Lansing (/ˈlæn.sɪŋ/) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the most populous city in Ingham County, and parts of the city are located in Eaton County and Clinton County. Lansing is the sixth-most populous city in Michigan, with a population of 112,644 according to the 2020 census. The Lansing–East Lansing metropolitan area has about 473,000 people and is the third largest in Michigan, following the Detroit and Grand Rapids areas. Lansing is centrally located in Mid-Michigan and serves as a hub for government, education, insurance, and business.

Lansing was founded in 1835 and became Michigan’s state capital in 1847. It was chosen because it is more centrally located than Detroit, which had concerns about being attacked during the War of 1812. Lansing’s history is connected to the growth of industry in Michigan. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Lansing became an important center for car manufacturing. Companies like Oldsmobile and REO Motor Car Company, both started by Ransom E. Olds, were major producers in the city.

Lansing has a varied economy, supported by state government work, higher education, healthcare, and insurance. Nearby East Lansing is home to Michigan State University, one of the largest and most well-known research universities in the United States. Major companies in Lansing include Jackson National Life and Auto-Owners Insurance. Cultural attractions include the Michigan State Capitol building, the Impression 5 Science Center, and the Library of Michigan. Lansing is the only U.S. state capital (out of 47 that are in counties) that is not also the county seat. The government of Ingham County is located in Mason, but some county offices are in Lansing.

History

The first known European person to travel through the area now called Lansing was British fur trader Hugh Heward and his French-Canadian team on April 24, 1790. They were canoeing the Grand River. The land that would later become Lansing was divided into a section called "Township 4 North Range 2 West" in February 1827. At that time, the area was covered in thick forest. This was the last township in the county to be surveyed, and the land was not sold until October 1830. There were no roads to this area for many years.

Historians have noted that a false story about Lansing’s founding has been widely believed.

This incorrect story claims that in the winter of 1835 and early 1836, two brothers from New York planned to build a town called "Biddle City" in the area now known as REO Town, south of downtown Lansing. The land was in a floodplain and was underwater most of the year. Despite this, the brothers returned to New York to sell land that did not exist. They told New Yorkers that the new "city" would have 65 blocks, a church, and a public and academic square. Sixteen people bought plots in the nonexistent city. When they arrived later that year, they discovered the land was not real. Many of these people, unable to return to New York, stayed in the area and eventually settled near what is now metropolitan Lansing.

This story spread because of a newspaper article from 1904, which quoted a memoir by Daniel W. Buck, a respected Lansing mayor and son of an early pioneer. His story was shared in other newspapers over the years. However, his claim that the city began from a "land scam" was wrong, even though some parts of his story were true.

The brothers were William and Jerry Ford. Though they were from New York, they were respected businessmen from Jackson and helped develop that area. In 1836, they bought 290 acres in the northwest corner of Ingham County. They created a map for a planned community called Biddle City, located south of where the Grand River and Red Cedar River meet, in the REO Town neighborhood. The map included plans for a public square, church square, and academy square. They sold 21 parcels of land—mostly to people from Michigan, not New York—and buyers understood the town was not yet real. Unfortunately, Biddle City never became a real city. A financial crisis in 1837 forced the brothers to take out large loans, and the city never developed.

Biddle City was not Lansing’s original name, nor was it a precursor to the city, as the planned area was outside Lansing’s original city limits.

At first, only Lansing Township existed. It was named in 1842 by an early settler, Joseph E. North Sr., after Lansing in Tompkins County, New York, where he was born.

The small settlement, with fewer than 20 people, remained quiet until 1847. That year, the state constitution required the capital to move from Detroit to a more central and safer location in the state’s interior. Many worried about Detroit’s closeness to British-controlled Canada, where Detroit had been captured during the War of 1812. Though the U.S. had recaptured the city in 1813, the events led to a need to move the government further from British territory. There were also concerns about Detroit’s influence over Michigan politics, as it was the state’s largest city and capital.

