Migration out of Michigan Halts, Moving Data Shows

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Just depends on where you live I guess, I'm in Troy which is a fairly well off northern suburb, before that Rochester which is pretty much the same and its business as usual. I think the blue collar areas were hit harder since they're so intimately tied to the auto industry. Mostly medical and business professionals on my side of town so things haven't fluctuated as much the last few years.

Contrary to popular outsider belief were not all living in the failed dreamscape of an industrial wasteland

I spotted a glaring flaw in their logic coming to this conclusion right away.

Who the @#$% can afford to use a company like United these days? I've looked into all of the moving companies and rental van companies because we've been looking at moving out of FL for several years. No offense, but to most folks, United Van Lines, Atlas, Mayflower, Allied are all luxury services to pine away for. This halt claim would be like saying NV is stabilizing because Mayflower's not moving people out of that state anymore. No, you're just not getting business anymore because you're out of the range of affordability for those left who still want out.

I wonder what U-Haul, Penske, Ryder & Budget's data says? I bet it says the exact opposite of what UVL is claiming.

reply to post by Nyiah


Just out of curiosity...When you have a 3+ bedroom house with all furniture and fixings combined to get across the country on a deadline for closing and move-in....what are you going to use vs. an insured moving company? They are a bit pricey, true...but you don't have to fix the truck or babysit it if it breaks...pay it's fuel...or load and unload what will keep a crew of 3-4 men busy for a full day. (and they do it for a living).

I really doubt U-Haul with their crap shoot for maintenance (in my personal experience) and of course ..you break it, you already own it and tough cookies.. makes it any cheaper in the end. I think you're paying for a lot more than JUST point A - B movement and I can't imagine many other ways to do it unless leaving a fair % of the property behind is acceptable?

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


I think you're missing my point How can this be considered an accurate reflection of incoming or outgoing residents if it's only for one company, and one that caters to a higher income class? No offense, but even if I had a deadline move, there's absolutely NO way I can afford to part with $10k for someone else to drive it there for me. $3k is pushing it for a DIY move (I was quoted 10 grand (Mayflower) for a potential move to CO, while the same move as a DIY, with gas, food and lodging for us was a hair over 3 grand (Budget) That's a BIG difference to lower income levels)

As I said, all this shows is that that demographic they cater to is not using them. It could be that it's stabilized for the middler/upper middle class, but it's more likely that no one can afford to pay what it costs to use that kind of moving service. Hence, I'd like to see what the move-it-yerself companies' rental data looks like to compare.

reply to post by Nyiah


Well, you do have an interesting point there... In re-reading the OP:

Suburban St. Louis-based United Van Lines released its 37th annual migration study to The Associated Press. The company tracks the states its customers move to and from over the course of a year, including Washington, D.C., but excluding Alaska and Hawaii.

I suppose it might be worth someone looking into why they've been running this study for 30+ years and who is using it, to make producing it year after year a worthwhile effort to report. I vaguely recall hearing about this or similar studies from moving companies before, but never paid that close attention or given thought to that aspect until you mentioned it here.

reply to post by cmdrkeenkid


Little Saigon! I used to live there right off Cherry Hill. I also lived most of my life in the inner city of Detroit. My first 20 years of life was in Detroit. We used to have block parties, the parks always had something going. Downtown had things going on all the time. It makes me mad as hell seeing the Metro area die like that. We spend money to build up Iraq and don't spend it on our own cities. Toledo was always behind the curve. I hope they keep their 3.2 beer in Ohio.

reply to post by wantsome


I did the same thing. I opted for Florida. The roaches don't eat much. Just kidding. I am in the middle of nowhere and you just have to keep everything clean here. If you see anything bug bomb them immediately and put down a perimeter of seven dust. It's not as bad as you think really. I love it out here. The springs are great! I do miss Michigan but Florida is ok in my book.

a reply to: HanzHenry

Guess you may as well start calling me Werner Herzog, because I'm about to eat my shoe.

We'll be moving to the UP at the end of the month. Too good of an offer to pass up.