Detroit sees population growth for first time in 67 years

[Joe Republic]

(CBS DETROIT) — After decades of decline, Detroit's population population is finally growing once again, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Detroit gained 1,852 residents between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, bringing its population to 633,366. The city went for six decades without seeing growth, instead seeing population declines every year since 1958.

Following the release of the new data, Detroit now ranks as the 26th most populous city in the United States, up three places from the 29th spot in 2023, and moving above Memphis, Louisville and Portland.

[GAinDC]

More Biden wins!

[Progressive Pessimist]

More Biden wins!

*Fingers crossed*

[wnwnwn]

Good for Whitmer, I suppose.

[Tintrlvr]

Unlikely to be real. The Census estimates are terrible and have historically and continue to be heavily influenced by the Detroit city government whining about how their population isn't actually declining (and then the decennial Census shows a big decline again).

[Born to Slay. Forced to Work.]

Maybe this will finally be the bottom for Detroit. Hard to imagine it was once home to 1.6 million people and the 5th largest city in the country

[ProgressiveModerate]

Unlikely to be real. The Census estimates are terrible and have historically and continue to be heavily influenced by the Detroit city government whining about how their population isn't actually declining (and then the decennial Census shows a big decline again).

I second this.

Especially because this state didn’t show much growth a very normal error is all it takes off Detroit to still be shrinking.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Unlikely to be real. The Census estimates are terrible and have historically and continue to be heavily influenced by the Detroit city government whining about how their population isn't actually declining (and then the decennial Census shows a big decline again).

I second this.

Especially because this state didn’t show much growth a very normal error is all it takes off Detroit to still be shrinking.

IIRC didn't Detroit make a huge fuss about the 2010 census results?

[Tintrlvr]

Unlikely to be real. The Census estimates are terrible and have historically and continue to be heavily influenced by the Detroit city government whining about how their population isn't actually declining (and then the decennial Census shows a big decline again).

I second this.

Especially because this state didn’t show much growth a very normal error is all it takes off Detroit to still be shrinking.

IIRC didn't Detroit make a huge fuss about the 2010 census results?

They made a huge fuss about the estimates leading up to the 2010 Census. The Census actually re-did the estimates for I think 2007-2009 in a way that meaningfully increased their estimate of Detroit's population as a result of Detroit's lobbying. Then the 2010 Census came along and Detroit's population was reported as not only lower than the revised estimates but also much lower than even the pre-revision estimates. Detroit complained about that, too, but of course the Census itself can't be challenged in the same way as the Census estimates, and it was pretty clear to everyone that Detroit was just incorrect.

The problem consistently is that Detroit points to growth in the downtown core (which is more real now than it was in the 00s, admittedly, but no one thinks Detroit is going to shrink 25% at the 2030 Census) and ignores the fact that the periphery of the city, where nothing really has changed and where most of the population lives, will inevitably continue to depopulate.

[GAinDC]

Biden should cut an ad that ties this population growth to the investments in the region from his jobs bills

[Joe Republic]

I understand the skepticism, but given how housing costs have skyrocketed across most of the country over the past three years, I could understand around 2,000 people deciding to give Detroit's rock-bottom prices a good look.

[gerritcole]

People say the rust belt will be a great place to live later in the century if climate change and resource constraints really hit home, lots of water, arable land, no major natural disaster phenomena, so I think. Detroit will rise again, cities have long lives

[Sol]

People say the rust belt will be a great place to live later in the century if climate change and resource constraints really hit home, lots of water, arable land, no major natural disaster phenomena, so I think. Detroit will rise again, cities have long lives

I hope this is the case, but OTOH, what's stopping people from just moving to Columbus or Green Bay instead? The cities in the Midwest that are growing currently aren't the ex-industrial places; they're metro areas that are more like sunbelt cities except for location.

[gerritcole]

People say the rust belt will be a great place to live later in the century if climate change and resource constraints really hit home, lots of water, arable land, no major natural disaster phenomena, so I think. Detroit will rise again, cities have long lives

I hope this is the case, but OTOH, what's stopping people from just moving to Columbus or Green Bay instead? The cities in the Midwest that are growing currently aren't the ex-industrial places; they're metro areas that are more like sunbelt cities except for location.

I've always thought an enterprising corporation like amazon or something could buy up entire neighborhoods in detroit that are abandoned but still have good brick architecture and fix them up as an emplyment draw for employees.

for your question, nothing specific i guess favors detroit over columbus, i just think rising tides lift all boats and people will move back in/around the D evetually

[Benjamin Frank 2.0]

I don't know what's going on in Detroit in terms of lack of urban renewal, but usually the way these things go is when a city goes into decline, artist types/the artistic community move in as the first stage in urban renewal.

This makes a lot of sense because artists like big spaces where they can make a mess/noise without complaint and where the rents are cheap. Yet, apparently there are still maybe thousands of houses in Detroit that are boarded up. I have no idea what the city or county council is doing there, but this should not happen.

Eventually, as you might also expect what should happen is the urban renewal takes off and the area gets gentrified and the artists are pushed out.

This is how free markets should work in this case. The market declines to the point it invites in people so the market bottoms out/finds its own level, and this leads to the renewal.

[It’s so Joever]

This was honestly very predictable. Anyone doubting this is clearly stuck in the 90s.