Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan held a May 15, 2025 press conference about new population estimates showing the city grew two years in a row. (BridgeDetroit photo by Malachi Barrett)

City leaders say the trend is established: For the second year in a row, Detroit is a growing city. 

Annual 2024 population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show Detroit is home to 645,705 residents — a 1% increase from the 2023 estimate, representing 6,791 new people. Mayor Mike Duggan said Detroit is leading population gains in the state, tripling Grand Rapids’ growth and doubling Michigan’s 0.6% growth rate. 

“I think we can call it a trend,” said Kurt Metzger, a retired demographer who worked for the Census Bureau. “Based on the developments that are going on, this trend is just going to continue and get stronger in the years to come.” 

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The census also revised estimates for past years after Detroit challenged its methodology, reporting an increase of 4,212 residents from 2022-23. It was the first time Detroit grew in 66 years, and the revised census estimate is more than double the original number reported, totaling 12,487 in the last two years. Duggan said the change affirms the census undercounted Detroit’s population in past years, including an intensive once-every-decade count in 2020. 

The latest data is based on a count of housing units. Demographic data will be released later in September, providing more details on the makeup of race, gender, income and geographic changes. The city has lost Black residents while gaining new white residents in recent years. 

Duggan said the city remains 78% Black. He argues young people are driving the growth. 

“If you look at who’s renovating these houses, it tends to be younger people starting out in their lives or in early stages with their families,” Duggan said. “If you look at who’s moving into the new apartments, we do have some retirees whose kids have left for college, but mostly it’s young people.”

Census estimates from 2023 show the median age in Detroit was 35, slightly younger than the state average of 40.5 years and Wayne County’s average of 38 years.

Detroit had a slightly higher percentage of people between the ages of 20-34 compared to the state average. There were an estimated 139,840 residents in that age group in 2023, representing 22% of the city’s overall population. 

Duggan said the census revised its national policy last year to stop considering each demolished home as a loss of two people, a policy that Duggan said was punishing Detroit for removing vacant blighted housing. The census also changed its policy to count newly occupied renovated houses. 

“We’ve got 2,000 houses a year where families are moving in and (the census wasn’t) counting them,” Duggan said at a Thursday press conference. “Now that the Census Bureau is recognizing both renovated houses and new houses, I think you’re going to see the city of Detroit lead the state of Michigan for quite a ways to come. This is driven by people moving into the neighborhoods. There’s no question about it.” 

Duggan cited neighborhoods like Morningside and Marygrove, which have become more occupied in the last decade. He said parts of the city that are adding residents and experiencing property value growth are places where people are renovating homes.

Annie Holt, a former police commissioner and census captain, said she moved to Detroit in 1978 when the city had more than 1 million residents. She remembers seeing “nothing but people” at the first fireworks show she attended. Holt said seeing young people walking through her neighborhood in Grandmont Rosedale brings her joy. 

“I can remember my oldest daughter, she would drive her big wheel and fastly turn into the driveway on two wheels,” Holt said. “Although we don’t see the big wheel on my block, we do see young people and their families.” 

More census battles are looming. Duggan said the city is litigating another census methodology that requires Wayne County’s population to match the total from all towns and cities inside it. Duggan said that results in Detroit’s population being artificially reduced by 10,000 to 20,000 more residents. 

Detroit is the nation’s 26th largest city, ranking above Portland and below Boston, and among the top 100 cities with the largest population increases from 2023-24. Duggan said Detroit isn’t in competition with other Michigan cities, but celebrated Detroit standing at the top above Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Lansing. 

“You are seeing cities who are fundamentally rethinking their housing options to attract the next generation,” Duggan said. “We can complain the next generation wants something different and then watch as they leave, but you’re seeing more and more city leaders start to recognize that these young people want to be in a more dense environment. They want to drive less; they’d like more things nearby.” 

Metzger said immigration is contributing to the city’s growth but isn’t a main driver.

“What we’re seeing more is persons of all races and ethnic, ethnic groups coming into the city,” Metzger said. 

Duggan told residents throughout his three terms as mayor to measure his success by watching population growth. He said last year’s increase made him feel that goal was achieved, and it was among the reasons he chose not to run for re-election and instead pursue a 2026 gubernatorial campaign as an independent candidate. Detroit’s population is down 37,000 since he was elected in 2014. Duggan said it’s vitally important that the city sustains the more recent growth trend. 

Developers like Richard Hosey, who is building 436 housing units in the historic Fisher Body 21 factory, joined the mayor on stage. Duggan pointed to new housing projects led by Hosey, billionaire Dan Gilbert and Motor City Blight Busters CEO John George as signs of future growth. 

“Well, if the state has the right governor, Detroit will grow even faster,” Duggan said. “COVID is actually helping the population side; you’re seeing offices converted into residential. We have fewer people working during the day, but it’s helping in another sense in that downtown and Midtown and Corktown are turning more into neighborhoods.” 

He invited Council President Mary Sheffield on stage, who is running for mayor this year, to speak on behalf of the City Council. Sheffield said the council has worked closely with Duggan to improve public safety, economic opportunity, affordable housing and bring resources to neighborhoods. 

“What we see here in Detroit is a collaborative effort with all hands on deck to ensure that it’s not just the government, but it is everyone working together to ensure Detroit’s comeback is strong and united,” Sheffield said. “We know young people are driving a lot of the growth in Detroit, which means we’re creating opportunities. We now can start to compete with Chicago and Los Angeles and Miami. I believe Detroit is just as good, if not better than those cities.” 

Sheffield said she’s focused on preventing residents from leaving the city.

“We want a city for everyone,” Sheffield said. “My biggest thing is how we preserve and retain those who have been here. That’s a part of not losing generational Black Detroiters.”

High costs are a major factor in people leaving the city, she said, whether it’s auto insurance, property taxes, rental rates or even basic amenities. Education and access to job opportunities are also reasons folks move away, Sheffield said. 

Population growth will be a part of Sheffield’s campaign message, she said, but she’s increasingly recognizing the importance of improving schools as a top priority.

Sheffield and Duggan’s electoral ambitions were acknowledged by attendees, who shared a good natured laugh when Sheffield accidentally referred to Duggan as “madam” mayor. 

“Sounds like you’ve been practicing,” Duggan joked. 

Malachi Barrett is a mission-oriented reporter working to liberate information for Detroiters. Barrett previously worked for MLive covering local news and statewide politics in Muskegon, Kalamazoo,...