Here’s Where Michigan Ranks Among States People Are Leaving

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't think I want to live anywhere else but Southwest Michigan.  I won't go down the familiar list as I have before.  One question people ask me about this is have you lived anywhere else inferring that I don't have anywhere else to compare it to.

I grew up in Southeast Wisconsin and started our family in Northeast Ohio so I haven't exactly traveled the globe.  I have, however, been to nearly every state in the nation including Hawaii and haven't found the dynamics on all levels that we have here.  In addition, there are so many places right here in Michigan that have the kind of vacation attractions we're looking for.

You could say that the other places I've lived breed familiarity and that's why we're happy here.  And when somebody makes the case for what we don't have in Michigan, I make sure to include devastating earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, mudslides, life & land-altering flooding, just to mane a few.

So what gives Michigan the bad rap?  A lot has to do with Detroit and the incredibly negative perception as one of the worst cities in the entire world.  I personally think that it's not that bad and, in fact, making a nice comeback.  Chicago always gets accolades but has more murders and other things that could warrant a respectable argument for Detroit.

Recently, moneywise.com ranked the 15 states Americans don't want to live in anymore and Michigan tied for 7th with California a state seemingly everybody wants to live in.  They cited that an increasing number of households can't afford basic services which may be tied to most jobs paying less that $20 an hour.  They also said that Michigan has no strong cultural hub and, of course, the winters.