I hear how bad Michigan is from several members, yet no one has moved. 🤔
That's because picking up and moving to another state, regardless of what state you live in, is not an easy task or decision. There are many factors that keep people in states they don't like, including:
Many people have jobs they don't want to leave, such as police, fire, government, etc., and leaving means they give up their pensions or retirement benefits.
Many people stay because they don't want to upend their children's lives by moving schools and moving them away from their friends. Many have great school systems and don't want to lose that moving somewhere else.
As soon as the kids are old enough and move out, those same people often have to start caring for their aging parents, and they can't leave the state if they need to do that.
Many people own small businesses in their state, and moving means they would have to start all over again (and it might not be a viable business in the new state).
Same goes for people with very high-paying jobs - they can't find a similar job in a low tax state, and they like the idea of their high-paying job.
Short commute to work? Moving may require you to give that up with a new job and house.
Many people stay because that's where the rest of their family lives and they don't' want to live far away from them.
Many stay because, despite the burden of higher taxes, their cultural and moral values align with those in their current state.
There are many more reasons why people don't flee state that they may "hate".