Popular media does a splendid job of reporting that young, talented students flee Michigan, Ohio, and other Great Lakes states in droves for more modern cities and job opportunities elsewhere in the country. But that's only half the story.
The other half is about homecomings, family roots, and building a future rather than chasing it around from state to state. Contrary to popular perception, Michigan retains a greater percentage of its native population when compared with other states in the nation, according to 2000 U.S. Census data. Nearly 94 percent of the people who reported living in the state in 1995 still resided there in 2000.
What's more, according to Ken Darga, a demographer with the Michigan Department of History, Arts, and Libraries, Michigan is tops in the country at holding on to kids through age 19; the state is third best at retaining its own 20 year olds; and it ranks first when it comes to keeping people ranging in age from 30-54 years old.
So are people really running away from Michigan and the Rust Belt? Just read what young graduates like Leah Johnson have to say.