During a long debate to choose a new capital, cities like Ann Arbor, Marshall, and Jackson lobbied hard to be selected. Unable to reach a public agreement due to political disagreements, the Michigan House of Representatives secretly chose Lansing Township. When the decision was announced, many laughed, believing the small settlement was an unlikely choice. Two months later, Governor William L. Greenly signed a law making Lansing Township the state capital.

After the announcement, the small settlement quickly became the center of state government. Soon after, more settlements developed around Lansing along the Grand River:

• "Lower Village/Town," now Old Town, was the oldest. It began in 1847 with the completion of the Franklin Avenue (now Grand River Avenue) covered bridge over the Grand River.
• "Upper Village/Town," now REO Town, started growing in 1847 with the construction of the Main Street Bridge over the Grand River. Its center was the Benton House, a four-story hotel that opened in 1848. It was the first brick building in Lansing and was later torn down in 1900.
• "Middle Village/Town," now downtown Lansing, developed in 1848 with the completion of the Michigan Avenue bridge and the temporary capitol building, which stood where Cooley Law School is today. The post office was moved to this area in 1851. This area grew to be larger than the other two villages.

For many years, the three villages were together called the "Village of Michigan." In 1842, Alaiedon Township was split into Lansing, Delhi, and Meridian (originally suggested as "Genoa") after a petition by Henry North, Roswell Everett, and Zalmon Holmes. Henry North proposed the name "Lansing" for the township, honoring his father’s hometown in New York.

On February 15, 1859, the settlement, now nearly 3,000 people and covering about seven square miles, was officially incorporated as a city. The city’s original borders were Douglas Avenue to the north, Wood and Regent streets to the east, Mount Hope Avenue to the south, and Jenison Avenue to the west. These borders remained unchanged until 1916. Over the next two decades, Lansing grew steadily with the arrival of railroads, a plank road, and the completion of the current capitol building in 1878.

Much of modern Lansing developed after the founding of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company in August 1897. The company changed hands several times before Ransom E. Olds started the REO Motor Car Company in 1905, which operated in Lansing for another 70 years. Around 1903, the less successful Clarkmobile also operated in the city. Over the

Geography

Lansing is the main city in a region of Michigan called Mid-Michigan.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lansing has a total area of 36.68 square miles (95.00 km²), of which 36.05 square miles (93.37 km²) is land and 0.63 square miles (1.63 km²) is water. This area includes two agreements with Alaiedon Township and Meridian Township, and four agreements with Delta Township since 2000.

Since the 2010 census, Lansing has signed two more agreements. The first agreement involved temporarily transferring 1,888.2 acres of Lansing Capital Region International Airport from DeWitt Township to the city in 2011. The second agreement involved temporarily transferring 41 acres (17 ha) in Alaiedon Township for the expansion of Jackson National Life Insurance Company’s headquarters in 2013. These agreements increased the area under the city’s control to 39.69 square miles (102.80 km²).

Under Michigan law, 425 Agreements are temporary land-sharing arrangements and are not official annexations. However, the Census Bureau counts them as annexations for statistical purposes. Excluding these agreements, Lansing administers 34.1 square miles (88 km²) of land.

Lansing is located in the south-central part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, where the Grand River meets the Red Cedar River. The city covers most of the area that was once part of Lansing Charter Township. It has also added land from Delta Charter Township and Windsor Township in Eaton County to the west, Delhi Charter Township in Ingham County to the south, and DeWitt Charter Township in Clinton County to the north. The city also controls three separate areas through 425 Agreements with Meridian Charter Township, Delta Charter Township, and Alaiedon Township in Ingham County to the southeast. Lansing is between Michigan’s two largest cities, Detroit and Grand Rapids.

The Grand River, the largest river in Michigan, flows through downtown Lansing. The Red Cedar River, a smaller river that joins the Grand River, flows through the campus of Michigan State University and meets the Grand River in Lansing. Sycamore Creek, a smaller river that flows into the Red Cedar, runs through the southeastern part of the city. Two lakes, Park Lake and Lake Lansing, are located northeast of the city. Lake Lansing is about 500 acres (2.0 km²) in size and is popular for swimming, boating, and fishing during the summer. The Michigan State University Sailing Club and the Lansing Sailing Club are located on Lake Lansing, where sailing events take place during the summer.

