Michigan

[next_migration]

Michigan is another state that @tamanous2020 is thinking of, so I’ll treat Michigan next. Notwithstanding the fairly dense population, disgraceful current legislature, and some post-industrial decline, Michigan is a good choice, which should be well-placed for the future, with plenty of water and unpaved land, plus Great Lakes ports.

 

 

Day and Hall (2016) think that the entire southern half of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula, say everything south of Saginaw Bay, will have sustainability challenges. Kurtz et al. (2020)’s foodshed analysis agrees that there would be enough nearby farm and pasture land to feed the southern urban regions only if diets were much less meat-heavy. Under present circumstances, very large foodsheds would be required for the southwestern metro areas as well as the eastern. However, the largest southwestern cities are of modest size compared to the Detroit megalopolis. There are no cities of any size in the northern half of Michigan, so if you desire urban life in Michigan, the southwest is your best bet. As I noted earlier, perhaps the best way to think about migration is to seek medium-term sustainability, not long-term. In the long term, the Grand Rapids metro region is not sustainable, but in the short to medium term, which might be the rest of your life, you’d be much better off there than in Los Angeles or Phoenix.

In Michigan one should avoid the entire southeastern Detroit metropolitan area, extending to Ann Arbor, Pontiac, and Flint, as well as Dearborn. The legislature is minority-ruled by the GOP. Not content with gerrymandering to reduce this region’s influence, some Republicans following the 2020 election proposed to throw out all Detroit residents’ ballots or take over their election boards, essentially because they allowed too many non-white urbanites to vote. They are now replacing “normal” Republicans on urban counties’ boards of canvassers (whose duty it is to certify local voting results) with racists, conspiracy nuts, and advocates of a coup d’êtat in 2020. A few years ago, when the city government of Flint was in financial trouble, the legislature imposed a white Republican outside manager who forced the city to switch to a cheaper water source. We all know how that went. The opinion of the ruling party is that the residents of this region, being mostly non-white, do not deserve to have drinking water that won’t poison them. Move there, and you will be a target.

Detroit is actually poised to undergo an urban renaissance, if the legislature doesn’t find a way to stop them. The city has lost enough population that there is a lot of vacant land, and rather than forcing it to remain covered with derelict buildings and garbage, city leaders are encouraging urban farming. The young activists who are working to find ways for the city to survive and thrive can find housing only because old buildings are so cheap. A bunch of Westerners moving in and jacking up the property costs might seriously interfere with long-time residents’ efforts to revitalize the city. So really, please don’t move there and contribute to gentrification.

Some cities in Michigan are still suffering badly from the decline of manufacturing, with high unemployment rates. Larger cities that appear to offer opportunities for migrants include:

 

o  Grand Rapids is only 200,000 people, but its greater metropolitan area exceeds a million. The economy is diverse, e.g., advanced health care, manufacturing (notably, of furniture), agribusiness, education, brewing, and Christian publishing. There are some branch university campuses and a community college (as well as several religious colleges and seminaries). As expected of a large metro, there is a wide range of arts, sports, and culture. There is a good-sized metro area transit system and an Amtrak stop. It seems that the recent public execution of a Black suspect by a city cop is only an extreme example of decades of police harassment and abuse of African-Americans, so this may not be the safest city for minorities—though again, we’re in America; I don’t know where I could suggest someone move to have zero risk of encountering racist cops.

o  Wyoming (76,000 people) is part of the Grand Rapids metro area. It had been in decline after the closure of a GM plant, but the economy has improved. There’s still a good diversity of manufacturing, as well as food processing, retail, distribution and shipping, education, and health care. Cost of living and crime are both reasonable.

o  Kentwood (54,000 people) is another suburb of Grand Rapids. Housing prices are a bit higher than in Wyoming, and some neighborhoods are nicer than others, though overall the town is considered pretty pleasant. It seems like many residents work in Grand Rapids, and many local businesses are service-oriented (e.g., restaurants). Some city parks offer free wi-fi.

o  Holland (34,000 people) is at the margin of the Grand Rapids area. It has a variety of manufacturing and food processing employers including the world’s largest pickle factory, a couple of university branch campuses, and a seminary. Many residents are Dutch-American, and there is a huge, popular tulip festival. The town has a symphony orchestra and chorus and a bus system. It’s known as the City of Churches, and has a conservative culture; diversity is limited.

