It's all about quality of life. Michigan Technological University is located in Houghton at the heart of the colorful Keweenaw Peninsula in Upper Michigan. The University is surrounded by rolling hills of forests, rivers, and lakes. Houghton is the larger part of the Houghton-Hancock community, together having a population of approximately 12,000. Lake Superior is a fifteen minute drive to the east or west.
Many students buy houses.
An extremely diverse selection exists, from downtown studio apartment to cabin in the woods. Michigan Tech has the lowest crime rate of any institution of higher education in Michigan. Houghton, also, has relatively little crime. With no major industrial activity for hundreds of kilometers, the Houghton area air, water and soil is quite clean. The air, in particular, is noticeably fresh and clear.