Where the Community Meets

Downtown Milford is an historic enclave in western Oakland County, consisting of a traditional downtown that services five surrounding townships. Milford Road, which becomes Main Street through town, is the only direct transportation corridor that links M59 with I96. Home to many national, regional and family-owned shops, Milford boasts over 30 restaurants in a downtown surrounded by green open space and dissected by a well-traveled river. The central business district serves as the center of a trade area that encompasses over 70,000 people. According to Applied Geographic Solutions, total household expenditure in the trade area is $1.8 billion

Winter landscape with snow-covered trees and footbridge.

At the center of town is the charismatic, walkable downtown, established just before the turn of the century, which is manicured with public gardens, parks and updated streetscapes.  The downtown and neighborhoods immediately adjacent are on the National Register of Historic Places.  It serves as the natural meeting place ---or public square---of all of the surrounding townships, including Milford, Highland, Commerce, White Lake and portions of Lyon.  Local events routinely attract visitors from these areas, including over 200,000 annually to Milford Memories and more than 1500 weekly to concerts at the newly installed LaFontaine Family Amphitheater.

The Milford DDA has leveraged over $1.5 million in private donations and grants to achieve well above $5 million of public improvements over the past 20 years.  And it shows.  Attracted to this authentic quality of place,  Downtown Milford is experiencing tremendous economic investment and development, with a half dozen transformative projects breaking ground in the next year to three years.

The influx of private investment from home buyers and businesses is a testimony to Milford’s key assets: quality of life and a sense of place. People are lured by the unique juxtaposition of a prized downtown with natural amenities at its core. The Huron River is a designated National Water Trail© and attracts thousands of users through the Village. A state-of-the-art bike path connects enthusiasts from downtown to Kensington Metro Park and beyond to a network of trails throughout Oakland and Livingston County. Nearly one third of the Village is parkland. And, within five miles is Proud Lake State Park, Highland State Recreation Area, Lyon Oaks and Camp Dearborn.

LaFontaine Family Amphitheater Concert (1)