There is a Place in Michigan That Will Pay You to Live There

No, this is not a joke. We are completely serious when we tell you there is a county in Michigan that will pay you to live there.

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St. Clair County, which is about two hours outside of Detroit along the St. Clair River, is working on luring recent college graduates back to its towns thanks to its Community Foundation Scholarship.

The Come Home Award, is a special scholarship that grants up to $15,000 to help pay off student-loan debt. While most scholarships are awarded as student kick off their college careers, the special  “come home award” is made to be essentially a talent retention program that helps graduates on the back-end of their college career, and in turn brings them to live and work in St. Clair County.

The program was created back in 2013 when community officials noticed a real problem in many Michigan communities. Towns were having a very difficult time retaining college graduates or getting them to "hang their hat" and talents in the neighborhood.

How It WorksT

To qualify for the Come Home Award, an applicant must have received an associate, bachelor’s or graduate degree in a STEAM field, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, in the last 10 years. Applicants must then agree to live in work in St. Clair County. Those who are already living in St. Clair County, or are in the process of moving back are not eligible.

In case you're wondering if this type of thing really works, it looks like it does. According to Kiplinger, a recent U.S. Census Bureau data, St. Clair County had the highest net migration of college-educated people in the state of Michigan, with a 1.6% gain.

Come Home Award applications area currently being accepted year-round. You can get more information or apply to  make your move to St. Clair County here.