Know the area
Commute & Area Guide
Where each community sits, which roads you'd actually use, roughly how long the drive takes, and where to find the official township or city information.
Oakland County
Waterford Township
M-59 (Highland Road) runs east–west through the township, with Telegraph Road (US-24) and Dixie Highway (US-24 Business) as the main north–south routes. I-75 is a short drive east.
Approximate drive times
- Pontiac
- 10–15 min
- Auburn Hills
- 20–25 min
- Novi
- 30–35 min
- Downtown Detroit
- 45–55 min
- Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
- 45–55 min
Known for its lakes and township parks, including Hess-Hathaway Park and Dodge #4 State Park on Cass Lake. Pontiac Lake Recreation Area is on the west side of the township.
Oakland County
Clarkston / Independence Township
I-75 runs through Independence Township with interchanges at Sashabaw and Dixie Highway, making it one of the easier northern Oakland commutes. M-15 connects the village north and south.
Approximate drive times
- Auburn Hills
- 15–20 min
- Pontiac
- 15–20 min
- Flint
- 35–45 min
- Downtown Detroit
- 45–55 min
- Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
- 50–60 min
A walkable historic downtown village, plus Independence Oaks County Park, Clintonwood Park, and the Pine Knob area.
Oakland County
Southfield
One of the best-connected addresses in the region: I-696, M-10 (the Lodge), and US-24 (Telegraph) all pass through, and I-275 and I-96 are close by.
Approximate drive times
- Downtown Detroit
- 25–30 min
- Royal Oak
- 15–20 min
- Novi
- 20–25 min
- Ann Arbor
- 45–55 min
- Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
- 30–40 min
Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve, Beech Woods, and the Southfield Municipal Campus. A large office corridor sits along Northwestern Highway.
Oakland County
Pontiac
The Oakland County seat, wrapped by the Woodward Loop with M-59 and Telegraph Road nearby and I-75 just east through Auburn Hills.
Approximate drive times
- Auburn Hills
- 10–15 min
- Rochester
- 20–25 min
- Royal Oak
- 25–30 min
- Downtown Detroit
- 40–50 min
- Detroit Metro Airport (DTW)
- 45–55 min
Downtown redevelopment continues around the county government campus, with Hawthorne Park and nearby access to Pontiac Lake Recreation Area. Amtrak's Wolverine line terminates in Pontiac, with service toward Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Chicago.
Please read
Drive times are rough off-peak estimates that change with traffic, weather, and construction — check your own route at the time you'd actually be driving it. Details about roads, parks, and services can change; confirm with the city or township. In keeping with fair housing law, this guide describes places, not people: I don't provide information or opinions about the character of a neighborhood's residents, school quality, or crime. If those matter to you, I'll point you to public sources so you can evaluate them yourself.
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