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139 Square Miles 1 139 SQUARE MILES 1 139 Square Miles 139 Photography Michelle Andonian Sculpture featured on cover by Carlos Nielbock SQUARE 1st Printing: August 2017 Printed By: Inland Press Detroit, MI MILES 2 Foreword Foreword 3 FOREWORD At the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, we believe that informed and engaged communities We are so pleased to present 139 Square Miles. This important document is the first aggregation are essential to a well-functioning, representative democracy. This mission is guided by our support of Detroit-specific data to be published by Detroit Future City since our Strategic Framework for free expression, journalistic excellence, civic engagement, and equitable, inclusive and participa- in 2013. This report vividly illustrates the current state of the city of Detroit using hard numbers tory communities. It is built upon the vision of our founders, John S. and James L. Knight, newspaper obtained by combing over a diverse set of data sources to provide the public critical insights. FOREWORD publishers who were deeply committed to presenting the full, actual, contextual truth in service to This report is a unique and vital tool created to provide a clear, concise, and authoritative set their communities. of data that can help guide broader citywide stabilization and revitalization efforts. The report gathers the best-available data into a baseline report that can be easily updated later. Though It is with our mission in mind that the Knight Foundation is pleased to support Detroit Future the report will be widely distributed locally, nationally and internationally, it was written and City’s publication of 139 Square Miles. Nearly five years ago, Detroit Future City was born out prepared for Detroiters as the primary users of this document. Detroiters owning the information of a process that engaged more than 160,000 Detroiters to create a 50-year vision for the city’s and understanding how their city is changing through data, without analysis, was our priority. future. The resulting Detroit Strategic Framework, released in 2013, was crafted with a tremendous At DFC, we hope that everyone from the presidents of corporations to the presidents of block amount of data and research on the state of Detroit and the prospects ahead. Now, at a time of clubs will turn to 139 Square Miles as their own source for information. continuing transformation for Detroit, it is important to explore a new snapshot of the city’s progress and ongoing challenges. Detroit Future City has endeavored here to present the truth about the realities facing our city today. We hope you enjoy! All Detroiters deserve to be empowered with information that is open, accessible and verifiable. To effect change, residents, policymakers, journalists, civic leaders, business owners, and activists need to work together using a common set of facts. With this in mind, 139 Square Miles can be Anika Goss-Foster an impetus for constructive discussion and robust debate, so that we may continue to contribute Executive Director to Detroit’s recovery and its success for years to come. Detroit Future City Katy Locker Program Director for Detroit The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 4 5 Acknowledgments Detroit Future City would like to acknowledge the many organizations who provided input and feedback into this report: Design Team: Detroit Future City Mass Economics ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Media Genesis Van Dyke Horn Focus Group: David Blaszkiewicz , Invest Detroit, Detroit Future City Board Member Tiffany Douglas, Bank of America, Detroit Future City Board Member Meredith Freeman, Max M. & Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation Elizabeth Luther, Capital Impact Partners Jason Paulateer, PNC Bank Laura Trudeau, Detroit Future City Board Chair Funder: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Detroit is an evolving and ever-changing city of 139 square miles and more 6 than 672,000 residents. As with many cities, Detroit has many neighborhoods 7 INTRODUCTION and differing conditions across each of them, but Detroit is still one city, and a thriving city requires all its neighborhoods to be successful. Detroit Future City’s 139 Square Miles aims to create an easily accessible and comprehensive document that can help inform a wide range of stakeholders, including residents, government, business and civic leaders, and philanthropy. This report tells the story of Detroit through the data available at this point in time − several years after the city’s historic bankruptcy, with INTRODUCTION Information and signs that a recovery is underway. For the first time in This document also aims to move these data beyond data can serve as just being numbers in a spreadsheet, to highlighting key trends in the city. This report presents a snapshot 60 years of a city, where the decline appears to be slowing and, for the first time in 