[Mr. Answers]

The numbers say that the vast, vast, vast majority of people in Michigan have jobs and are staying put. BUT...I'm curious how many people WANT to leave but really can't (for whatever reason). This forum--which is by no means indicative of the state generally, of course--would suggest that a lot of people are stuck in the state because of homes, families, etc.

And how true is this of other parts of Michigan like G-Rap, K-zoo, etc.? Is this exodus mentality mainly a Detroit thing or is it pretty much statewide?

[Ann_Arbor]

A lot of people who I graduated with in Kalamazoo/Portage are staying in the area, for their is a strong sense of place/pride their and a diverse industry base.

I really don't blame someone who grew up in a generic suburb, many in metro-Detroit, to leave for reasons beyond jobs, weather or other reasons for exodus.

[2jojo23]

michigan is a great state i wanna go there
its good for summer and vacation
and many ppl like to go there

[danpierce]

Originally Posted by odinloki1

I moved from Michigan to AZ for a teaching job. Probably the saddest thing I ever had to do. I intend to move back as soon as I can find a job.

1. Unbearable heat in AZ or mild cold in MI? This place was too hot in late March. Plus its so dry you constantly feel dehydrated.

2. Horrible education system. Underfunded schools, you can make so much more with a lot less education here. I know teaching is a calling but you need to make enough to live in a decent place and pay for all your class materials that the state doesn't help with.

3. People here are unfriendly and rude.

4. Housing overpriced. It will be overpriced until the median home price drops below 150k.

Are you kidding? "MILD" cold? No offense, but do you have a 3 inch layer of blubber, or what? Any place cold enough to make your booger's freeze inside your nose, is definitely not "mild." Quite the opposite to be exact. I moved to Grand Rapids for College from CA, and while I enjoy the summers and the wonderful people here, the winters are absolutely horrible. Don't get me wrong, I love winter sports like snowboarding, but there aren't any mountains around here worth boarding! I've never been so depressed in my life as I have whenever the first snow comes, because I know that I must say good bye to the sweet, beautiful, sun for a long, long time. The months before and after winter are gray, and rainy. I like sitting in on a rainy day and watching movies with my girlfriend, but after 6 months...it gets pretty old. I worked my a$$ off to graduate from Kendall in four years, with honors, and my 30,000+ loans are NOT going to be payed off working in Michigan. Months of job searching, teacher recommendations, sending out resume's, and here I am working at Panera Bread for 7.50/hr. AZ may be hot, but at least they have an economy.

[AnnetteL]

Originally Posted by Mr. Answers

BUT...I'm curious how many people WANT to leave but really can't (for whatever reason).

That would be me - but not because I hate Michigan. My husband is from Canada and we hope to move to Ontario someday. We already have citizenship for our daughter. We're only staying put because we'd end up having a huge hit on the price of our home if we actually managed to sell it.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by danpierce

Are you kidding? "MILD" cold? No offense, but do you have a 3 inch layer of blubber, or what? Any place cold enough to make your booger's freeze inside your nose, is definitely not "mild." Quite the opposite to be exact. I moved to Grand Rapids for College from CA, and while I enjoy the summers and the wonderful people here, the winters are absolutely horrible. Don't get me wrong, I love winter sports like snowboarding, but there aren't any mountains around here worth boarding! I've never been so depressed in my life as I have whenever the first snow comes, because I know that I must say good bye to the sweet, beautiful, sun for a long, long time. The months before and after winter are gray, and rainy. I like sitting in on a rainy day and watching movies with my girlfriend, but after 6 months...it gets pretty old. I worked my a$$ off to graduate from Kendall in four years, with honors, and my 30,000+ loans are NOT going to be payed off working in Michigan. Months of job searching, teacher recommendations, sending out resume's, and here I am working at Panera Bread for 7.50/hr. AZ may be hot, but at least they have an economy.

