As a native Michigander, I have maintained for a long time that Michigan is a nice place to be from and not in. On 1/11/07 in East Lansing, Dr. Don Holocek made the following observation while contrasting the State’s economy with the national economy.

The State of the Michigan economy is a totally different story. It has yet to recover since the last recession in 2000-2001, wasn’t strong in 2006, and is expected to stay weak for at least the next couple of years.

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:KlICbGaxxhYJ:www.tourismcenter.msu.edu/Publications/Economy-Tourism-EventsIndustry-Jan-2007.pdf+michigan+economy+2006&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=52&gl=us&client=firefox-aHere’s

Here’s a WaPo article on home foreclosures in the state.

Here’s what a favorite columnist of mine said in early December:

You know Michigan’s economic situation has to be fairly grim when Comerica’s chief economist begins his monthly newsletter with these words: “Don’t give up hope.“

http://jackshow.blogs.com/jack/2006/12/essay_michigans.html

Finally I will conclude with the words of another M.S.U. economist. Here’s a blurb from the publicity of Charles Ballard’s book:

“Half a century ago, the world was knocking on Michigan’s door. But yesterday is gone, and it is not coming back,” Ballard says. “If the people of Michigan are to achieve a brighter economic future, we will need to develop new ways of thinking, and new ways of engaging with the rapidly changing global economy.”

http://spartanpodcast.com/?p=197

(here’s the actual podcast)

All in all, it seems to me that the situation in Michigan in general (and its urban areas, in particular) is quite grim.