Effort to halt Michigan 'brain drain' is underway as state ranks 49th in population growth

Efforts are underway to halt Michigan's 'brain drain' amid flagging state growth

Research has found that to keep people in-state, Michigan must offer more than just jobs, it has to deliver quality experiences and quality of life.

FOX 2 - What happens when your best and brightest don't stick around?

Michigan is losing young talent faster than it can keep it, losing the population growth battle, nationally.  So what does that data tell us about where we are, what are long-term predictions showing and most importantly, what the experts plan to do about it?

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A report by Growing Michigan Together Council done in late 2023 found that Michigan is 49th in population growth. Long-term projections show that by 2034, a 2.3 percent growth in population is expected. But by 2050, it is expected to dip again.

A blueprint to stop the leak of talent is starting to take shape.

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

The Growing Michigan Together Council set a goal to catapult the state into the top 10 for population growth by 2050 by boosting schools, clean jobs, and quality of life.

"We’re also working hard to tell our story," said Hilary Doe, Michigan chief growth officer. "We have to make sure our folks know what we have to offer here in Michigan to both young people across our state and to folks across the country."

Part of rewriting that story involves reshaping Michigan schools, where in 2023 fewer than one in three students met basic proficiency standards in math and reading.

"The research is very clear that in high-poverty schools, if we give teachers less kids to focus on, more kids will have better literacy, better numeracy and better educational opportunities," said Dr. Diane Golzynski, Michigan Department of Education.

Women make up a large portion of Michigan’s talent pool, but many are still working harder to earn less. Full time, year-round, they make just 81 cents for every dollar earned by men.

And despite earning nearly 60 percent of all degrees and certificates, they remain underrepresented in certain areas like fast-growing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields - and some skilled trades.

"Michigan needs skilled trades workers. There is a whole pool of women out there who can do these jobs - and are doing them right now, really well," said Cheryl Bergman of the Michigan Women's Commission.

Research has found that to keep people in-state, Michigan must offer more than just jobs, it has to deliver quality experiences and quality of life.

"We have incredible things happening that are going to draw young families and I think those families are going to find that Michigan has all that there is to offer," said Dr. Diane Golzynski.

"I think the future is very bright," said Greiner. "We’ve seen where there has been a turnaround recently of the exodus from the state."

Tariff uncertainty will likely impact these projections, but already we are seeing in 2025, estimates that the overall employment outlook here in Michigan will be slightly weaker than the national economy."