o  Kalamazoo (75,000 people) in the southwest is home to Western Michigan University and a community college. Major sectors of the economy include manufacturing, medicine, and life sciences. Craft brewing and distilling are popular. The metro area has many cultural resources and an Amtrak stop. The “Kalamazoo Promise,” funded by anonymous donors, has provided thousands of Kalamazoo public school graduates with funds for tuition and fees at Michigan colleges, universities, or skilled trade programs. Students who were in Kalamazoo schools since kindergarten get 100% of tuition and fees covered, while those enrolled from 9^th grade onwards, the minimum, get 65%. If you have young children and limited means, this could be a serious draw.

o  Portage, nearly 50,000 people, is near Kalamazoo. A major focus of the local economy is the medical industry, including health care, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and biotech; the local Pfizer plant produced a large amount of COVID vaccine. (This looks increasingly unlikely to provide a huge long-term income stream.) There are plenty of outdoor activities. The vast majority of residents seem pretty satisfied.

o  Lansing, a city of close to 120,000, is the state capital. Government, education, insurance, healthcare, and auto manufacturing are major employers. Lansing is home to a law school and a community college. It has all the urban amenities; there are many festivals, including an annual African-American Heritage Festival. Internet comments suggest that the town is livable but nothing particularly special. There is an Amtrak stop.

o  East Lansing (48,000 people) is a college town, home to the large Michigan State University, which has medical and veterinary schools. Crime is lower than in Lansing and housing more expensive. The downtown is being rapidly developed and densely populated, while many homeowning neighborhoods have gotten renting prohibited, mostly to exclude students. There is a diversity of cultural organizations. Bus service is shared with Lansing, and the town has an Amtrak stop.

 

The U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2021 that most of the counties along the western side of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula are growing in population, not only urban counties, suggesting that they are doing a good job of keeping their young people employed or attracting residents from elsewhere. The northern part of the Lower Peninsula, especially inland, is very rural and very conservative, with few opportunities. Smaller towns in the Lower Peninsula seldom have very diverse economies, so prospective residents would need to be confident of being able to find work and adapt to small-town culture. If that’s you, small towns like these could be worth considering:

 

o  Grand Haven (11,000 people) is a lakeshore community in the Grand Rapids area that hosts a Coast Guard facility. Tourism is important to the local economy, and there are many outdoor recreational opportunities. The town has wireless internet available everywhere, though not free. Residents indicate that it’s a friendly community, but conservative with religious expectations, not a place where your kids would hear about evolution in the schools. Popular with retirees, which is perhaps why housing costs are higher than in other towns. Very white.

o  Bay City, at the shore of Saginaw Bay, is a city of 33,000 that currently has real socioeconomic problems, but might be well placed for the future, on a river and having a Great Lakes port. Bay City, the similarly sized Midland, and the larger Saginaw form the Greater Tri-Cities Region, whose economy is largely dependent upon manufacturing and tourism. Saginaw is still having serious problems and is not recommended. Bay City’s largest employer is the medical center. It has many civic activities and a bus system.

o  Midland, to its west, is a city of about 42,000 boasting a civic arena with three skating rinks, botanical garden, and nature center; also a nuclear power plant. Manufacturing is the biggest component of the economy; Dow Chemical was founded here. Unlike Bay City, public transport seems to be limited to dial-a-ride.

o  Mount Pleasant (25,000 people) is a college town that is home to Central Michigan University, the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College, and a community college. It is partly within the territory of the Isabella Indian Reservation, which owns a casino and resort. The Saginaw-Chippewa tribe conducts programs to revitalize the Anishinaabe language and holds a variety of cultural events for Native Americans.

o  Alma is a town of 9000 people, 16 miles from Mount Pleasant, that has a small liberal arts college. Jobs are limited, with education and healthcare the most common fields. Alma has a charming traditional downtown and holds an annual Highland Festival. Residents warn that it is conservative and has some pollution issues.

o  At the west, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, Ludington is a harbor town of 8000 people whose economy centers on tourism and manufacturing. It is the home port of a car ferry that crosses the lake to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. There are two historic lighthouses and plenty of businesses aimed at tourists, from charter fishing to boutique shops and craft beer and wine. There is a community college. Some residents complain online about low wages and lack of affordable housing, though average rents remain reasonable by national standards.

