Detroit surrounds the smaller city of Hamtramck, but the latter still maintains a distinct atmosphere. Muslim calls to prayer play over loudspeakers, church bells clang every hour from churches founded by Polish immigrants and small shops sell Bengali spices. Hamtramck promotes itself as the world within 2 square miles, a fitting moniker for a city where nearly half of the 22,000 residents were born outside the U.S. This multinational vibe sets the city apart from similar-sized communities, something that appeals to resident Mike McGettigan, director of training at Planet Ant theater in Hamtramck. “One of the things I love about the city is there’s a different approach to things,” McGettigan says. “American culture thrives on the car culture: driving to the grocery store, loading up the car and driving back. In Hamtramck, you can walk out the door, go a few blocks and you’re there at the food market.”
The sign on Trowbridge celebrates the diverse array of cultures represented in Hamtramck.
Planet Ant puts on performances and holds classes in Hamtramck.
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Yemeni breakfast at Boostan Cafe
The immigrants who settled in Hamtramck over the decades brought an international flavor to the food scene. When McGettigan picks up groceries, he often stops at Bozek’s Market. “That’s a Polish supermarket where all the magazines on the shelf are in Polish,” McGettigan says. “You don’t hear people speaking English for the most part.” When he’s done, McGettigan often heads across the street to Al-Haramain International Foods, a Middle Eastern grocer. The restaurants are equally eclectic. A walk in Hamtramck may pass HenriettaHaus, where patrons drink Polish-style beers, or Boostan Café, where customers grab Yemeni-style breakfast sandwiches to go. Because Detroit is next door, residents are close to the amenities of the city. That includes DMC Harper University Hospital, 4 miles away.
Order a shawarma sandwich and tabouleh salad at Boostan Cafe in Hamtramck.
Hamtramck's Bozek Market offers high quality meats and produce.
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‘Do-it-yourself’ arts scene at Planet Ant and more
At Veterans Park, the city’s largest, visitors may play on the tennis and volleyball courts or opt for the futsal facility. It’s similar to soccer, except futsal is played on a hard court. Professional soccer team Detroit City FC plays at Hamtramck’s Keyworth Stadium. Planet Ant, a performing arts venue and education center that McGettigan calls a “DIY theater,” puts on shows and classes. The 30-year-old theater is one component of the Hamtramck arts scene, which includes a few art galleries as well. Local artists and organizations don’t receive as much public funding as in some communities, but they make it work just the same, McGettigan says. “We tend to be a little grittier and more do-it-yourself. We have to do it on our own, without much money.”
Hamtramck residents stop into Oloman Cafe + Gallery to view the art while training Fido.
Detroit City FC soccer team plays at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck.
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Locals observe Polish and Muslim holidays
Hamtramck embraces cultural holidays and celebrations throughout the year. The day before Ash Wednesday, Polish bakeries around town sell paczkis, doughnut-like pastries that draw Michiganders from miles around. Many in the city observe the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from dawn to sunset during the month, so Hamtramck restaurants stay open late into the night. Followers of different faiths will find 11 mosques and nine churches, mostly Catholic, in or just outside the town. Synagogues and Buddhist and Hindu temples are in nearby Detroit.
New Palace Bakery has a line around the block for Paczki Day in Hamtramck.
Al-Islah Mosque in Hamtramck has a call to prayer five times daily.
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Small homes with big walkability
Homes stand packed together along straight roads, separated only by alleys or thin strips of grass. With a median size of 1,650 square feet, houses are smaller than the national average and don’t offer much yard space. Residents sacrifice some room for walkable proximities to restaurants, bars and shops. Bungalows and American Foursquares are the most common styles; many of the latter have been separated into apartments on each floor. Turnkey two-bedroom homes sell for $70,000, while six-bedroom two-family homes can fetch $350,000. The CAP Index crime tracking database gives Hamtramck a 7 out of 10 score, higher than the nationwide score of 4.
Hamtramck's formidable Bungalows sit close to the street.
Goodson Street bungalows in Hamtramck offer wide front porches.
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Dozens of languages spoken at Hamtramck Public Schools
The Hamtramck Public Schools District covers the community. Kids attending the district may start at Dickinson West Elementary, before advancing to Kosciuszko Middle School. Both schools get grades of C-minus from Niche. At B-minus-rated Hamtramck High School, 85% of students live in homes where English is not the main spoken language. The high school’s English Learner Department teaches English to more than 2,200 teens whose first languages include Arabic, Bengali, Polish and more. A few blocks from Hamtramck, private Islamic school Al-Ikhlas Training Academy receives an A from Niche.
Hamtramck High School is set into the neighborhood.
Kosciuszko Middle School welcomes Hamtramck teens.
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A bus ride from downtown Detroit
Hamtramck’s dense layout makes walking around town convenient. Car owners can cruise onto Interstate 75 and make the 6-mile drive to downtown Detroit. Alternatively, residents can catch a city bus in Hamtramck and ride downtown in 20 minutes. Freight train tracks extend through the southern part of the city. However, noise level data show the tracks are quieter than most streets in town.
Flag controversy in Hamtramck
Hamtramck made local and national headlines in 2023 when the city council voted to ban flags other than U.S., state, city and POW/MIA flags from flying on city property. Many in the LGBTQ+ saw this vote as targeting the pride flag, particularly because Mayor Amer Ghalib opposed displaying the pride flag on public grounds during his 2021 campaign. In taking this action, Hamtramck joined cities in states from Connecticut to California that passed similar bans in 2023 and 2024.
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