[ClumsyPilot]

Mars is absolutely a better place to live, it's an actual planet.

But for industrial hub, the fact that we have the moon is an absolute miracle. We can build and refuel ships that dwarf our current ones. And we will need moon based factories if we are to make any meaningful progress is settling the solar system. The only things that should ever be lifted off earth is People/ other life, and super high-tech goods like microchips.

The Moon is also close enough to Earth that you can get help, or go back in case you suddenly need surgery. Good luck with that on Mars.

Settling Mars with our current ships is like settling Australia with a canoe.

[m4rtink]

Indeed, yet there are various challenges inherent to Moon colonization, such as continuous direct surface impacts due to no atmosphere, extreme temperature surface environment due to 14 day days, lack of various elements (such as carbon or nitrogen), etc.

Still super useful & the short distance overrides much of the downsides.