Ok so i'm surprised... Michigan Population Growth

**Detroit Stylin** · December-21-17, 02:36 AM

"More people moved to Michigan than left it in 2017, the first such gain for the state since before 2001."

"U.S. Census data released Wednesday showed Michigan’s population increased by 28,866 residents, or 0.3 percent, to 9,962,311, as of July 2017. That makes six straight years of growth for the state and its largest jump since 2001."

....that no one has mentioned this yet. Where are they mostly going?

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...&id=1333992985

**EGrant** · December-21-17, 09:58 AM

"Fewer Michigan residents are moving to other states, with domestic migration dropping nearly 50 percent."

Fewer people are leaving.

**Bham1982** · December-21-17, 01:29 PM

These are macro trends, and expected.

When auto industry booms, Michigan grows. When auto industry busts, Michigan declines. That's it.

Exurban townships are growing like wildfire again, same as in the 1990's. Something like 8,000 homes have been permitted in Metro Detroit this year.

**EastsideAl** · December-21-17, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by EGrant

"Fewer Michigan residents are moving to other states, with domestic migration dropping nearly 50 percent."

Fewer people are leaving.

Which is part of a national trend of declining internal mobility. As has been noted in many studies, fewer people in the U.S. are moving from place to place now than in previous decades. A trend that seems to have been consistent since at least the early 2000s. The reasons for this are unclear though and seem to be a matter of some significant debate.

Michigan's continuing population loss had been a bit of an outlier in this trend, but it now looks like we've joined the club.

**401don** · December-21-17, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Which is part of a national trend of declining internal mobility. As has been noted in many studies, fewer people in the U.S. are moving from place to place now than in previous decades. A trend that seems to have been consistent since at least the early 2000s. The reasons for this are unclear though and seem to be a matter of some significant debate.

Michigan's continuing population loss had been a bit of an outlier in this trend, but it now looks like we've joined the club.

I would think it would be a combination of younger people living at home longer, i.e. into their 30's in some cases, and the aging of the population. Not only are there more retirees but recent ones don't have the company pensions that allow for moving to the sunbelt.

**Bham1982** · December-21-17, 03:37 PM

Eight states had population losses. Illinois had catastrophic population losses.

The reason Michigan is doing [[comparatively) well is the auto industry. As soon as record profits are a memory, the population will stagnate or dip, once again.

Ohio is also doing quite well. Ohio is the #2 auto state. Not a coincidence.

**Wesley Mouch** · December-21-17, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

Eight states had population losses. Illinois had catastrophic population losses.

The reason Michigan is doing [[comparatively) well is the auto industry. As soon as record profits are a memory, the population will stagnate or dip, once again.

Ohio is also doing quite well. Ohio is the #2 auto state. Not a coincidence.

While I'm sure the auto industry is the biggest factor, I think that we should be looking at other factors that are contributing.

Both Michigan and Ohio are relatively well managed. I don't know about Ohio cities, but Detroit has most obviously moved from poorly managed up to really good.

What's up with Illinois? Is it urban or rural decline? I thought Chicago was the job magnet eating Detroit's lunch.

**bibs** · December-21-17, 05:55 PM

Moved the family to southern Illinois in 2010 after getting laid off from GM. I'm near St Louis which has a diverse economy.
The problem is that the population in MI has been fluctuating around 9 million since 1968. The population in states like NC have doubled or tripled. I read once that 10 thousand people move to Florida each month. Everyone in MI gets excited when the population increases by 10 to 30 thousand in a year. Small potatoes compared to other states.

**oladub** · December-21-17, 09:15 PM

United Van Lines has kept track of its customers reasons for coming to and leaving Michigan between 2011 and 2016.

REASON FOR MOVE inbound outbound
retirement 12% 24%
health 5 4
family 30 20
lifestyle 7 11
job 56 52

The NY Times has an interactive map of where residents moving to Michigan were from. 7% were foreigners. Most others were from nearby states with the most, 2% each, coming from Illinois and Ohio. 77% of Michiganders are native to Michigan. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/u...1900.html?_r=0

**ABetterDetroit** · December-21-17, 09:49 PM

Anyone else seeing a increase in New York license plates in Detroit?