The City of Lansing operates 3.55 square miles (9.2 km²) of public open space, including 2.80 square miles (7.3 km²) of parks, 0.43 square miles (1.1 km²) of golf courses, and 0.31 square miles (0.80 km²) of cemetery lands. This total includes the Waverly Hills Golf Course and Michigan Avenue Park, which are in Lansing Township but managed by the city. It does not include Hawk Island County Park and Soldan Dog Park, which are managed by Ingham County but located within Lansing. Overall, about 10% of the city’s area is publicly administered open space.

Lansing’s downtown area is home to many government buildings, including the State Capitol. Recently, the downtown area has grown with new restaurants, stores, and homes. A historic city market, one of the oldest continuously operating farmers’ markets in the United States, closed in 2019. North of downtown is Old Town Lansing, which has many old buildings from the mid-1800s. South of downtown, near I-496, is REO Town, where the automobile industry began in the United States. Ransom Eli Olds, who built car factories along Washington Avenue, once lived in a home that was later replaced by I-496.

Lansing is divided into four main sections: the Eastside, Westside, Northwestside, and Southside. Each section has a variety of neighborhoods. The Eastside, located east of the Grand River and north of the Red Cedar River, has the most ethnically diverse population in the city. The Westside, which is near the Grand River, is known for its mix of different social and economic groups. It includes the downtown area and many residential neighborhoods. The Northwestside, located north of the Grand River, has smaller residential areas and some green spaces. The Southside, the largest and most populated area of the city, has many homes and commercial areas. It is often considered the least noticed part of Lansing.

The middle of the Southside, called South-Central Lansing, includes the Old Everett Area, which was once part of the Everett School District and became part of the city in 1948.

Parts of Lansing Charter Township, such as Edgemont Park, and parts of Delta Charter Township, such as Waverly, are unincorporated areas near Lansing. Though they are not part of the city, they often use Lansing mailing addresses.

Some neighborhoods and areas in Lansing include:
• Cherry Hill
• Churchill Downs
• Colonial Village
• Eastside
• Edgewood
• Genesee
• Gier Park
• Hosmer
• Lansing-Eaton
• Moores Park
• Museum District
• Old Everett
• Old Town
• REO Town
• Stadium District
• Walnut
• Washington Square
• Westside

Lansing has a climate typical of the Midwest, with cold winters and warm, humid summers. This climate is influenced by the Great Lakes and is part of USDA Hardiness zone 5b. In July, the average daily temperature is 71.5°F (21.9°C), and in January, it is 23.4°F (-4.8°C).

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, the city had 114,297 people, 48,450 households, and 26,234 families. The population density was 3,174.9 people per square mile (1,225.8/km²). There were 54,181 housing units, with an average density of 1,505.0 per square mile (581.1/km²). The city's population included 61.2% White (55.5% non-Hispanic White), 23.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 3.7% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.3% from other races, and 6.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 12.5% of the population. Foreign-born residents accounted for 8.3% of the population.

The median age in the city was 32.2 years. Twenty-four point two percent of residents were under 18 years old; 12.3% were between 18 and 24 years old; 30.2% were between 25 and 44 years old; 23.8% were between 45 and 64 years old; and 9.7% were 65 years or older. The city had 48.4% male residents and 51.6% female residents.

As of the 2000 census, the city had 119,128 people, 49,505 households, and 28,366 families. The population density was 3,399.0 people per square mile (1,312.4/km²). There were 53,159 housing units, with an average density of 1,516.8 per square mile (585.6/km²). The city's population included 65.28% White (61.4% non-Hispanic White), 21.91% African American, 0.80% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.54% from other races, and 4.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals made up 10.0% of the population. The foreign-born population was 5.9%.

