Kurt Metzger, director of the Michigan Metropolitan Information Center at Wayne State , commented about the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics showing Detroit as the poorest big city in the nation. Michigan also was one of eight states in which incomes fell last year, dropping nearly 3 percent to about $44,300 for a typical household. "To keep incomes from sliding more, Michigan needs to find ways to lure better-paying jobs," Metzger said. \"We\'re really heavily dependent on manufacturing, and we\'re just getting smacked,\" he said. \"The Rust Belt is still the Rust Belt.\"