Detroit

Detroit is a high-upside but uneven relocation choice for software engineers. The strongest case is financial: compared with many tech cities, engineers can get unusually strong purchasing power and housing affordability, and Redditors repeatedly mention that home ownership and building a stable life feel far more realistic here than in places like Boston, Seattle, or other expensive metros.

Career-wise, Detroit is best understood as an automotive software market, not a general big-tech hub. Redditors say there are real opportunities at OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and companies working on autonomy, EVs, embedded systems, and related engineering, especially in suburban job centers. But they also warn that the market is narrower, less “sexy,” more cyclical, and less concentrated downtown; several people imply that ambitious software engineers may do better financially with remote roles from higher-paying coastal companies.

Quality of life gets polarized reviews. Some residents say they love Detroit, have thrived socially and economically, and feel the city rewards people who engage with it. They praise the food, bars, sports, neighborhoods, affordability, community, and the ability to shape a life on their own terms. Others give it mediocre scores because of crime, car dependence, poor transit, bad roads, litter, city services, high insurance, and winter grayness.

The practical verdict: Detroit can be a great move if you pick your neighborhood carefully, accept that you’ll likely drive everywhere, and are excited by the automotive/industrial software ecosystem or a remote-work arbitrage setup. It is much less compelling if you want a dense big-tech scene, walkable urbanism, pristine infrastructure, or a polished coastal-city lifestyle.