Detroit's Population Drops Again — But More Slowly

Despite all the new loft apartments and other development activity in certain core neighborhoods, the city of Detroit continues to lose population.

An annual U.S. Census estimate released Thursday pegged Detroit’s population at 673,104 as of last summer. That’s a drop of about 2,300 people — a little lower than the previous year’s loss and a 10th of the rate of population loss of the 2000s.

At its peak, Detroit had nearly 1.9 million people in 1950.

The Detroit News reports that utility hookup records say the city has 3,000 more occupied homes than last year. But they’re filled with empty nesters, while families with children continue to move out. Mayor Mike Duggan has said his performance should be measured by whether Detroit can start to grow once again and has said the continued losses are due to the state of Detroit’s public schools.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments estimates the city will continue to lose population until 2025.

Exurbs were the big gainers in the Census estimate, with Macomb Township, Canton Township and Lyon Township all growing.