Southeast Michigan slowly gains population

The U.S. Census Bureau released its 2015 population estimates by county today (March 24, 2016). The good news is that the region gained population the past four consecutive years (2012-2015). However, the population gain has been small, averaging about 5,500 per year for the entire region. And last year the gain was significantly smaller with only 1,863 people.

Negative net-migration is the driving force for lack of significant population growth in the region. Last year, the region lost 8,744 people due to net migration. This is considerably higher than the previous three years, which averaged about 4,800 people. At the county level, it is encouraging to see Wayne County’s population loss slowing down, losing 6,673 people last year compared to losing over 11,000 per year in the previous three years. It reflects the improved economy in Wayne County, including the City of Detroit.

Overall, for Southeast Michigan, as the recovery of the domestic automobile manufacturing industry enters a mature stage and the rest of nation’s economy continues to grow, it could be more challenging for our region to attract people from the outside and keep them here. We must work hard to further develop our economy and improve quality of life in the region. SEMCOG’s recently completed Partnering for Prosperity: Economic Development Strategy for Southeast Michigan addresses these issues.

Population by County, Southeast Michigan, 2010-2015

Source: U.S. Census Bureau