60 years, the city is beginning to a baseline for move toward population growth. the city The report is divided into three sections: inclusive growth is beginning to People, Economy, and Place. The People section describes the 672,000 people who call Detroit move towards home. The Economy section takes a deep look at the city’s growing economy. Finally, the Place and opportunity. section examines the physical environment that growth. Detroiters interact with on a daily basis. The goal of this document is to continue Detroit Future City’s efforts and the momentum of engaging and empowering Detroiters by providing access to data and information about the city. This report does not have all of the answers, nor does it suggest solutions, but as Detroit continues to change at a rapid rate, information and data can serve as a baseline for inclusive growth and opportunity. 8 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS OF TABLE TABLE OF CONTENTS OF TABLE ContentsPOPULATION TRENDS 10 PEOPLE 20 PLACE 52 Size 16 Race 22 ECONOMY 36 Housing Type 54 Housing Density 17 Foreign-Born 24 Employment 40 Year Structure Built 55 Transportation 18 Age 26 Economic Clusters 41 Vacancy 56 Public Safety 19 Households 27 Employment Growth 42 Home Ownership 58 Educational Attainment 28 Economic Cluster Growth 43 Housing Market 60 Schools 29 Population to Jobs 44 Affordability 62 Income 30 Jobs 45 Public and Subsidized Housing 64 Poverty 32 Commuting Patterns 46 Stabilization 66 Health 34 Unemployment 47 Blight 68 and Labor Force Participation Demolition 69 Entrepreneurship 48 Vacant Land 70 Detroit in the Regional Economy 50 Parks 72 CONCLUSION 74 NOTES/CITATIONS 76 10 11 POPULATION TRENDS POPULATION Population Trends TRENDS POPULATION Size 16 Housing Density 17 Transportation 18 Public Safety 19 12 13 In 2016... LAPEER COUNTY ST. CLAIR COUNTY MACOMB OAKLAND COUNTY LIVINGSTON COUNTY COUNTY WAYNE COUNTY United States Michigan Metro Detroit Detroit 323,127,513 9,928,300 4,297,617 672,795 Source: U.S. Census, 2016 Population Estimates 14 15 POPULATION TRENDS POPULATION Population Detroit’s Population 2,000,000 Trends TRENDS POPULATION 1,500,000 Detroit’s rise and decline. Detroit is now the According to 2016 census population estimates, Detroit is now the 23rd largest city in the United States, slipping from 1,000,000 its rank of 18th largest in 2010, having been surpassed by rd cities such as Seattle; Denver; El Paso, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and Boston. Detroit was the only city among the 25 largest in the country that has lost population since 2010. 500,000 However, over the past five years, the rate of population decline has slowed, and there is renewed optimism that the city’s population might begin to grow again in the 23 near future. largest city 0 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2016 in the U.S. Source: U.S. Census. 16 17 SIZE Size Housing Density Since 1926, Detroit’s size has Detroit 139 square miles How dense is Detroit? been fixed at 139 square miles. There are few pockets of density in Detroit, and most of the city exists at what could Detroit is larger in area than Manhattan or cities with larger be considered a suburban level of density. This lack of density limits the ability to provide populations, such as Boston or San Francisco. However, when walkable neighborhoods with amenities in close proximity to residents’ homes. There are DENSITYHOUSING compared to the 25 largest cities in the United States by only eight census block groups in Detroit that have a density of more than 15 housing units population, 19 are larger in size. per acre, and approximately half of the city has a density of less than five units per acre. Manhattan Housing Unit Density 22 square miles 1200 900 Boston 48 square miles 600 Number of Block Number Groups of 300 0 Houston San Francisco Detroit Chicago Cleveland Houston Milwaukee Phoenix San Francisco 639 square miles 46 square miles Less than 5 housing units per acre 5 to 15 housing units per acre Greater than 15 housing units per acre Source: American Community Survey 2011-2015 5 Year. 18 19 TRANSPORTATION Transportation Public Safety Crime Rate per 100,000 Twenty-five percent of Detroit’s households do Means of Transportation not have access to their own vehicle. This presents 8,000 to Work According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, the an obvious challenge for their ability to get where total crime rate and violent crime rate in Detroit SAFETYPUBLIC they need to go, whether it is to a job, school or 69% Drove Alone have been decreasing since 2011. Additionally, other necessities. Those who have access to a 13% Carpool vehicle face challenges with the cost of insurance. 9% Public Transit property crime has been on the decline since 2013, Detroit’s auto insurance rates are twice that 1% Bicycle 69% and the number of fires per year in Detroit also has 6,000 Drove alone of other regional locations.
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