In 2000, the city's population increased by 32,293 (27%) to 151,421 during the day due to workers arriving. There were 49,505 households, with 30.0% having children under 18, 35.8% being married couples, 17.0% having female householders without husbands, and 42.7% being non-families. Thirty-three point two percent of households had only one person, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 3.08.

The city's population included 26.8% under 18 years old, 11.4% between 18 and 24 years old, 32.7% between 25 and 44 years old, 19.3% between 45 and 64 years old, and 9.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and older, there were 87.9 males.

The median household income was $34,833, and the median family income was $41,283. Males had a median income of $32,648, while females had a median income of $27,051. The average income per person was $17,924. Thirteen point two percent of families and 16.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 23.2% of those under 18 and 9.0% of those 65 or older.

The Brookings Institution ranked Greater Lansing among the top 10 "medium-sized metropolitan areas" in the U.S. for refugee resettlement, with 5,369 refugees resettled from 1983 to 2004. St. Vincent Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services manage adult and unaccompanied minor resettlement, while other groups like the Refugee Development Center provide education and social support. Nearby Michigan State University supplies volunteers for these programs.

As of 2005, the Lansing area had about 2,000 Arab Americans, mostly second-generation Christian Lebanese Americans and some Palestinian Americans. The city also has many temporary foreign residents studying at Lansing Community College and Michigan State University. The city's visitors bureau promotes Mandarin-language video tours of Lansing, highlighting the "more than 6,000" Chinese students at MSU. The Lansing School District offers language immersion programs in Spanish and Chinese for its students.

Economy

The Lansing metropolitan area has several major industries, including government, education, insurance, healthcare, and automobile manufacturing. Because Lansing is the state capital, many state government workers live in the area.

Michigan State University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College are important employers in the region.

General Motors has offices and a high-tech manufacturing facility in Lansing. It also has several manufacturing plants in nearby Lansing and Delta townships. Four major national insurance companies are based in Lansing: Auto-Owners Insurance Company, Jackson National Life, the Accident Fund, and Michigan Millers Insurance Company. Other insurance companies in Lansing include Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.

Quality Dairy is a locally owned convenience store chain with a strong presence in Lansing. The first Quality Dairy store opened in 1936, and as of 2023, there are 26 stores in the Mid-Michigan area. The company’s headquarters is located near REO Town in Lansing, and it operates a dairy plant and bakery plant in central Lansing.

The decline of the automobile industry in the region has made people more aware of the need to support the high-technology sector. In 2026, LG Energy Solution signed a $4.3 billion agreement to build a battery factory in Lansing. This factory will produce lithium iron phosphate battery cells for grid batteries from 2027 to 2030.

The early availability of high-speed Internet in 1996, along with the student populations at Michigan State University, Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and Lansing Community College, helped create an environment where information technology companies could grow. Lansing has many technology companies in fields such as information technology and biotechnology.

University of Michigan Health – Sparrow Lansing is a 740-bed hospital connected to Michigan State University and its College of Human Medicine and College of Osteopathic Medicine. It offers a Level I Trauma Center and its own helicopter service.

McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital has a special partnership with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in radiation oncology. It is part of the Great Lakes Cancer Institute (GLCI).

Private developers have started several urban renewal projects that are adding high-end apartments and condominiums to Lansing. The Arbaugh, a former department store near Cooley Law School, became apartments in 2005. Motor Wheel Lofts, a former industrial site, was converted into loft-style living spaces in 2006. A mixed-use complex called “The Stadium District” was completed in 2007. This project was funded by a grant from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority through the Cool Cities Initiative.

In May 2006, the historically significant Mutual Building on Capitol Avenue was bought by The Christman Company to be restored and used as the company’s headquarters. Other downtown developments include the renovation of the Hollister Building and the expansion of the Abrams Aerial Building. By August 2008, a 18-story condominium high-rise called Capitol Club Tower was in the design phase. A new development called MarketPlace was planned near the city market, which had been in operation since 1909. MarketPlace was redeveloped alongside BallPark North, a mixed-use project near Oldsmobile Stadium. A new city market was built near the Lansing Center but closed in 2019. Across the river, the Accident Fund Insurance Company renovated the former Ottawa Street Powerplant into its new headquarters and added a modern building connected by an atrium. In 2009, the restaurant Troppo began building a two-story structure with a rooftop patio facing the Capitol building. In 2010, Eyde Co. announced plans to renovate the Knapp’s building in downtown Lansing for retail, offices, and apartments in a $22–24 million project.

