SafekipediaMetro Detroit
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Metro Detroit is a big area in the U.S. state of Michigan. It includes the city of Detroit and more than 200 towns and cities around it. The exact size of Metro Detroit can change, but it is officially defined by a U.S. government group called the Office of Management and Budget.
Metro Detroit is famous for its history with cars, its art, music, food, and sports. The area has many parks, lakes, and beaches that people enjoy. It is also a very important place for business, with 17 big companies that are among the top 500 biggest companies in the United States Fortune 500.
Definitions
See also: Michigan census statistical areas
The Detroit Urban Area is the core of Metro Detroit and is the 12th most populous urban area in the United States. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 3,776,890 and covers 1,284.83 square miles (3,327.7 km2). This area includes parts of Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties, sometimes called the Detroit Tri-County Area. In 2010, these three counties had a population of 3,862,888 over an area of 1,967.1 square miles (5,095 km2).
The Office of Management and Budget defines the Detroit–Warren–Dearborn Metropolitan Statistical Area to include six counties: Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. In 2010, this area had a population of 4,296,250 across 3,913 square miles (10,130 km2).
The Detroit–Warren–Ann Arbor Combined Statistical Area includes the Detroit–Warren–Dearborn MSA plus three more counties: Genesee, Monroe, and Washtenaw. As of 2010, this larger area had a population of 5,318,744 over 5,814 square miles (15,060 km2). With the nearby city of Windsor, Ontario and its suburbs, the Detroit–Windsor area has a population of about 5.7 million. Including the Toledo metropolitan area, the region is part of a larger population center with an estimated 46 million people living within a 300-mile radius, including major cities like Chicago, Toronto, and Cleveland.
| County | Seat | 2024 Estimate | 2020 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne | Detroit | 1,771,063 | 1,793,561 | −1.25% | 612.08 sq mi (1,585.3 km2) | 2,894/sq mi (1,117/km2) |
| Oakland | Pontiac | 1,296,888 | 1,274,395 | +1.76% | 867.66 sq mi (2,247.2 km2) | 1,495/sq mi (577/km2) |
| Macomb | Mt. Clemens | 886,175 | 881,287 | +0.55% | 479.22 sq mi (1,241.2 km2) | 1,849/sq mi (714/km2) |
| Livingston | Howell | 196,976 | 193,866 | +1.60% | 565.25 sq mi (1,464.0 km2) | 348/sq mi (135/km2) |
| St. Clair | Port Huron | 160,308 | 160,383 | −0.05% | 721.17 sq mi (1,867.8 km2) | 222/sq mi (86/km2) |
| Lapeer | Lapeer | 89,168 | 88,619 | +0.62% | 643.01 sq mi (1,665.4 km2) | 139/sq mi (54/km2) |
| Total | 4,400,578 | 4,392,041 | +0.19% | 3,888.39 sq mi (10,070.9 km2) | 1,132/sq mi (437/km2) |
| Statistical Area | 2020 Census | 2010 Census | Change | Area | Density |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area | 4,392,041 | 4,296,250 | +2.23% | 3,888 sq mi (10,070 km2) | 1,130/sq mi (436/km2) |
| Flint, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area (Genesee County) | 406,211 | 425,790 | −4.60% | 650 sq mi (1,700 km2) | 625/sq mi (241/km2) |
| Ann Arbor, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area (Washtenaw County) | 372,258 | 344,791 | +7.97% | 722 sq mi (1,870 km2) | 516/sq mi (199/km2) |
| Monroe, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area (Monroe County) | 154,809 | 152,021 | +1.83% | 722 sq mi (1,870 km2) | 214/sq mi (83/km2) |
| Adrian, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area (Lenawee County) | 99,423 | 99,892 | −0.47% | 761 sq mi (1,970 km2) | 131/sq mi (50/km2) |
| Total | 5,325,219 | 5,196,250 | +2.48% | 6,701 sq mi (17,360 km2) | 795/sq mi (307/km2) |
Economy
Main article: Economy of metropolitan Detroit
See also: List of companies based in Michigan
Metro Detroit is a big place for business and trade, especially because it is home to America’s famous automobile companies: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The area has many people working, with about 4.3 million living in the six counties around Detroit. It is also a place where new technologies are developed, like biotechnology and information technology.