o  Manistee (6000 people), on Lake Michigan, is less popular than Ludington but likewise has an economy based on tourism and manufacturing, especially of salt, an essential commodity. A national forest, state park, and dunes wilderness are nearby. There are several small museums, a historic downtown, a bird sanctuary, a semi-professional baseball team, and much public land accessible for hunting in the vicinity. Residents warn that non-white and LGBTQ people might not feel comfortable here.

o  Traverse City (15,000 people), a port on Grand Traverse Bay in the northwest, is a major producer of cherries and grapes; there are over 50 wineries in the area. Tourism, featuring a week-long cherry festival and a tall ship berthed at the port, is the biggest sector of the economy. Health care, insurance, manufacturing, and tech also provide jobs. There is a community college with two campuses, one of which is the only U.S. maritime academy on freshwater and prepares students to earn First Class Great Lakes Pilotage with a bachelor’s degree. The Dennos Museum is known for its collection of Inuit art. Recently, efforts to condemn racist acts by school students met with aggressive backlash from right-wing parents, but the town tends Democratic.

 

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula could be a lovely home for a select few who like rural life (and very deep snow) and can work and assimilate in a small town. Located between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, and with numerous lakes, it is a fisherman’s paradise. The largest city is Marquette, at less than 21,000 people. Ethnic diversity in the UP is not zero, but it isn’t high; white people might feel more comfortable and be less likely to die of vitamin D deficiency. Towns that might appeal to some include the following:

 

o  Marquette’s economy is centered on Northern Michigan University, tourism, and port shipping, primarily of iron ore. There is other employment in health care (the UP’s best hospital), insurance, medical technology, communications, and a prison. It has a bus system that connects to Ishpeming. There are five breweries and many small festivals. Housing is costlier than in the smaller towns.

o  Sault Ste. Marie (13,000 people) is one of the oldest colonial cities in the U.S., founded by Jesuits in 1668. It is on the St. Mary’s River, the juncture between Lakes Superior and Huron, where the busy Soo Locks allow shipping to bypass the river rapids. An international bridge connects it to its sister city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Tourism is the biggest industry; there is a Chippewa-owned casino. Sault Ste. Marie is the home of a tiny state university/community college, which has limited programs but offers one of only three four-year fire science programs in the U.S. It hosts an annual 500-mile one-day snowmobile race; skiing and watching hockey are popular winter activities.

o  Houghton, with less than 8000 people, is on the Keweenaw waterway. Its Portage Lift Bridge provides the only land link between the north and south portions of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Tourism is a major industry, and jobs are limited. Houghton is known for long winters and often very deep snow. It hosts many winter sporting events, and the local university, Michigan Tech, a primarily engineering school, has a winter carnival. For people who love remote rural towns and the great outdoors.

o  Ironwood is even smaller, about 5000 people, but has two theaters, two dance companies, and a music festival. A former mining town, it now depends upon tourism, lumber, and manufacturing. Incomes are low, but housing is cheap. Ironwood is the home of bakers of the Cornish pasty, a traditional dish of meat and vegetables in a dough pocket, which the UP has for some reason embraced and made their own.

o  Ishpeming, similarly tiny, is the home of the National Ski Hall of Fame and the regional musical-comedy group Da Yoopers. It is recommended by some as a cheaper alternative to Marquette, since that city can be reached by bus when needed. Open-pit iron mining has been an important local industry, resulting in environmental damage and pollution, and other mining operations are in development. However, there is still plenty of unspoiled nature to see; tourism employs an increasing number of people. Education, health care, and manufacturing provide other jobs.

 

At present, three of the named towns have small hospitals and one has a clinic, all five have city libraries, and Marquette has a commercial airport. However, big-city amenities are few, and in the smaller towns, a very rural culture should be expected. Tourism is important to the UP economy, but the favorable location on two Great Lakes means that it should be possible to substitute more essential activities as the era of mass tourism fades away.

Michigan has a fairly good network of intercity bus services. These connect several of the UP communities to the outside world (via Wisconsin or the bridge to the Lower Peninsula) and connect many of the larger towns in the Lower Peninsula to southern cities, though omitting most of the western and easternmost communities for some reason.