The Lansing area has three major malls: Lansing Mall, Meridian Mall, and Lansing Landing. Other major retail centers include Eastwood Towne Center and Frandor Shopping Center.

Arts and culture

The African American Parade takes place in Lansing's Westside as part of the annual Juneteenth Celebration. Each year in August, the Michigan Pride festival includes an LGBT pride parade that begins at Riverfront Park and ends at the capitol. The annual Silver Bells in the City Electric Light Parade travels through the streets of downtown Lansing every November, on the Friday before Thanksgiving. This event is followed by the lighting of Michigan's official Christmas tree in front of the State Capitol and a fireworks display (if weather allows) over the State Capitol.

Lansing has a strong musical history, with the Lansing Symphony Orchestra performing in the area since 1929. The city hosts many music festivals throughout the year, including the Lansing JazzFest and Old Town BluesFest, which draw talented musicians and large crowds. The Common Ground Music Festival happens over a week each July at Adado Riverfront Park in downtown Lansing, attracting more than 90,000 visitors during the week.

The Library of Michigan and Historical Center is a state library and research facility. It is one of the top five genealogical research centers in the United States. The Capital Area District Library has 13 branches in Ingham County, including the Main Library downtown, the Foster Library on the east side, and the South Lansing Library on the south side.

Lansing is home to several small, specialized museums:
– The Impression 5 Science Center is a children's science museum located in a historic wagon works factory on the Grand River.
– The Michigan Library and Historical Center has one of the 10 largest genealogy collections in the nation and includes a museum dedicated to Michigan's history.
– The Michigan Women's Hall of Fame honors the achievements of Michigan women. It is located in the 1903-built Cooley-Haze House, surrounded by Cooley Gardens.
– The R. E. Olds Transportation Museum teaches about Lansing's role in transportation history, especially the development of the automobile.
– The Turner-Dodge House is a museum about Lansing's early pioneers. It is in the Turner-Dodge Mansion, built in 1858 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Riverwalk Theatre (formerly the Okemos Barn Theatre), the Lansing Civic Players, and the now-closed BoarsHead Theater were all located in downtown. Peppermint Creek Theatre Company is a well-known theater group. Happendance, Michigan's longest-running professional modern dance company, has been based in Greater Lansing since 1976. The Greater Lansing Ballet Company is a ballet and dance group. The Creole Gallery hosts musicians and the Icarus Falling Theater group.

The historic Potter Park Zoo, located along the Red Cedar River in Lansing, is a 102-acre park with more than 160 animal species. The zoo offers programs and events for children and families. Attendance has increased each year since 2006 (110,167 in 2006, 137,237 in 2008, and 167,000 in 2009). Capital improvements planned for 2009 include a large walk-in aviary and a new female tiger exhibit. In 2009, the zoo began a $1.4 million renovation of its rhinoceros exhibit. This followed $1.3 million in improvements in 2008. In 2011, the Black Rhino exhibit opened, and three tiger cubs were born. In 2016, a 3-acre moose exhibit was added.

In October 2009, the Wharton Center for Performing Arts completed a 24,000-square-foot, $18.5 million expansion and renovation. It had already spent over $1.3 million in 2008. Many Broadway shows visit the Wharton Center before traveling to larger cities like Chicago. The Kresge Art Museum, the MSU Museum, and the Abrams Planetarium are highly respected cultural attractions located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. In June 2007, MSU announced plans to build a new art museum after receiving a $26 million gift from Eli and Edythe Broad. The design was created by internationally known architect Zaha Hadid of London. The museum opened in November 2012.

