I think the recent crime/safety reputation its gotten is keeping people (like me) away. I wouldn't move to Detroit even if they paid me $150k, I just don't feel like the risk is worth it.

I live in a Detroit suburb. Currently work there as well but know plenty of people that work downtown. Easy drive to downtown but there are plenty of jobs in very nice suburbs. The city is also nicer than you think. Still fairly rough but improving every day.

Can confirm. I moved from downtown Detroit to Austin. Austin is great but the core of Detroit is also pretty cool (except for the weather). A lot of the popular restaurants/venues have sort of an 'underground' vibe, and typically aren't as crowded as one might experience elsewhere. New, interesting businesses and groups are constantly popping up downtown. I think of Detroit when I see "keep Austin weird" signs, because Austin isn't weird, it's just gentrification and rich white people. Weird is plentiful and welcome in Detroit. Also, the city remains diverse, which doesn't seem to be the case in Austin. But yeah, still lots of dangerous areas outside of downtown Detroit.

I wonder how it compares to Oakland, another city with a very bad reputation, where a lot of techs in the Bay Area don't mind living because of how relatively cheap it is.

I wouldn't want to live in the City - shitty schools and bad neighborhoods. Wouldn't want to work in the city because then you pay an extra income tax (and the drive is too far for me). But the suburbs are actually very nice and millions of people live here quite happily and safely.

Ann Arbor seems like a great place to live. The major companies still in Detroit (for tax reasons, difficulty in relocating a giant corporation?) should build some rail options to increase talent moving to the area. :)