Detroit's population has grown for the second year in a row, Census says
Detroit city officials had long been convinced that the U.S. Census bureau's annual estimates showing slowing or stagnant population counts for the metro area were just a bit off.
As Mayor Mike Duggan and other local leaders explained during a press conference and official statements Thursday, the city has finally won that argument. The city officially has 645,705 residents as of the May 2025 report.
"Detroit is coming back. This is the place to be and the numbers are indicating that," city Council president Mary Sheffield said during her remarks.
The U.S. Census bureau demographic reports go way beyond bragging points, although Detroit officials do consider reversing the trend to be a success story. The Census bureau encourages people to fill out the 10-year census forms and participate in off-year demographic studies by explaining accurate numbers help assign Congressional districts, distribute federal funding and contribute to public policy decisions.
During a time when Detroit officials had verifiable data of formerly vacant homes and buildings being redeveloped into housing, they were frustrated that the off-year Census population estimates would not budge. As Duggan explained, "by the federal rules, they would not count renovation of a vacant house."
Specifically, the Detroit Land Bank Authority has been working since 2014 to convert thousands of vacant, abandoned homes into livable and affordable housing. Although the Land Bank projects are a considerable step on their own merits, Duggan said he and other city officials knew that private investments into repurposed sites also were picking up. With that, local officials and demographers fought the Census bureau's interpretation on housing redevelopment. "And we made the case that this is not right," Duggan said.
The latest annual city population numbers, showing an additional 6,800 residents, are the first time in which newly renovated housing properties are part of the calculations.
"They pulled out addresses and visited houses themselves. And they said – they're right, this isn't correct," Duggan said about the Census reports.
The previous annual city population report, released in 2024, also has been revised for Detroit. Instead of an increase of 1,800 people, which in itself was noteworthy, city officials said that number was undercounted and the actual increase that year was closer to 7,000 people.
To put the trend into perspective, the city went decades without seeing growth, posting population declines every year since 1958.
Sheffield cited the efforts of numerous groups and agencies ranging from block clubs and church leaders to revive neighborhoods, improve economic opportunity and welcome people back into the city limits.
"Today is really a testament to our collaborative work," she said.
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