Sports

The Lansing Lugnuts are a Midwest League, Minor League Baseball team that is currently connected to the Athletics. The team plays its home games at Jackson Field, which cost $12.7 million to build and opened in 1996 in downtown Lansing. The stadium was partially updated in 2006. Jackson Field has a seating capacity of 11,215 fans and was designed to allow for future growth. Before being called Jackson Field, the stadium was named Oldsmobile Park. In April 2010, it was renamed Thomas M. Cooley Law School Stadium after a new sponsor. Later, it was renamed Jackson Field again when the sponsor changed to Jackson National Life.

Michigan State University, located in East Lansing, is the largest university in the state of Michigan. MSU supports both men's and women's sports teams, which usually compete as part of the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans have won national titles in men's basketball, football, boxing, cross country, gymnastics, ice hockey, soccer, and wrestling. Lansing Community College also supports many sports teams, which compete as members of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association. The Stars have won NJCAA titles in women's softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, women's marathon, and men's marathon.

The Lansing area has many golf courses, including two owned by Michigan State University, four municipal courses, and numerous public and private courses. The former Walnut Hills Country Club in nearby East Lansing hosted the LPGA's Oldsmobile Classic from 1992 to 2000. The Michigan PGA recently moved from the Detroit area to Bath, Michigan, which is on the northern edge of Lansing.

Other past sports teams in the Lansing area include the Lansing Lancers (International Hockey League – 1974–1975), Lansing United (USL PDL – 2014–2018), Lansing Ignite (USL League One – 2018–2019), and Lansing Sting (American Basketball Association – 2013–2014).

Government

Lansing uses a mayor-council system of government, specifically a strong mayor form. In this system, the mayor is the city’s top leader. The mayor is responsible for choosing department heads, creating and managing the city’s budget, and other duties. The mayor can also reject laws passed by the council, but the council can override this rejection with a two-thirds vote. Both the mayor and city clerk are elected by all voters every four years.

The city council is Lansing’s lawmaking group and has eight members. Four members are elected from four separate districts using a voting method where the candidate with the most votes wins. The other four members are elected by all voters using a method where voters select from a group of candidates. Council members serve four-year terms, but only half of the council is elected every two years, including two district seats and two at-large seats. At the start of each year, the council selects a president and vice president from its members. The president leads the council and chooses committee chairs. If the president and vice president are absent, the city clerk leads the council.

Lansing generally supports the Democratic Party. Since 1993, no Republican has been mayor. In that year, Democratic state representative David Hollister defeated Republican mayor Jim Crawford, who had previously served on the Ingham County Board of Commissioners. However, all city elections are officially nonpartisan.

Since 1964, Lansing has collected income taxes. Residents pay 1%, non-residents pay 0.5%, and corporations pay 1%.

Since the 2022 redistricting, Lansing is part of Michigan’s 7th congressional district, represented by Republican Tom Barrett. At the state level, Lansing is in Michigan’s 21st Senate district (represented by Democrat Sarah Anthony) and 28th Senate district (represented by Democrat Sam Singh). The city is also in five state House districts: 73rd, 74th, 75th, 76th, and 77th, represented by Democrats Julie Brixie, Kara Hope, Penelope Tsernoglou, Angela Witwer, and Emily Dievendorf.

Although Lansing is not the official county seat, some Ingham County offices are located downtown, including a branch of the county clerk’s office, the county personnel office, and certain courtrooms.

Education

Michigan State University is called "the pioneer land grant college" and is located in East Lansing, which is near Lansing. MSU has one of the largest campuses in the United States and offers many well-known academic and research programs. The university provides over 200 programs of study and includes fourteen schools and colleges that offer degrees. These include two medical schools, a veterinary school, a law school, and many PhD programs.

