Scenario, What if the economy was in good shape, would you still leave? (Detroit: crime, loans)

[ADshock81]

Hello, everyone this is my first post on City-Data, I have been a lurker for months now.

I am born and raised in Michigan, however I decided to go to college down south, Now I do not regret that decision since I do love my school, however I will be graduating soon and time to really start thinking about a career. Now, I figured since the city where my college is located (which is Jackson, MS) has a pretty high demand for teachers (especially males) I figured that I would try to officially move down here and really get a feel for what life would be like here before I graduate. What I found was that I seriously, SERIOUSLY, hate this place, this city! Backwards thinking, people, politics, stupid laws, not really much here and other stuff which could I go on all day explaining.

Now, MI is homestate, and all I have been hearing all of the horror stories about the economy, how bad the crime is, everything that has gone bad about the Metro Detroit area. But, I still can't help to realize how much I really miss this place. Seriously, whether it's my friends, the many different diverse things to do(say what you want, but compared to Jackson, MI is VERY diverse), the bad feeling I get when I'm down here watching Detroit sports game and no one else cares, because it's not SEC football or NASCAR, OK, those are not the best examples. But, I find myself thinking about back home quite often. Is it just me or does anyone else who has moved or left feel the same way?

And to those who are still here, if the job economy never went bad, would you still leave the state or is there actually something you like about the Detroit Metro area.

OK, excuse if this post may seem a little incoherent, it is 2:30 in the morning here and I just finished a report.

[soon to be there]

Hello! I am relocating to Atlanta In 2 mos. I would have loved to stay here
but the economy is just too bad. I have tried to stick it out and stay here because of family but I give up. I have been unemployed since May and have had no luck even with minimal jobs. Now there are about to be thousands of out of work automotive workers competing with me for the few jobs that are available. Georgia has a program that pays for college and loans are 100% forgivable to nursing graduates that agree to work for them for two years. I think it is in my best interest to leave. Good Luck!!

[raymogre]

My wife and I moved out of Michigan to Virginia about 4 years ago because my company went under and I was out of work (go figure). We did very well in Virginia, but missed our friends, family, and everything that you are missing about Michigan. So, thinking we were ahead of the game and could make things work, we decided to come back about 4 months ago. We are both college educated people (Michigan State grads) and could not find a decent job to save our lives. So, it's four months later and we are leaving the state on the first of the year.
You do not fully understand how bad it is here until you get here. Stay in the south, that is where the work is. This state sucks!!!

[trinkit]

The MAIN reason I left was because of the economy -- found a great job in South Carolina. Tho the weather is great -- it's about 70 degrees right now, the 10th of November -- it's not "home" to me. I've found some great friends who've helped me with the transition -- some former Michiganders. The SECONDARY reason that I left was because hubby and I are getting up in years and the winters were getting to be too much. We MAY find that the summers here are going to be equally difficult to deal with, but that's a few months away.

My advice: stay in the south for the time being. Michigan will probably recover AT SOME POINT IN TIME, but not soon -- at least not as long as GrandHOLE is still in office.

[tcb]

Part of me has wanted to move for quite a while to see what else is out there, right now I got a job tied into the Auto Industry and this is my 2nd job this year, my last job was 4 1/2 years then one day, goodbye. Now I'm on a temporary contract position to figure out what to do with myself, my house, etc.

I love my neighbors, house, city, etc but I can't stay without some sort of job security.

[northern girl 54]

I relocated with my husband 5 years ago to Louisville, Kentucky, I miss Michigan everyday even the SNOW. The only thing nice about kentucky is the weather. The people are so narrow minded,backstabbers and oh so REDNECKED. Anyway, we are moving back after first of year. I am fortunate, my spouse retired in March with a full pension, and I am an RN and have a job waiting to start Jan 10 in Michigan at a place I used to work at. The economy in Louisville is still pretty good compared to rest of country, with UPS world headquarters /hub is here, manufacturing , healthcare, and the HORSE industry is huge here. So my hubby is going to sell house here and go back and forth. I am lucky I have family there who have a large home and plan on staying with then till our home in KY is sold.Thank God homes here are still selling and unemployment is only about 5% in Ky. I am literally counting the days till I go home. I hate it here so much. I tried so hard to transition here but most of the people are so dumb and superficial it is unbelievable. In my husband career, we moved 15 times with job promotions mostly to different Michigan sites and never have I felt like this. I grew up in Memphis Tenn, and went to school at University of Michigan and spent my adult life in the north. So believe me I feel the same as you.

[smbriley23]

Northern Girl 54 - i moved away from Michigan about 25 years ago and landed in MD and NJ before travelling out west in recent years. I have loved the places where i've settled and raised my 5 kids (4 are in high school yet) as all those places have had great positives worthy of living and enjoying -- how can you not enjoy and love the majesty of the rockies? But at no time has Michigan stopped being my home base. That is where my wife's family and my own family live and where i was raised (northern michigan) - it is where we travel 2x per year. Like a magnetic pull, Michigan is where i need to be. With much good fortune, I will be moving to the A2 area in the spring - and i couldn't feel more blessed, despite how much southern michigan is struggling. My sister lives in A2 and there is much pain in detroit metro as these threads clearly describe. For me, there is an intrinsic and undeniable desire to be part of the solution, however small it might be, rather than a distant observer.

Good luck with your move home as well.

[ErikU19]

I havent felt the effects of the struggling economy yet. I have a consulting business and make very good money...yet I just feel like Michigan is too small of a place for me. Perhaps it is because I am young (27) and havent lived anywhere else. I feel the world/USA is just to big/magnificent of a place to live/spend your entire life in one place. I may keep property here and venture back...but for now Michigan has lost it's appeal to me. The weather has had a great impact on my decision to move as well as MY perception of the future economy and what it will bring/entail. Not to mention the people, the lack of a 'real' city, and the over taxation of the people. I enjoy the sun and warm weather to much to stay any longer...perhaps that will one day change.

Until then, good luck to all of you!

[Bluefly]

I tried to move back to Detroit. After getting used to the walkability and mass transit of the east coast, I couldn't handle having to get in my car to get a gallon of milk.

Everybody there thinks it's just about jobs, but the whole region has done minimal planning to build the quality of life that other cities have been doing for decades. They think, "Oh, the auto industry's doing bad...", not realizing that people (and therefore jobs) are drawn today to cities with transit, walkability, vibrant neighborhoods. The creative class is not drawn to strip malls and big box stores.

The more progressive cities have already recognized that the automobile era of dominance has passed. The suburban dream has proved utterly destructive. Sure, we'll always have cars, but progressive cities are integrating them into a much more into the fabric of a mixed transportation network.

Until Detroit as a region addresses this, it's always going to depend on the auto industry because no other industry in this era will be drawn to it due to the fact that no quality workers will be drawn to the region.

[rahshidak]

I am moving to Jacksonville to complete my teacher's certificate. FYI - Although you sound like you are graduating with a degree that will allow you to teach, you need to check with the Michigan Department of Education to find out if your certificate will be transferrable, if you will need to pass the subject area tests in michigan, if you will be granted a temporary certificate, and then if you can SECURE a position in the area where you want to live, you should be ok. If you are thinking of moving here in the summer of 2008 and finding employment,,, you better make sure that GOD is leading you to do so... many teachers have been laid off in DPS, and that does affect detroit metro school districts --- teachers laid off from DPS obviously increases the pool of teachers applying for jobs at surrounding districts. If you move back, please have a plan!