where I live, I live on the the other side of the state which is a different world (and quite conservative - and thus successful). Also, I would compare NW Michigan with any place in the country from a natural beauty standpoint. The sandy shores of pristine Lake Michigan are a national treasure.
SE MI on the other hand is as ugly as it’s Dem politics, and full of wolverines. If we could secede, we would, but the libs need someone to be their tax base.
And to be clear, I was referring to NYC rather than N.Y. state. The Upper Tier is worlds away from NYC.