Lansing Community College provides more than 500 areas of study to over 18,000 students at its main buildings in Lansing. It also serves 5,000 students at twenty-nine other locations and one site in Otsu, Japan. The University Center is built on the old site of "Old Central," which was Lansing's first public high school. This school was created in 1875 and was called Lansing High School. Other educational institutions in the area include Western Michigan University (with a branch campus in Delta Township), Davenport University in Downtown Lansing, Central Michigan University (with a branch campus), and Great Lakes Christian College (with a campus in Delta Township).

In Ingham County, most of Lansing is part of the Lansing School District. Some areas are in the East Lansing School District, Holt Public Schools, Mason Public Schools, Okemos Public Schools, and Waverly Community Schools. In Clinton County, parts of Lansing are in the Lansing School District and DeWitt Public Schools. In Eaton County, parts of Lansing are served by the Lansing School District, Holt Public Schools, and Grand Ledge Public Schools.

Schools in the area include:
– Lansing School District: Lansing Eastern High School, Lansing Everett High School, J. W. Sexton High School
– Grand Ledge Public Schools
– Ingham Intermediate School District: Ingham Academy High School
– Waverly School District

• Mid-Michigan Public School Academy
• El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz Academy (named after Malcolm X) (closed)
• Sankofa Shule (closed)

• Capitol City Baptist School
• Emanuel Lutheran School
• Lansing Catholic High School
• Lansing Christian Schools
• New Covenant Christian School
• Our Savior Lutheran School

Media

Newspapers, magazines, and media outlets in Lansing include:
• Lansing State Journal
• City Pulse
• The New Citizens Press
• Capital Gains Media
• Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine
• The Greater Lansing Business Monthly
• Greater Lansing Woman Magazine
• The Hub
• MIRS News-Michigan Information & Research Service
• The State News
• Gongwer News Service
• The Michigan Bulletin
• Patient In Charge Magazine

The cable channels listed are part of the Comcast system in Lansing.

Television stations available on cable include:
• WLNS 6 (CBS) (Cable 9)
• WILX 10 (NBC) (Cable 4)
• WKAR 23 (PBS) (Cable 13) / DT2 (World) (Cable 20) / DT3 (Create) (Cable 18) / DT4 (PBS Kids) (Cable 293)
• WSYM 47 (Fox) (Cable 7)
• WLAJ 53 (ABC) (Cable 3) / DT2 (The CW) (Cable 5)

Note: If a station’s city is not listed before the format, it is based in Lansing.

Radio stations in the Lansing area include:
• 88.1 WLGH – Leroy Township, contemporary Christian – "Smile FM"
• 88.5 WJOM – Eagle, contemporary Christian – "Smile FM"
• 88.9 WDBM – East Lansing, college / Michigan State University – "The Impact"
• 89.7 WLNZ – public radio / Lansing Community College
• 90.5 WKAR – East Lansing, public radio / Michigan State University – Note: WKAR has a power of 86,000 watts
• 91.3 WOES – Ovid, polka / Ovid-Elsie High School
• 92.1 WQTX – St. Johns, Classic Hip Hop/R&B – "The Hits That Power the Party…Stacks 92.1"
• 92.9 WLMI – Grand Ledge, Classic Hits radio – "Lansing's Greatest Hits"
• 93.7 WBCT-FM – Grand Rapids, country – "B93" – Note: WBCT has a power of 320,000 watts
• 94.1 WWDK – Jackson, Classic Country – "94.1 Duke FM"
• 94.9 WMMQ – East Lansing, classic rock
• 96.5 WQHH – DeWitt, urban – "Power 96.5"
• 97.5 WJIM – CHR – "97-5 Now-FM"
• 99.1 WFMK – East Lansing, adult contemporary
• 99.9 W260BX – religious/southern gospel – "Family Life Radio" (rebroadcasts WUNN 1110 AM)
• 100.7 WITL-FM – country – "Whittle"
• 101.7 WHZZ – adult hits – "Mike-FM"
• 105.7 WSRW – Grand Rapids, adult contemporary – "Star 105.7"
• 106.1 WJXQ – Charlotte, active rock – "Q106"
• 107.3 WTNR – Greenville/Grand Rapids, Country
• 730 AM WVFN – East Lansing, sports talk – "The Game"
• 870 AM WKAR – East Lansing, NPR news/talk
• 1110 AM WUNN – Mason, religious/southern gospel – "Family Life Radio"
• 1180 AM WXLA – Dimondale, adult standards – "Timeless Classics 1180"
• 1240 AM WJIM – news/talk – "Lansing's Big Talker"
• 1320 AM WILS – news/talk – "More Compelling Talk Radio"
• 1390 AM WLCM – Charlotte, religious
• 1580 AM WWSJ – St. Johns, urban contemporary gospel – "Joy 1580"
• 162.400 WXK81 – NOAA Weather Radio (Onondaga, weather)

