Why Businesses Locate in Oakland County
Oakland County is the second-most-populous county in Michigan, behind Wayne County, and consistently ranks among the most affluent counties in the state. The commercial real estate market reflects two characteristics that set it apart from the surrounding metro: a higher concentration of corporate headquarters and white-collar professional services, and several walkable downtown commercial districts that support premium retail and dining.
For businesses considering Oakland County, the trade-off is straightforward. Commercial rent is meaningfully higher than in Macomb or Wayne County, but the demographics support higher-priced retail, professional services, and destination dining concepts that would not work in lower-income trade areas. Most leasing activity falls into three categories: corporate office space concentrated in Troy, Auburn Hills, Farmington Hills, and Bloomfield Hills, premium retail in the downtown districts of Birmingham, Royal Oak, Rochester, and Ferndale, and mall-anchored regional retail at Somerset Collection, Twelve Oaks, and Great Lakes Crossing.
Major Employment Anchors
Oakland County hosts a number of nationally recognized corporate headquarters and large hospital systems:
- Stellantis North American Headquarters in Auburn Hills, including the Chrysler Technology Center campus.
- Beaumont Health (now part of Corewell Health) operates Royal Oak's flagship hospital and several other major facilities across the county.
- Penske Corporation headquartered in Bloomfield Hills.
- The Auto Club Group / AAA Michigan in Dearborn-area presence overlaps the county boundary.
- Oakland University in Rochester and Auburn Hills, a four-year public research university.
- Lawrence Technological University in Southfield.
- Comerica Park-area presence for Detroit-anchored businesses with Oakland County operations.
Beyond these anchors, the county contains thousands of small and mid-sized professional services firms, medical and dental practices, law firms, financial advisors, and design and marketing studios, particularly clustered in Troy, Birmingham, and Bloomfield.
Major Cities and Commercial Districts
Oakland County's commercial activity differs from Macomb's grid pattern. Instead of long commercial corridors, much of the highest-value commercial activity concentrates in specific downtown districts and mall-anchored regional centers:
- Downtown Birmingham: walkable upscale retail and dining district. Among the highest commercial rents in Michigan.
- Downtown Royal Oak: active retail, restaurant, and entertainment district along Main Street and Washington Avenue.
- Downtown Rochester: historic walkable district with retail, dining, and professional offices.
- Downtown Ferndale: Nine Mile Road retail and dining strip.
- Big Beaver Road in Troy: office and retail corridor anchored by Somerset Collection and the Troy Civic Center.
- Twelve Oaks Mall area in Novi: regional retail anchored by the mall and surrounding power centers along I-96.
- Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills: outlet-style regional center plus surrounding entertainment and big-box retail.
- Telegraph Road corridor: long north-south retail and office spine through Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, and Pontiac.
The largest cities by population are Troy, Farmington Hills, West Bloomfield Township, Rochester Hills, Southfield, and Novi.
Transportation and Access
The county is served by I-75 as its primary north-south spine through Troy, Auburn Hills, and Pontiac, I-696 along its southern edge connecting to Macomb and Wayne County, M-59 east-west through the northern half, and Telegraph Road as a major north-south arterial. The county also includes the Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, an important corporate and general aviation facility.
What Tenants Should Know About Leasing in Oakland County
Tenants leasing in Oakland County typically pay a premium for the demographic support and visibility, and the tradeoff is worth it for businesses targeting higher-income customers, professional services markets, or downtown walkable foot traffic. Lease structures are typically NNN with CAM running higher than Macomb due to higher property values and amenity levels.
For businesses where premium foot traffic justifies the rent, Oakland County remains one of the strongest markets in Michigan. For more price-sensitive concepts, our Macomb County guide covers the lower-cost alternative just east of the county line.
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