Highlights of 2008 American Community Survey show a
changing Southeast Michigan, according to SEMCOG analysis

Analysis by SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, of American Community Survey (ACS) data show that while Southeast Michigan is under significant demographic change, total population numbers were almost identical in 2000 and 2008. Other highlights include:

• The aging of population confirms SEMCOG’s 2035 Forecast; data show that adults ages 60 years or older increased by 94,000, or 13 percent, from 2000 to 2008.
• Communities and residents in the region are being hit hard by the economic downturns in this time period. As a result, per capita income in Southeast Michigan has declined by about 12 percent (or more than $4,000), after adjusting for inflation.
• Despite the difficult time, more residents in the region have college degrees. In 2008, 28 percent of adult population had a bachelor’s degree or higher, up from 25 percent in 2000; high school graduates increased by five percentage points.

Additional data from the American Community Survey can be found in SEMCOG’s Quick Facts on recent demographic trends.

The American Community Survey is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities with an updated look at how they are changing. It is a critical element of the U.S. Census Bureau’s reengineered census program, replacing the long form that some citizens received as part of the decennial census. In late October, the U.S. Census Bureau released 2006-2008 three-year estimates for communities with a population of 20,000 or more. SEMCOG now provides links to the latest American Community Survey (ACS) data on the Community Profiles section of its Web site.

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SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of governmental units serving 4.8 million people in the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan striving to enhance the region's quality of life. 

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