Seems like the more I notice them the more I see or is it just because they are required to have a front plate that makes them stick out?

A few from Wisconsin have made my non science based plate survey lately as well.

**mtburb** · December-21-17, 11:07 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

Anyone else seeing a increase in New York license plates in Detroit?

When a new second-hand store of some sort opened a couple blocks from my house here in Wyandotte a couple years ago, almost all of the employees there had cars that only had New York plates.

Since then, those cars have either vanished from that place or probably re-plated with Michigan ones, plus, that store has since closed [[or at least it looks like, there are no longer any signs).

**Johnnny5** · December-21-17, 11:32 PM

Honestly, I never did understand how rapid population growth is something to be desired. I'd much rather see a stable or slowly growing population than one continually expanding like the Carolinas or Florida. I lived in Florida for a few years during the mid 2000's as they bulldozed orange groves and tossed up subdivisions as fast as possible. People were literally waiting in lines to buy homes as prices shot up 20% per year, yet good paying jobs in the area were scarce. It didn't end well for most of them.

**iheartthed** · December-22-17, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

What's up with Illinois? Is it urban or rural decline? I thought Chicago was the job magnet eating Detroit's lunch.

Chicago is understood to be stagnant or declining by much of the country outside of the Midwest. I only hear praise of it by midwesterners...

**313WX** · December-22-17, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Honestly, I never did understand how rapid population growth is something to be desired. I'd much rather see a stable or slowly growing population than one continually expanding like the Carolinas or Florida. I lived in Florida for a few years during the mid 2000's as they bulldozed orange groves and tossed up subdivisions as fast as possible. People were literally waiting in lines to buy homes as prices shot up 20% per year, yet good paying jobs in the area were scarce. It didn't end well for most of them.

The problem with stagnation is that, eventually, you end up losing political and economic clout as other areas outgrow you [[ask Cleveland, Pittsburgh and St. Louis for example). When this clout goes away, the slow bleeding of amenities and privileges unique only to rapidly growing and/or huge population centers begins.

Also, you did bring up the good point about property value appreciation. Given that real estate is still the best way for average Americans to accumulate wealth, most people desire to live in an area where they can get a good return on their investment. A place that's barely growing [[or not growing at all) will not offer that.

Lastly, another problem that develops with stagnation is after going for so long without a ton of transplants migrating into the area, homerism settles in. Thus, you increasingly lack people who can offer creative ways to address problems the region faces since natives tend to lack an outsider's perspective on things.

**masterblaster** · December-22-17, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Chicago is understood to be stagnant or declining by much of the country outside of the Midwest. I only hear praise of it by midwesterners...

Chicago might be experiencing some issues with the pensions, but they are continuing to throw up skyscraper after skyscraper after skyscraper. McDonald's is leaving the suburbs for the city. The population loss is in the city is primarily due to black sheeple leaving for the suburbs, Atlanta, Phoenix, North Carolina and Texas.

**Danny** · December-22-17, 06:50 AM

I'm expecting 10 million people.

**Honky Tonk** · December-22-17, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

I'm expecting 10 million people.

If I were you, I'd start cooking and cleaning house!

**Cincinnati_Kid** · December-22-17, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

I would think it would be a combination of younger people living at home longer, i.e. into their 30's in some cases, and the aging of the population. Not only are there more retirees but recent ones don't have the company pensions that allow for moving to the sunbelt.

This, and some people don't have the money saved, to make a big move across country, but they'd like to, to get away from winter, especially for health reasons. Moving is very expensive. So they stay put.

**Chicago48** · December-22-17, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

This, and some people don't have the money saved, to make a big move across country, but they'd like to, to get away from winter, especially for health reasons. Moving is very expensive. So they stay put.

Rents are cheap in Michigan & Detroit.