Oakland County, once covered with glaciers, has more natural lakes than any other county in the state. There are more than 1,400 lakes and the headwaters of five major rivers within the 900 square mile area of Oakland County.
Oakland's pedestrian-friendly communities offer 3,090 miles of paved sidewalk in our neighborhoods and downtowns, nearly 370 miles of trails, water trails and park paths, and an additional 540 miles of safety/side paths. There are 155 miles of bike lanes/bike routes. Equestrians enjoy 63 miles of horse-friendly trails plus 850 miles of scenic unpaved rural roads.
Oakland County has 168 historic districts which are registered with the state; 50 of the districts are registered nationally. This also includes 32 historic museums.
There are 208 non-profit cultural organizations and institutions in the county.
Oakland County plays the host to several marquee, annual events: Arts, Beats & Eats, Woodward Dream Cruise, Quake on the Lake, and the Michigan Renaissance Festival.
Premiere cultural entertainment venues include the Palace of Auburn Hills, Meadow Brook Theatre and the Meadow Brook Music Festival, and the outdoor DTE Energy Music Theatre.
Included among Oakland County's museums are the world-renowned Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and the W.P. Chrysler Automotive Museum.
The county is home to an extensive collection of malls and shopping centers ranging from the small village malls and popular local downtown shopping districts, to multi-floor regional malls found in most major cities.
Editor & Publisher Magazine rates Oakland County at 94.09 on a scale of 100 for Better Living (an index comparing cost-of-living, crime, and education).
There are 26 private and 56 public golf courses with more than 1,400 holes in Oakland County.
Included among the county's elite golf clubs are Oakland Hills Country Club and Indianwood Country Club. Indianwood was home to the 1994 LPGA U.S. Open. Oakland Hills has hosted ten PGA majors, its most recent was the 2004 Ryder Cup and the 2008 PGA Championship.
The Palace of Auburn Hills is home to the Detroit Pistons, who won the NBA Championship in 2004. Other professional sports teams playing at the Palace include the Detroit Shock of the WNBA and the Detroit Fury of the Arena Football League.
Oakland County residents are devout fans of the 2006-2007 Central Division Champion Detroit Red Wings, and the American League Champion Detroit Tigers, and our hometown Detroit Lions.
Oakland County has more than 100 active horse farms, 30 equine boarding facilities, 10 training facilities, and 6 breeding facilities. With roughly 7,000 horses, Oakland County has more horses than any other county in Michigan.
The historic Ellis Barn project, winner of a National Parks and Recreation Association preservation Award, will be a welcome addition to the proposed Oakland County Equestrian Center in Springfield Township.
Oakland County offers 184 physical fitness centers, 34 bowling centers, and 15 Cineplex theaters with approximately 165 feature screens for movie going fans.
Arts-Related Business and Employment in Oakland Countys four Congressional Districts and their surrounding areas.
Creative Industries
Businesses
Employees
Museums and Collections
83
508
Performing Arts
1,069
4,249
Visual Arts / Photography
2,046
6,459
Film / Radio / TV
1,046
6,037
Design / Publishing
2,033
10,957
Arts Schools / Services
22
709
Total
6,299
28,919
Sixty percent of Fortune 500 companies and 50% of Global Fortune 500 companies have business locations in Oakland County.
Oakland County is Michigan's leading center for international commercial activity with over 700 companies representing 33 countries with business locations in the County.
Over 10,000 acres in Oakland County are currently contained in more than 180 business parks. Classifications for these business parks include Research and Development/Hi-tech, Light and Heavy Industrial, and Office.
In 2005 and 2006, Oakland County lead the Southeast Michigan region with nearly 3 million square feet of office development either completed or under construction.
During 2006, the mean cost for multi-tenant office space in Oakland County was $22.69 per square foot.
Southfield/Bingham Farms has the most space available to rent, followed by Troy and Farmington Hills/West Bloomfield.
More than 91% of Oakland County residents have at least a high school diploma; 70% of Oakland County residents have completed at least some college course credits.
A total of 41.4% of Oakland County residents have earned a bachelor or graduate/professional degree almost a half-percent increase in just two years.
Over 21% of the all bachelor and graduate/professional degrees in the state of Michigan are held by Oakland County residents.
There are eighty-eight public and private institutions of higher learning in southeast Michigan, with twenty six of those (30%) located within Oakland County.