Besides cars, Metro Detroit has many jobs in healthcare, engineering, and other industries. There are also casinos that create jobs and bring in money for the area. The region is a key part of the U.S. economy, especially in making and designing new technologies.
Tourism
Main articles: Architecture of metropolitan Detroit and Tourism in metropolitan Detroit
Tourism is very important in Metro Detroit, giving jobs to about nine percent of the area's two million workers. Each year, around 15.9 million visitors come to enjoy the city and spend about $4.8 billion. Detroit is special because it has casino resort hotels like MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, Hollywood Casino, and nearby Caesars Windsor.
Metro Detroit is a fun place for big events such as the Woodward Dream Cruise, North American International Auto Show, Youmacon, the Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival, 2009 NCAA Final Four, and Super Bowl XL. The Detroit International Riverfront connects the Renaissance Center to many places to visit, like parks, restaurants, and hotels. In 2006, the Motown Winter Blast brought about 1.2 million people to Campus Martius Park even in cold weather.
The area has beautiful metroparks with fresh water beaches such as Metropolitan Beach, Kensington Beach, and Stony Creek Beach. You can go canoeing in the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. Sports fans can ski at places like Alpine Valley Ski Resort, Mt. Brighton, Mt. Holly, and Pine Knob Ski Resort.
The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is special because it is the only international wildlife preserve in North America located right in a big city. It includes islands, wetlands, and lands along 48 miles of the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie shoreline.
Metro Detroit has many popular shopping malls, such as the Somerset Collection in Troy, Great Lakes Crossing Outlets in Auburn Hills, and Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi.
One of the top attractions is The Henry Ford in Dearborn, which is America's largest indoor-outdoor museum. Recent improvements like the updated Renaissance Center, new cruise ship docks, new stadiums, and a new RiverWalk have helped bring more visitors and business to the area. Nearby Windsor offers entertainment that matches Detroit's Greektown district. Some experts think tourism could grow even more by attracting the 46 million people living within 300 miles of Detroit.
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Metro Detroit
See also: Michigan locations by per capita income
See also: History of Middle Eastern people in Metro Detroit
Metro Detroit is a big area in Michigan with many people living in six counties. It is the 14th-largest area in the United States, with over 4 million people. If you count ten counties, the area has more than 5 million people.
The area has many different kinds of people. Most people are White, but there are also many African Americans, Asian Americans, and Hispanic or Latino people. There is also a large group of Arab Americans, especially in the city of Dearborn. The area has many different cultures and languages because of the people who have moved there over time.
Transportation
Main article: Transportation in metropolitan Detroit
Airports
The biggest airport in the area is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) in Romulus. It is an international airport and serves many flights for Delta Air Lines and Spirit Airlines.
Other airports in the area include:
- Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB)
- Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET) (Detroit) - for private planes only
- Flint-Bishop International Airport(FNT) (Flint) - for regular flights
- Oakland County International Airport (PTK) Waterford Township - for charter flights
- St. Clair County International Airport (near Port Huron, Michigan) - an international airport near the border with Canada.
- Selfridge Air National Guard Base (Mount Clemens) - a military airport
- Willow Run Airport (YIP) (Ypsilanti) - for cargo planes, private planes, and charter flights
Transit systems
Bus service in the area is run by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). They work together to provide bus rides. The Detroit People Mover is a special elevated train that goes around downtown and stops at many hotels, offices, and attractions. The QLine started in 2017 to connect downtown with New Center. There are plans for the Ann Arbor–Detroit Regional Rail to go from Detroit's New Center area to The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Ypsilanti, and Ann Arbor. The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) began in December 2012 to help organize all the bus and train services and to create a fast bus service along Woodward Avenue.
