Effort to Halt Michigan ‘Brain Drain’ Is Underway as State Ranks 49th in Population Growth

Michigan stands at a crossroads. A powerhouse of industrial resilience and economic possibility, the state is now undergoing a difficult challenge: it is the 49th-ranked state in the country in population growth, according to a study conducted by the Growing Michigan Together Council in 2023. For as rich and potentially strong a state as this is, this rank is an alarm.

Brain drain” has for a long time been more than hype in Michigan – it is a true and increasing issue. Young, educated, and ambitious state residents are departing the state for greener pastures elsewhere, and the state is having trouble keeping up in the national competition for talent. State leaders and analysts now are calling for a long-term vision to reverse that.

The Council’s vision is ambitious: get Michigan into the top 10 states for growth by 2050. Not by more than numbers – it’s about stopping the exodus of young talent from the state and making Michigan a place where people want to live, work, and raise their children.

What’s Causing the Drain?

A number of Michigan’s population issues are quite large in quantity. First, for example, more people are leaving Michigan than coming to Michigan. Graduates and professionals are being lured away by other states that provide better economic opportunities, better infrastructure, and a better quality of life.

“There are a lot of great things about our state,” said Dr. Michael Greiner of Oakland University, “but we’re in a cut-throat competition with other states and countries for the best talent.”

The data backs him up. Michigan’s long-term population projections show only modest growth (2.3% by 2034), followed by a likely decline leading up to 2050 if nothing changes. But state leaders aren’t standing still.

The Blueprint for Change

The Growing Michigan Together Council has established a master plan to reverse the tide. The plan is built on three pillars: enhancing education, building clean and decent-paying jobs, and improving overall quality of life.

Education is a high-priority priority area. In 2023, less than one in three Michigan students had basic levels of proficiency in reading and math. That one fact is troubling, but it’s also an unavoidable wake-up call. The state is trying to reimagine its public schools, especially in high-poverty school districts where full classrooms are making it hard for teachers to provide students with the kind of one-on-one attention they require.

“Studies are pretty definitive,” said Dr. Diane Golzynski of the Michigan Department of Education. “Smaller class sizes in schools of high poverty produce improved literacy, improved numeracy, and brighter futures for our kids.”

Assisting Women in the Workplace

Michigan also understands that helping to retain and develop its pool of talent requires investing in women, who constitute a high percentage of the workforce. Nevertheless, there remains a shocking wage disparity – full-time, year-round Michigan women workers earn just 81 cents for each dollar that their male counterparts earn.

And even though women receive almost 60% of all degrees and certifications awarded in the state, they remain underrepresented in fields such as high-growth STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and skilled trades. That’s a missed opportunity that the state cannot afford anymore.

“Michigan needs skilled tradesmen,” declared Cheryl Bergman of the Michigan Women’s Commission. “There’s an entire pool of women out there who can perform these jobs and already are doing them very well.”

Increased representation of women in these careers would significantly enhance the state’s pool of talent and economy.

Quality of Life Is Key

Experts say that it takes more than providing jobs to retain Michigan residents and to attract new ones. Folks also want to reside in an area with a quality of life. That means clean communities, good schools, clean energy, affordable health care, and cultural attractions.

Michigan is leaning on its natural resources and community strengths to rebrand itself as a prosperous, family-oriented home. “We have amazing things occurring here that are going to attract young families,” declared Dr. Golzynski. “They’ll realize that Michigan contains everything they need.”

Michigan’s Chief Growth Officer Hilary Doe spoke about making the state known for something. “We’re fighting to share our story,” she said. “We must make sure individuals here and throughout the world everywhere know what we have to bring to the table.”

No question, the future is long term. Economic uncertainty, particularly in tariffs, still impacts forecasts. Indeed, estimates foresee that Michigan’s 2025 job picture may be slightly worse than the country as a whole. To be sure, seeds of change have been sown, and there is guarded optimism.

I believe the future is truly bright,” said Dr. Greiner. “We’ve already begun to see indications that things are on the upswing. We just need to continue to ride on that momentum.”.

In the end, Michigan’s battle against brain drain is not about retaining digits on an accounting sheet – it’s about building a robust future for the state and its citizens. Through investments in education, building talent diversity, and doubling down on quality of life, Michigan is making strategic decisions to not just turn the brain drain around, but to be a destination of choice over the next few decades.