[sujoker]

For a while now I've been deciding where I'm going to live in the next few years.
Here's how I'm making my choice

Weather.. I love cold weather so I go with michigan. In north carolina, the weather can get really hot in the summers. I'm talking about 100+ heat. I simply cannot take that anymore.

I'd like to live in the upper peninsula, michigan . Sounds like a nice area. Not a lot of ppl like you'd see in big cities, like charlotte, nc chicago, new york..

Jobs.. Well I hear a lot of bad things about the job economy there. I don't know if that's just detroit and the surrounding areas or what, so let me know what it's like in the upper peninsula. Even as far as marquette would do. charlotte is BAD as far as jobs go. I've called over 200+ places.. bunch of bull****ers!!! none want to hire me!

Can someone let me know how to jobs are in the UP. and hows the housing market? Cheap houses now that economy is bad?

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by sujoker

For a while now I've been deciding where I'm going to live in the next few years.
Here's how I'm making my choice

Weather.. I love cold weather so I go with michigan. In north carolina, the weather can get really hot in the summers. I'm talking about 100+ heat. I simply cannot take that anymore.

I'd like to live in the upper peninsula, michigan . Sounds like a nice area. Not a lot of ppl like you'd see in big cities, like charlotte, nc chicago, new york..

Jobs.. Well I hear a lot of bad things about the job economy there. I don't know if that's just detroit and the surrounding areas or what, so let me know what it's like in the upper peninsula. Even as far as marquette would do. charlotte is BAD as far as jobs go. I've called over 200+ places.. bunch of bull****ers!!! none want to hire me!

Can someone let me know how to jobs are in the UP. and hows the housing market? Cheap houses now that economy is bad?

First, please share with us why anyone owes you a job?? With that attitude I would NEVER hire you.

[northstar22]

The UP's economy is DEAD. It makes the rest of the state look like Texas (economically). Good luck finding a job that pays more than $10 an hour.

Although it's politically located in the state, culturally, the U.P. is not part of "Michigan." It has much more in common with northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Same weather, accent, and everything. It's closer to Green Bay, WI Grand Forks, ND than Detroit or Kalamazoo. Residents are known as Yoopers. Packer fans vastly outnumber Lions fans. It's an awesome place (I'd love to live up there for a while) but it's not "Michigan."

You need to LOVE snow to make it in the U.P. Some areas average over 200" per year. Yes, that's two hundred, not 20. Summers are nice, with highs in the 60's and 70's in June, July, and August. It's truly an outdoor paradise. It's absolutely beautiful, with lakes, mountains, and rivers. Moose, elk, and wolves are common. For fun, there's ice fishing, snowshoeing, hunting, hiking, and sailing in the summer.

If you're looking for a northern adventure in an outdoor paradise, you'll love the U.P. If you're looking for Michigan, the U.P. is the wrong place to look. If you want the true "Michigan" experience, check out cities in West Michigan and Mid-Michigan like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Midland, and Mt. Pleasant. If you're looking for smaller towns, Three Rivers, Albion, Centreville, Charlotte (pronounced shar-LOTT), Gladwin, South Haven, and Berrien Springs are awesome. Stay away from Detroit.

[mtusarah]

I have lived in the Western UP for 5 years, Houghton to be exact. I will tell you that houses are probably really cheap in that area (im not sure about the rest of the UP), but alot of them need fixing up. The area is somewhat poverty ridden and jobs may be hard to come by (This is due to the copper mining industry closing down in the keweenaw). Many of the people I knew worked at the university or at establishments like walmart. There is not really any industry but there are two universities if you can find a job there. Marquette is the biggest city and sault st. marie is also nice.

I know you said you like cold weather but be warned, the UP gets very cold, we are talking -10 and more sometimes in febuary and january. You will have winter from november through april and many of the areas get over 100 inches of snow a year. Add cold winds off lake superior and it makes you think twice about heading outdoors. It can get quite warm in the summer, but not more than a few days. In which case superiour will cool you off .

I am not trying to sway you from checking the up out, but I would highly recommend visiting in the winter before you make a decision. Many people cannot handle the constant winter and cold, the remoteness, and the lack of big city stuff. Northern Michigan is God's country and the 'yoopers' love it and many never want to leave. There are countless outdoors activities, and an interesting heritage bringing a culture of finnish food, pasties, polka, yooper accents, saunas, hockey, festivals, winter carnivals, ice fishing, snowmobiling and much much more. If you are lucky enough to find a decent job you will be envied!

good luck eh!

[mtusarah]

what kazoopilot says about the UP is also true, especailly about the cheeseheads!

I however would not say to stay away from Detroit area. I grew up in SE Michigan (Ann Arbor) and think there are many nice places to live here where you will experience much milder winters and a better job market. Ann Arbor is a very nice town with a lot of promise. Most people I know here love it. It might not be bad to check out metro detroit, many of the cities are very nice and there are lots of different places to work. As for if they are hiring, I do not know. housing is definatly more expensive to live in the lower penninsula though.

Michigan offers every kind of living, costal, agricultural, small, medium and big city, rural and not so much.

[supermom0204]

It may be nice if you don't need a job. Keep in mind that many of us MI natives have gone or are considering going to the Carolina's to work in the booming economy down there-- so if you think it's bad there you're in for a real treat up here! I love MI, but I might do a little more resdarch. We lead the nation in unemployment.

[lilbear]

South Carolina is having some trouble though. Stay more east.

[mostie]

mtusarah, when you said to check out the UP in winter beforehand, you forgot to tell him/her to invest in a snowmobile, or sled dogs- haha~

[mostie]

I'm just in N. Mi, and tell you what- we have more snow than you could shake a stick at, and we're not even across the bridge, yet!

[darstar]

The SE part of our country was one areas that has held up well during the early days of the down turn. This has not been the first time . Some areas seem to have been immune to the down economy in the past recessions . I contribute a lot of this to the booming in flux of retirees from the North , flocking to the mid South , instead of Florida. Those that tried Florida , are now moving north as well , they are called " half backs " , those that go north only so far as the Carolinas .
Now , the down turn has hit the SE hard , and , a lot of folks are surprised, thinking they were insulated.
The same goes for the UP of Michigan , only in another way scenario. The UP has always ( in quite a few years ) , had a limited amount of jobs. Shortage of employment up here is a way of life. We have a delicate balance economy , one that we would have a hard time handling in ether direction. Remember , we have a large area , off the beaten path for almost everyone else on the outside. Our largest City Marquette only has 32,000 people , and 70,000 in the County.
Don't look for the UP to change a lot , when compared to the rest of the Country , and , thats one of the reasons we like it here.... and , yes , were are not Michigan..only in name.