Rail
The Amtrak Wolverine train goes from Chicago to Pontiac and stops in several places in Metro Detroit, including Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Detroit, Royal Oak, Troy, and Pontiac.
Roads and freeways
Main article: Roads and freeways in metropolitan Detroit
Metro Detroit has many big roads and freeways, including Interstate highways. People in Detroit often call these freeways by their names, like the Davison, the Lodge, and the Southfield, instead of their numbers. The word "the" is usually added, like "the Lodge" or "the Southfield". Roads without names are called by their numbers.
When driving on regular streets in Metro Detroit, people often use "mile roads" for directions. These are big east-west streets that are about one mile apart. They have numbers like 15 Mile Road, but sometimes have different names in different areas, like Maple Road.
Education
See also: List of colleges and universities in Michigan and List of high schools in Michigan
Colleges and universities
Metro Detroit has many places for learning, including colleges and universities. Some of the schools are:
- Baker College — Auburn Hills and Royal Oak
- Central Michigan University — Clinton Township, Troy, and Southfield
- Cleary University — Detroit and Howell
- College for Creative Studies — Detroit
- Concordia University Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor
- Cranbrook Academy of Art — Bloomfield Hills
- Davenport University — Detroit and Warren
- Dorsey College — Dearborn, Madison Heights, Roseville, Wayne and Woodhaven
- Eastern Michigan University — Ypsilanti
- Henry Ford College — Dearborn
- Kettering University — Flint
- Lansing Community College — Howell
- Lawrence Technological University — Southfield
- Macomb Community College — Warren and Clinton Township
- Madonna University — Livonia
- Michigan State University Management Education Center — Troy
- Michigan State University Detroit Campus — Detroit
- Monroe County Community College — Monroe
- Mott Community College — Flint
- Northwood University — Midland
- Oakland Community College — Auburn Hills, Farmington Hills, Highland Lakes, Royal Oak and Southfield
- Oakland University — Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills
- Rochester College — Rochester
- Saint Clair County Community College — Port Huron
- Schoolcraft College — Livonia
- Specs Howard School of Media Arts — Southfield
- Sacred Heart Major Seminary — Detroit
- SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary — Orchard Lake
- University of Detroit Mercy — Detroit
- University of Michigan–Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor
- University of Michigan–Dearborn — Dearborn
- University of Michigan Detroit Center — Detroit
- University of Michigan–Flint — Flint
- Walsh College — Troy
- Washtenaw Community College — Ann Arbor
- Wayne County Community College — Detroit
- Wayne State University — Detroit and Warren (Macomb Campus)
Crime
Further information: Crime in Detroit and Crime in Michigan
The city of Detroit has faced challenges with crime for many years. In 2015, about half of all murders in Michigan happened in Detroit. However, since 2013, there have been noticeable drops in both property crimes and violent crimes, according to reports from the FBI.
Sports
See also: Sports in Detroit
Metro Detroit is a big place for sports. Many people there love watching and supporting sports teams. The area has seven professional teams that play in five major sports. Universities in the area also have teams that play many different sports.
One famous place is Michigan Stadium, where the Michigan Wolverines play. It is the biggest American football stadium in the world. Metro Detroit holds many exciting events, like races on land and water. It has also been the site of big international and national sports events, such as the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl XVI, and Super Bowl XL.
The Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn is where people race cars in events like NASCAR and INDYCAR. On the Detroit River, there are exciting boat races called Hydroplane racing.
Area codes
Metro Detroit uses nine telephone area codes. The area code 313, which used to cover all of Southeast Michigan, now only serves the city of Detroit and some nearby suburbs.
Other area codes serve different parts of the region:
- The area codes 248 and 947 cover most of Oakland County.
- Area code 586 mainly serves Macomb County.
- Area code 810 covers Genesee, St. Clair, and Lapeer counties, as well as parts of Livingston and Oakland counties.
- Area code 734 serves Washtenaw, Monroe, and many Wayne County suburbs.
- The Windsor area and most of southwestern Ontario use an overlay of three codes: 519, 226, and 548.
Images
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