The Great Lakes State has long held space in the national imagination as perhaps the ultimate symbol of Rust Belt industrial decline. Though Michigan’s reputation is changing, it’s still often written off and overlooked.
Maybe it’s high time that changes.
According to a new study of the top 10 states to live and work in the U.S., Michigan is the best.
The analysis by Softworks, a workforce management company, considered a range of factors for the study, including wages, cost of living, housing affordability, and overall happiness.
“We believe that Michigan’s position as the top state is a testament to its ongoing efforts in fostering economic growth and providing an environment conducive to personal and professional fulfillment,” the authors wrote, adding, “As the hub of the automotive industry, Michigan has a strong economy and a low cost of living, making it an attractive option for those looking to settle down in the Midwest. Its cities, such as Detroit and Grand Rapids, are undergoing revitalization efforts and have a growing entrepreneurial spirit.”
Like other Midwest states, Michigan has experienced a “blue wave” in recent years that sees Democrats in control of the state government for the first time in nearly four decades. While its population has declined in that time, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is trying to curb the brain drain of young people leaving the state by pushing progressive policies such as reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. In her 2023 State of the State speech Whitmer declared, “Bigotry is bad for business.”
The rest of the study’s 10 ten states to live and work, in descending order, are Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Missouri, New Mexico, and Tennessee.
Subscribe to Metro Times newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
