ADRIAN — A new survey shows that 41% of young people in Michigan would prefer to build their careers in their hometowns rather than move to major cities. The Your Free Career Test survey of over 4,000 respondents highlights a shift in priorities, with flexibility, work-life balance, and staying near family outweighing the traditional appeal of urban life.
Remote work is a major factor — 65% said it makes them more likely to stay in or move to a smaller town. Only 2% said being in a big city was a top career goal.
Sanjit Sandhu from Your Free Career Test said quote, “Young people aren’t abandoning ambition — they’re just redefining it. Remote work has cracked the old model wide open. Now, you don’t have to choose between career growth and staying close to the people and places you love. You can have both,” unquote.
When asked where they’d live if all jobs paid the same, rural areas, small cities, and hometowns evenly split responses, showing that success no longer depends on moving away.