Whether you're drawn to its urban energy or serene landscapes, Michigan offers a wealth of opportunities for living and working. The state’s booming tech industries and career opportunities make Michigan a thriving hub of innovation and growth, while its vibrant art and culinary scene and commitment to inclusivity and diversity are welcoming everyone to call Michigan home.
Check out 8 reasons why you’ll love being in Michigan, too.
Why You’ll Love Living in Michigan
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1. Different cities to fit your lifestyle and affordable living
Michigan offers a variety of lifestyles that can fit your personality. Looking for a vibrant, urban city? Detroit would be perfect for you. For an eclectic, nautical community, try the Bay City area. Or maybe you prefer a slower beach town, like Saugatuck or Grand Haven along Lake Michigan. In fact, Michigan has 3,288 miles of coastline, the longest freshwater coastline in the world. Heading north, cities like Traverse City and Marquette offer incredible views, year-round outdoor recreation, and tight-knit communities. If you’re looking for a more laid-back lifestyle where you can build a career in professional services, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and more, Michigan is the perfect place. The amazing thing about Michigan is that no matter which lifestyle you choose, it can be within reach. The cost of housing in Michigan is 11% lower than the national average. For example, California’s median home price is over $843,000, with houses in tech hubs like San Francisco reaching about $1.3 million in price. In Michigan, the average home price is significantly lower, only about $240,000. Other expenses like food, utilities and gas are also 4% lower on average in Michigan. That means your budget goes a lot farther, and your goals of owning a home, saving for retirement, or having money to travel, are a lot closer in reach.
2. Four seasons of outdoor adventure and a climate haven
Michigan has four beautiful seasons that come with their own magic. Simply put, summer in Michigan is unlike anything else. Hike the dunes, swim in the lakes, or explore hundreds of miles of bike trails. As the leaves change to their annual reds and oranges (a sight in itself), fall brings trips to cider mills, apple picking, and cozy campfires. In the winter months, Michiganders clear their schedules for activities from cross country skiing and snowshoeing to snowboarding and ice climbing. Spring brings warmer temperatures, festivals, beautiful tulips in Holland, and so much more. Michigan is also a climate haven. With access to a fifth of the world’s freshwater supply, stable coastline, and relatively moderate temperatures, Michigan is a great place to settle for climate stability. Ranked the No. 1 Best State for Climate Change, Michigan is building on its steady climate and low natural disaster susceptibility by enacting policies and initiatives to improve climate change resilience.
3. World class art and culinary scene
Every great place to live needs amazing things to do, and in Michigan, the arts and culinary scenes are not to be missed. The Detroit Institute of Arts was founded in 1885 and is ranked the top art museum in America. It is home to some of the world’s most famous art and was the first American public museum to acquire a Van Gogh painting. Michigan is also home to ArtPrize, an annual, international art competition and cultural event that takes over Grand Rapids each fall. From palettes to palates, Michigan is also home to a wonderful food and drink scene that includes one of the country’s top craft brewery industries. There’s a reason why Grand Rapids is nicknamed Beer City USA. Michigan is home to about 400 craft breweries with many nationally famous ones, like Bell’s and Founders, as well as beloved local breweries like Keweenaw Brewing Company and Frankenmuth Brewery (founded in 1862, the oldest microbrewery in the state!). Alongside its excellent brews is a diverse and robust culinary scene. The 2024 James Beard Semifinalists included 13 Michigan chefs. From upscale farm-to-table restaurants, North African cuisine and authentic Indian food to famous burgers and a Yooper staple, the pasty, Michigan leaves you feeling full.
Image source: Executive Office of the Governor
4. Diverse cultures and inclusive policies
Michigan is home to many diverse cultures and people. Dearborn is home to the largest population of Arab Americans in the U.S. with about 110,000 people of Arab descent. Detroit is the nation’s largest Black-majority city with the fifth-largest African American population in the country. Statewide, Michigan has been trending toward a more multiracial population for decades. The state’s 2020 count was up 176% since 2010 and 230% since 2000. Between 2020 and 2022, the state’s multicultural population increased an estimated 4.2%, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in 2023. To ensure that the state is an inclusive place for all, Michigan has implemented a variety of policies to protect diversity and personal freedoms. Recently, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law legislation protecting the reproductive rights of women in Michigan. In April 2024, she signed the Michigan Family Protection Act, a series of pro-family bills that remove criminal prohibitions on surrogacy, protects IVF, and ensures LGBTQ+ parents are treated equally.
Why You’ll Love Working in Michigan
Now that you’re excited to live in Michigan, let’s talk about all the wonderful work opportunities the Great Lakes State has to offer.
5. Booming tech industries
Michigan is becoming one of the nation’s fastest-emerging tech hubs. The state has a deep history of innovation and a legacy that has fostered a new generation of technology and growth. Stemming from its roots in the automotive industry, Michigan is rapidly growing as a hub for mobility innovation, including automation and EV development. It’s growing so quickly that CNBC predicts Michigan to dominate U.S. EV battery manufacturing by 2030. Other factors that position Michigan for continued tech growth include its access to freshwater, which has positioned the state as a top place to be for climate tech innovation. With growing startups as well as advanced Fortune 500 companies (17 of them are in Michigan, by the way), Michigan is developing new technology and continuing to develop an advanced technical workforce with some of the top engineering schools in the country. More and more major tech companies are moving to Michigan, spurring huge advancements in new technologies, like KLA’s new headquarters in Ann Arbor, growing the semiconductor industry in Michigan.
Image courtesy of SkySpecs
6. Cutting-edge tech jobs
With all these new innovations come new tech jobs. Michigan’s tech job market has grown rapidly over the past 10 years, and it’s expected to continue growing. According to the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics, software engineering is one of the top jobs most expected to grow in Michigan through 2030, expected to grow nearly 23%. As tech industries and companies continue to grow, so do startup and tech jobs in Michigan. From software engineering to product development, machine learning to engineering management, you can find great work opportunities in those fields with some of the best companies in the country.
7. Top colleges and universities for ongoing education and research
One of the reasons Michigan has been able to grow as a tech hub is because of its tech talent. Michigan is home to some of the nation’s top public universities, many of which offer incredible, top-100 ranked engineering programs. The University of Michigan ranks #7 in the country for engineering and has many entrepreneurial programs to help students take their projects to the next level. Michigan State University ranks #68 in the nation for engineering and has additional tech talent development programs such as the Apple Developer Academy. Coming in at #82 is Michigan Tech in the Upper Peninsula, which also ranks #1 for engineering management. Coming out of these universities – and more around the state – are some of the country’s brightest minds in engineering and innovation, and many go on to found their own companies.
8. Culture of innovation
Michigan is a state for do-ers. The culture of innovation is supported by programs through universities and government support like SmartZones, plus a growing VC presence, which all help support continued innovation in the tech sector. Plus, their Midwest roots have created a collaborative innovation culture that seeks to support rather than compete. You’ll find programs like Michigan Founders Fund that support the success of founders and give back to the community. Techstars Detroit helps founders accelerate their growth. Communities like A2 New Tech, Grand Rapids’ Start Garden, The Fledge in Lansing, TechTown Detroit, Innovate Marquette, 20Fathoms in Traverse City, and many more help innovators get the resources they need to grow their business and create more tech opportunities throughout the state.
Whether you live for the city life or the beach, are growing your business or looking for your next favorite tech job, Michigan offers an amazing opportunity. Living and working in Michigan combines the best of both worlds with the lifestyle you’re looking for and the career opportunities you’ve dreamed of.
It’s all within reach, so make your Michigan move and get started on the “You Can in Michigan” career portal.
