Michigan’s Gray Wave

Buckle up, Michiganders! The state’s economy has been flexing like it’s still 1985 and everyone drives a brand-new Buick to the auto plant. Turns out the secret sauce was just a ton of middle-aged people spending money like today's TikTok influencers. Now those same people are retiring, buying RVs, and yelling at clouds instead of buying lattes and houses. As a result, the whole state’s economy is having a mid-life crisis. We've talked before about how this was coming...apparently, now it is here.  Michigan can’t outrun Father Time anymore; he’s lapping us while doing the Macarena.

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Here are Five Fast Facts on the Gray Wave in Michigan:

1. 🐢 Turtle Mode - According to a new report, Michigan’s economic engine has hit “turtle mode” and stalled out. This slump will carry on at least through 2026.

2. 🧓 Basically Florida Without the Beaches - By 2030, one out of every five Michiganders will be 65 or older. The old-people tsunami is coming faster than you can say “Werther’s Original.”

3. ⚕️ Safe Sectors (But Not Really) - Even sectors that usually get a boost from older folks aren’t safe! Health-care hiring might roughly break even, with about 1,400 new health-care jobs in 2026...and then a net loss of around 700 jobs in 2027. Yay...oh wait...ugh...

4. 👀 Young People? What Young People? - Michigan keeps bleeding 20- and 30-somethings who move to places that aren’t covered in snow eight months a year. The state’s birth rate is so low it’s basically doing the “one-kid-and-done” challenge. The result is fewer future workers and shoppers, and it's starting to kick in now.

5. 💨 Who’s Gonna Buy All the Houses and Tacos? - Retirees spend way less than 40-year-olds with kids. The report says Michigan’s economy grew fast the last 20 years only because we had a sweet spot of middle-aged spenders. Once they swap paychecks for Social Security, stores, restaurants, and even Meijer are gonna feel the pain.

🔥Bottom line: Michigan’s economy is basically that cool uncle who still thinks he can dunk a basketball…until he tries and ends up in the ER. The state needs to either figure out how to convince young people to stay (good luck), import a million hard-working 30-year-olds from somewhere else, or just fully lean into becoming the world’s biggest retirement home with really good pasties. 

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