THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS FROM THE ANN ARBOR OBSERVER ANNUAL CITY GUIDE 2008-2009.

    A running joke in Michigan is that Ann Arbor is 25 square miles surrounded by reality.  A college town of 114,000 perched between a sprawling metropolis and green farm fields, it has many Buddhist temples as Catholic churches, and more coffeehouses per capita than almost any other noncoastal American locale.  Politically, Ann Arbor votes so reliably for Democrats that Republicans rarely even bother to run.

    The city's quirky reputation is accompanied by an unusual combination of cultural attractions, solid family neighborhoods, and livability.  Kids can usually walk to their elementary school or a nearby park.  Though many residents are alarmed about sprawl and traffic congestion, Ann Arbor retains a vital downtown and a bevy of fine neighborhoods with a wide diversity of housing stock.

    This section is organized by elementary school neighborhoods in the Ann Arbor school district, which extends well beyond the city limits.  For school attendance boundaries, go to www.aaps.k12.mi.us and click on district map. MORE