative daily life.
Visit website →The third of Ann Arbor's cluster of cohousing neighborhoods, completed in the mid-2000s with homes facing shared greens. It welcomes newcomers of all ages into an easygoing, cooperative village.
The Ark is a historic folk music venue that also offers coliving opportunities for musicians and artists. It provides a supportive environment for creative individuals to live and collaborate.
Visit website →A cooperative education and recreation community on 294 acres of woods and lakefront, teaching peace, cooperation, and stewardship since 1938. It welcomes members, campers, and volunteers of all ages.
Genesis House is a student housing cooperative offering affordable living with a strong sense of community. Residents share responsibilities and participate in decision-making, fostering a collaborative environment.
Visit website →A student housing cooperative founded in 1937, running more than a dozen member-owned houses near the University of Michigan. It welcomes students seeking affordable rooms, shared meals, and co-op democracy.
Visit website →This student housing cooperative provides affordable and community-oriented living for students at Michigan State University. Members share responsibilities and participate in the governance of their homes.
Visit website →Owen House is part of the Inter-Cooperative Council at Ann Arbor, providing cooperative living for students. It emphasizes shared governance and a supportive community atmosphere among its residents.
Visit website →The Ecovillage at Ithaca is a nationally recognized ecovillage committed to ecological, social, and economic sustainability. Residents live in cohousing neighborhoods and share a commitment to environmental stewardship.
Visit website →Dancing Waters Permaculture is an intentional community focused on sustainable living and permaculture principles. Residents share resources and work together to cultivate the land and foster a close-knit community.
While primarily an educational center, Michigan Folk School fosters a community around traditional skills and sustainable living. They occasionally host longer-term residents or volunteers who become part of their vibrant, learning-focused environment.
Visit website →This is a large community of Catholic sisters dedicated to prayer, study, and ministry. They live communally, sharing their lives and resources in service to others and the Church.
Visit website →The Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids are a community of Catholic women dedicated to prayer, study, and service. They live together in a convent, sharing a common life and mission.
Visit website →A yoga retreat community on 800 forested acres along the Pigeon River, founded in 1970 in the lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda. It welcomes guests and residents for meditation, yoga, and simple ashram living.
An Episcopal Benedictine abbey in the woods of southwest Michigan, praying the daily office since 1939. Men and women are welcomed as guests for unstructured, quiet retreats alongside the monks.
A cluster of five historic northwest Detroit neighborhoods famous for tree-lined streets and one of the city's strongest community development corporations. It welcomes homeowners and renters who want engaged, front-porch city living.
The Cedars of Dexter offers independent living for seniors in a community-focused setting. Residents enjoy various amenities and social activities designed to promote an active and engaging lifestyle.
Visit website →The Pines of Goodrich offers independent and assisted living options for seniors in a welcoming community setting. Residents enjoy a variety of amenities and social activities designed to promote well-being.
Visit website →The other path
If your state's list is thin, that's not a dead end; it's the reason this project exists. Three friends on one street is already a community. The guide walks you through the whole path.
Start a community — the guide Create or join a group Register your interestBrowse by state