From Michigan to Arizona
Bordering the Great Lakes of North America, Michigan is in the heart of the industrial North. The state is famous for its many lakes (nearly 65,000) and the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world. Add to all these natural blessings the highly-developed automotive industry, and you’ll get a pretty lucrative place.
Urban Landscape
Michigan fields seven cities with a population of over 100,000. Its capital is the beautiful town of Lansing, however, its largest city is Detroit with a population of nearly one million. The Detroit metro area has a population of 3.5 million (ranking 11th in the US), along with the counties of Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne.
Michigan’s largest employers are Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Penske Automotive Group, and Lear.
Detroit Motor City
Or, as KISS calls it – Detroit Rock City! Along with the aforementioned facts, Detroit is the largest city on the US – Canadian border. Detroit is known for its contributions to music and as a repository for art, architecture, and design, along with its historical automotive background.
Detroit is in the heart of the automotive and financial industries. Companies like General Motors, Quicken Loans, Ally Financial, Compuware, Shinola, and American Axle are all headquartered there.
Culture
Like every vibrant city, Detroit has a rich culture, especially when it comes to music. Local musicians have raised to global stardom, like Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes, and Alice Cooper. But Detroit’s musical glory is not in the past – recent additions like Kid Rock, The White Stripes, The Von Bondies, Madonna, and Insane Clown Posse add variety to the established style.
Of course, Detroit is not limited to the music scene only. Many other events draw attention to both the city and the State of Michigan, like North American International Auto Show, SAE International, Detroit International Jazz Festival, and the Detroit Fashion Week that is second only to that in New York City.
And yet, winters can be rough. Public transit is not at its finest. And so are the middle schools. Crime is getting lower by the year, but it’s still relatively high. So, there is no wonder why many choose relocate. And one place many head to is Arizona!
Say hello to the Grand Canyon State!
Arizona is a sunny state with unique natural scenery that was once neglected. It is generally considered a place to spend leisure time while hiking, playing golf, and visiting the Grand Canyon. But there are many other activities in Arizona and its capital Phoenix!
Economics
The economy of Arizona is growing. The GDP in 2020 will reach US$320.66 billion, which is impressive. Most employment is in healthcare, transportation, and government. This does not mean that the economy is not diversified. In recent years, Phoenix has won the reputation of “the city of entrepreneurs’ dreams”. Phoenix is a vibrant city with many start-ups. It is the location of the entrepreneurial innovation center – a business incubator. It contributes to the city’s economic vitality by creating jobs for small businesses. Shared workspaces are scattered around Phoenix, where the spirit of growth has always been active. The largest employers are Banner Health, Wal-Mart and Kroger.
Education
Education Phoenix United High School District has 16 schools with more than 3,000 students. There are also several unified school districts serving grades K-12, and there are more and more charter schools. The representative of higher education is Arizona State University-one of the largest public universities in Arizona. ASU is a member of the University Research Association and is classified as “R1: Doctoral University-Advanced Research Activities”. There are nearly 150,000 students at Arizona State University!
Culture
Phoenix is a city of arts, with multiple performance venues and cultural institutions such as the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra, Arizona Opera House and Arizona Ballet. The scenery of the museum is very rich, including the Phoenix Art Museum, the Arizona State Capitol Museum, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, the Arizona Military Museum and many newly opened art galleries.
However, as far as natural parks are concerned, urban parks need to take a step back. Arizona has some of the best natural landmarks not only in the United States but in the world. The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Monument Valley, Hoover Dam and Canyon Cheli National Monument are just some of the natural wonders that can be seen in this sunny state!
Phoenix has the lead over Detroit in major aspects like population, median income, and even lower unemployment rate. Housing in Detroit is cheaper, though, and so are healthcare, groceries, and utilities. Transportation in Detroit is significantly pricier.