Metro Detroit - Demographics

Demographics

See also: Michigan locations by per capita income

As of the census of 2010, there were 4,296,250 people, 1,682,111 households, and 1,110,454 families residing within the metropolitan statistical area. The census reported 70.1% White, 22.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 3.3% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.2% of the population.

As of the 2010 American Community Survey estimates, the median income for a household in the MSA was $48,198, and the median income for a family was $62,119. The per capita income for the MSA was $25,403. The region's foreign-born population sat at 8.6%.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1950	3,016,197		—
1960	3,762,360		24.7%
1970	4,307,470		14.5%
1980	4,353,365		1.1%
1990	4,382,299		0.7%
2000	4,452,557		1.6%
2010	4,296,250		−3.5%
Est. 2011	4,285,832		−0.2%

In 1701, French officer Antoine de La Mothe Cadillac, along with fifty-one additional French-Canadians, founded a settlement called Fort Ponchartrain du Détroit, naming it after the comte de Pontchartrain, Minister of Marine under Louis XIV. The French legacy can be observed today in the names of many area cities (ex. Detroit, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Ile) and streets (ex. Gratiot, Beaubien, St. Antoine, Cadieux). Later came an influx of persons of British and German descent, followed by Polish, Irish, Italian, Lebanese, Assyrian/Chaldean, Greek, Jewish, and Belgian immigrants who made their way to the area in the early 20 century and during and after World War II. There was a large migration into the city of from the rural South following World War I.

Today, the Detroit suburbs in Oakland County, Macomb County, and northeastern and northwestern Wayne County are predominantly Caucasian. Oakland County is among the most affluent counties in the United States with populations over one million. In Wayne County, the city of Dearborn has a large concentration of Arab Americans, mainly Lebanese. Recently, the area has witnessed some growth in Albanian, Asian and Hispanic populations. Immigration continues to play a role in the region's projected growth with the population of Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint (CMSA) estimated to be 6,191,000 by 2025. In 2010 four Metro Detroit counties had at least 200,000 people of Middle Eastern origin. Bobby Ghosh of TIME. said that some estimates give much larger numbers. A 2007 Wayne University study said that the Metro Detroit Arab American community produced $7.7 billion annually in earnings and salaries.

From 2000 to 2010 the Asian American population combined of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties increased by 37%. As of 2010 almost half of the Asian Americans in the three county area live in Oakland County. according to Sarah Swider, a sociologist from Wayne State University who specializes in gender issues, labor relations, and immigration from Asia, the increase in the Asian population in the Detroit area is due to Asian Americans leaving traditional immigration gateway cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Washington DC and settling in areas with high-tech job opportunities and lower costs of living.

In the 2000s, 115 of the 185 cities and townships in Metro Detroit were over 95% white. Of the more than 240,000 suburban blacks in Metro Detroit, 44% lived in Inkster, Oak Park, Pontiac, and Southfield; most of the African American population in the area resided in Detroit, Highland Park, Inkster, Pontiac, and Southfield.

	Metro Detroit
Major city	Detroit†
Municipalities over 80,000	Canton Township • Clinton Township • Dearborn • Farmington Hills • Livonia • Sterling Heights • Troy • Warren • Westland
Municipalities 40,000–80,000	Bloomfield Township • Dearborn Heights • Grosse Pointe • Macomb Township • Novi • Pontiac • Redford Township • Rochester Hills • Royal Oak • Saint Clair Shores • Shelby Township • Southfield • Taylor • Waterford Township • West Bloomfield Township
Cultural enclaves	Ann Arbor • Auburn Hills • Birmingham • Bloomfield Hills • Dearborn • Downtown Detroit • Grosse Pointe • Midtown Detroit • New Center • Northville • Rochester • Royal Oak • Southfield • Troy • Plymouth
Satellite cities	Adrian • Ann Arbor • Brighton • Flint • Howell • Jackson • Lapeer • Monroe • Port Huron • Toledo • Windsor
Counties in MSA	Lapeer • Livingston • Macomb • Oakland • St. Clair • Wayne
Counties in CSA	Genesee • Monroe • Washtenaw
Regions	Southeast Michigan • Great Lakes
Outlying regions	Central Michigan • Flint/Tri-Cities • Northwest Ohio • Southwestern Ontario
Topics	Architecture · Culture · Detroit River · Economy · Freeways · History · Historic places · International Riverfront · Lake St. Clair · Media · Music · Parks and beaches · People · Skyscrapers · Sports · Theatre · Tourism · Transportation
† - Wayne County Seat.