Profile of a City — Detroit, Michigan
by Clay-Adam Johnson, Pointcast News
Detroit, ‘the D’, a city that at one point was one of the top ten largest cities in the country, a title that it had until the 2000’s, has suffered some of the greatest population and economic loss the country has seen. Despite the population loss, it is still the largest city in Michigan, with an estimated population of 670,031. Mike Duggan is the current mayor and has been so, since he was sworn in on January 1st, 2014. The current governor is Gretchen Esther Whitmer, who was sworn in January 1st, 2019.
The People
As stated earlier, the estimated population based on census records is 670,031 people, which while a decrease from the 2010 census, is much less of a decrease than in the past. Detroit is one of the few large cities in the country with a majority Black population, one that sits at 78.6 percent of the population, according to the 2018 American Community Survey (ACS).
Also, according to the ACS, the White population is 14.6 percent of the city, with the White and Non-Hispanic population making up the majority of that number at 10.3 percent. The Hispanic-White population is at 4.3 percent, with Hispanic people in general, making up 7.6 percent of the population. Asian Americans make up 1.6 percent of the population, Native Americans make up 0.3 percent of the population and people that are two or more ethnicities make up 1.9 percent of the population.
Employment
Despite all of the closures and layoffs, General Motors is one the largest employers in the city and the third biggest in the area, with the U.S. Government, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit City Government and the U.S. Postal Service also notably employing large segments of the population.
The per capita income in Detroit according to the Census Bureau is $17,338, with the median household income being $29,481 — both stats being in 2018 dollars. The unemployment rate in the Detroit-Dearborn-Livonia area is 12.9 percent as of August 2020.
Housing and Crime
The average apartment in Detroit costs $1,069 a month. Much like many cities, studios are the cheapest apartments, with the cost going up with the more square footage that you get. Another thing to keep in mind is that the price above is the average price of an apartment in Detroit. You can get an apartment for much lower, as low as $500, but alas, you get what you pay for; which in this city is something to keep in mind.
Speaking of the crime rate, the homicide count in Detroit was 273 in 2019, the reported number of rapes being 866 in the same year. In 2019, the aggravated assault number was 9,467, with 767 being non-fatal shootings. The total for robbery was 2,337 with 244 of which being carjacking. The former two have decreased since 2018, while the latter two have increased.
Education and Transportation
There are 104 public schools, and 6 universities and colleges within 50 miles of the city. Some of the universities are Wayne State University, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, and the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor, which is 30-50 minutes away from Detroit depending on where exactly you are.
Public transportation in Detroit consists of bus transportation, or SMART, the DDOT, a light rail system known as the “Detroit People Mover”, and an intercity rail service provided by Amtrak. Like the vast majority of cities in America, it is dominated by the car, a legacy one could say is befitting considering the history of the city. That being said, according to WalletHub, it is ranked higher in public transportation than cities such as Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Indianapolis in that order.
Detroit, like others, has its pros and its cons. The city is among the most affordable in the nation, and many excellent universities are within an hour’s drive of the city. On the other hand, it has some of the highest murder rates in the nation, and has an interesting history with its politicians. Ultimately though, the city is what you make of it; and that could be a good thing.