Radio stations from cities such as Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, and Flint can also be received in the Lansing area.

Infrastructure

Scheduled commercial airline service is available at Capital Region International Airport (previously called Capital City Airport). Delta Air Lines operates flights to Detroit, and American Airlines provides direct flights to Chicago O'Hare and Washington, D.C. Apple Vacations offers seasonal flights to Cancún, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. UPS has a shipping center at the airport, which is part of the 42 million pounds of cargo handled yearly. In 2008, the airport received a port of entry designation called Port Lansing and added a customs facility, leading to its name change. The same year, the longest runway was extended by 500 feet (150 meters), making it 8,506 feet (2,593 meters) long to accommodate larger planes.

• I-69 connects Indianapolis to Lansing and extends east to Flint and Port Huron, linking to Canada.
• I-96 runs from Muskegon through Grand Rapids and Lansing to Detroit.
• I-496 forms a loop around downtown Lansing, connecting to I-96 at both ends.
• BL I-69 is a circular route through Lansing and East Lansing.
• BL I-96 is a circular route through Lansing.
• US 127 runs north-south between Lansing and East Lansing, continuing north toward Clare and Grayling and south toward Jackson, Michigan, and into Ohio.
• M-43 (Saginaw Street/Grand River Avenue)
• M-99 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)

Amtrak offers train service at a stop in nearby East Lansing on the Blue Water line, which travels from Chicago to Port Huron. Three freight railroads serve Lansing: Canadian National Railway, CSX Transportation, and the Jackson & Lansing Railroad.

The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) provides bus service in the Lansing-East Lansing area on 33 routes. CATA had the second-highest number of passengers in Michigan in 2024, with 9,634,900 rides. Greyhound Lines offers intercity bus service. CATA and Greyhound are located in the CATA Transportation Center in downtown Lansing. Several taxi companies operate in the area. The Michigan Flyer runs buses between Lansing and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 12 times daily, with a stop in Ann Arbor.

The 20-mile (32 km) Lansing River Trail follows the Grand River and Red Cedar River. It extends east to Michigan State University, passing Potter Park Zoo and the Capitol Loop, and west to Moores Park. The trail has access points with nearby parking lots. Trailheads are: North – Dietrich Park; East – Kircher Park; South – Maguire Park; West – Moores Park. All sections have smooth surfaces. The trail connects to other paths, such as the Michigan State University path system and the Sycamore Trail. Because the trail follows rivers, crossings use platforms under existing bridges for safety.

Water, power, and steam utilities are owned by the city and managed by the Lansing Board of Water & Light. In 2008, Lansing BWL built Michigan’s largest solar power system to support renewable energy. Natural gas is supplied by Consumers Energy.

International relations

Lansing's sister cities are:

• Akuapim South District, Eastern Region, Ghana
• Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea
• Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
• Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan
• Pianezza, Piedmont, Italy
• Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
• Sanming, Fujian, China
• Eskişehir, Eskişehir Province, Turkey

Lansing was once a sister city of Kubyashi District in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The partnership started in 1992 but ended when Saint Petersburg changed the way it was organized, which removed the district. Lansing officially ended the relationship in 2013 to protest against laws in Russia that were not fair to people who identify as LGBT.

Lansing's friendship cities are:

• Cosenza, Calabria, Italy
• Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• Sakaide, Kagawa, Japan