The winters here are pretty mild, other than the snow. Try Chicago or Minneapolis for a winter or two. And it only gets cold enough for boogers to freeze a handful of time in the winter in GR.

[MittenDweller82]

Originally Posted by Mr. Answers

The numbers say that the vast, vast, vast majority of people in Michigan have jobs and are staying put. BUT...I'm curious how many people WANT to leave but really can't (for whatever reason). This forum--which is by no means indicative of the state generally, of course--would suggest that a lot of people are stuck in the state because of homes, families, etc.

And how true is this of other parts of Michigan like G-Rap, K-zoo, etc.? Is this exodus mentality mainly a Detroit thing or is it pretty much statewide?

In this instance, we have many people migrating "within" the state, with a separate flux of people going out. A survey would be the only real way of knowing the intention of people, as I'm sure many people have prospected other areas and are intent on leaving. Remember, the 2006 numbers from the census are just "estimates", and I think the 2010 numbers will shock everybody into seeing what the decline of our countries economy has caused individuals to do. People simply have little patience when it comes to job hunting, and being discouraged happens very quickly. I think the reputation of Detroit and Michigan combined have crossed us of the list of important places for the next decade. Regardless of the beauty of our natural surroundings, we unfortunately cannot make a living from them.

[YAZ]

I remember those frozen booger days....

Some friends of mine used to have these really cool parties....HUGE bonfire in the back of their property in the middle of winter....smokin' turkeys, pig roasts, etc.

Folks can be happy anywhere.....

[malamute]

Originally Posted by YAZ

I remember those frozen booger days....

Some friends of mine used to have these really cool parties....HUGE bonfire in the back of their property in the middle of winter....smokin' turkeys, pig roasts, etc.

Folks can be happy anywhere.....

Yes -- they certainly can. If someone feels they have to relocate then they should have a good attitude about it and find the interesting aspects of the places they will be staying in.

Everywhere can be fun. Too bad we can't all live 200-300 years so that we'd have lots of time to explore and experience many places.

You can live in Michigan and decide there's nothing as great as standing out looking across one of the Great Lakes, or you can hike up in the Rocky Mountains and think there's nothing more splendid. Or sit out in a desert at night, watch the sun go down and realize there's nothing like a Western sky at sunset. Or if you can live by an ocean, or pick fresh oranges from your backyard.....

Life is what you make it. If you have to move -- then make the most of it, if you don't have to move and don't want to move -- then don't and enjoy where you are.

[mikvegas702]

Originally Posted by Sparrow_temp

Still trying to figure out whether moving out of state is the best option. I'm a network engineer who lost a job of 7-years in May, found temporary work as a contractor from May to October, and am now looking again. My biggest problem is that I purchased a house in 2003 in Holt for 173K and still owe 126K on it. The house next door was sold in a foreclosure this year and the other houses that were put on the market in the subdivision this spring are still for sale. Houses simply don't appear to be selling.

I'm pursuing several job opportunities in the area and even one up in Petoskey. If none of these pan out, I guess my decision gets made for me since there just aren't that many jobs available in my field within a reasonable commute. If I can't commute, I have to move and if I have to move I don't see moving to somewhere else in MI. The job hot spots seem to be NC, TX, AZ -- if I had to choose a location independent of job availablity, it'd probably be UT,NV, or ID (some place with less snow, low humidity, and more sunshine). My crystal ball shows MI getting worse economically and probably no recovery for at least 7 years.

Im from Las Vegas and everybody moves out here from other states thinking that their lives are gonna get better because of the jobs and good weather. But I have met so many people that want to move back home or even already left. Yes other states have four months of good weather, but we have four months of 113 avg degree heat. Sometimes in the teens for weeks straight. Then are crime is alot higher than most cities. And We have the 2nd highest foreclosures is the United States. So its not all that much fun in the sun. I recently visited Michigan and it is absolutely the most beautiful state you can live and raise a family in. If people want to work you can find it somewhere. I decided to move to gods country.