WHAT WINTER? Top 5 Places Michiganders Move to Escape the Cold

Housing costs, income tax, better professional opportunities, family, or just to improve your perceived quality of life. Whatever the reason people are leaving Michigan, the fact is more and more residents are opting to migrate to another state.

It's Not You Michigan, It's Me

Well it's not just Michigan either. The Midwest and Northeast in general are seeing it's populace pack up and move to a sunnier environment. Imagine a world with no snow shovels, plows, salt trucks, and snow drifts. Sounds nice until you realize you'll never get the satisfaction of kicking the ice and snow build-up off you vehicles wheel well again or point at your hand to show people where you live.

The income tax rate is much lower or non-existent in other states, as are housing costs. Michigan's cost of living is 11% lower than the national average, but...other states have better roads. Have you driven across the border into any of our three southern neighbors recently? Crossing the state line into Indiana realize just how hard your suspension has been working. If you turn down your radio just enough you can actually hear your tires thank you for leaving Michigan roads behind.

Where Is Everybody Going? Don't Forget Your Faygo!!!!

In the Allied annual Migration Study, they compiled the top 5 cities Michigan residents are packing up the family roadster for. There is one city on this list that may take you by surprise, given how many respondents sited weather, particularly winter, as a reason to leave the Mitten State behind (at least they'll still be on a Great Lake though, see #2).

#5. Fort Myers, Florida

This location makes sense. No snow, no snow shovels, no plows, and no ice bergs in your wheel wells. This isn't that far from Motown though, more in particular Greenfield Village. Both Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had winter homes in Fort Meyers.

#4 Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona

Phoenix is the 5th largest city in the nation. Wouldn't have guessed that. No snow, no plows, pointy cactus and snakes. But no snow and look at those roads!!!! The Wall Street Journal even calls Phoenix Sky Harbor the "Friendliest Airport" in America.

#3 Anaheim, California

Orange "Don't Call Me O.C." County California. It's a big state and there are some areas in higher altitudes like the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges and Big Bear Lake that experience a snow season. Other than that the weather is sunny and mild pretty much all year round and it has a Disney Park.

And.

The.

ROADS!!!!!!

#2 Chicago, Illinois

Aside from the occasional Ditka or Jordan sighting, if you move here you're just getting a much windier Michigan. Of course there are a ton of exciting jobs opportunities and for a major metropolis it's cost of living isn't too bad. Oh and the pizza! Da Bears. Da Roads are better there too.

#1 Tampa, Florida

Bugs the size of your hand, big snakes, hurricanes and alligators. That said, no snow! Sure you'll be warmer, you won't pay income tax and THE ROADS ARE AMAZING but, you'll eventually miss shoveling piles of snow into a bigger pile of snow at some point. Right?