Detroit's Population [[now and the future)

**p1acebo** · August-02-13, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by illwill

Unfortunately, despite all of the positive news about young professionals and artist flocking to Detroit, I think the city suffers from the same problem that it has been for the last 20 years.

Most of Detroit's cheerleaders live outside the city or out of state. Everyone is "saying" they want to see a Detroit comeback but very few people are willing to move into the city or [[put their money where their mouth is). Detroit needs warm bodies.

I agree with this to a certain extent, however I have seen significant change since I lived downtown a few years ago. It's a small sample size in years, but to see change before your eyes means more to me than nothing happening at all. Obviously I can't make generalizations about Detroit as a whole, but it is passing my eyeball test.

**Ben** · August-02-13, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by p1acebo

I agree with this to a certain extent, however I have seen significant change since I lived downtown a few years ago. It's a small sample size in years, but to see change before your eyes means more to me than nothing happening at all. Obviously I can't make generalizations about Detroit as a whole, but it is passing my eyeball test.

I think that although Detroit has great neighborhoods like Boston-Edison, the University District, Indian Village, East English Village, Palmer Woods/Detroit Golf Club, and Sherwood Forest and some up and coming areas like Corktown, Midtown, and Downtown, ultimately there are vast areas of the city that are little more than poverty or abandonment. No matter how many yuppies move into downtown the poverty of places like the East Side will not change. I think that Detroit loosing population would not be a bad thing. Detroit could have a world class ring of parks around it if it was to properly develop these abandoned areas.

**nain rouge** · August-02-13, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Jason

Not too long ago the census released some estimates and said that over the last 2 year period Detroit had lost 0.4% of its population. Or something like that, I forget the numbers. But it was a trivial loss.

The census estimates are always way off. If I remember correctly, the census was projecting a population of about 850,000 in Detroit right up to when the official 2010 count came in. About all the census estimates can do is give you a reasonable estimation of whether the population is going up or down.

Judging by current trends, I see Detroit's remaining historic neighborhoods being revitalized while almost all post-streetcar neighborhoods in the city are left to rot [[outside of a few outliers). Detroit's outer neighborhoods can't compete with the city's urban core or the newer neighboring suburbs, but are stuck instead in a no man's land.

**Detroitnerd** · August-02-13, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by nain rouge

I see Detroit's remaining historic neighborhoods being revitalized while almost all post-streetcar neighborhoods in the city are left to rot [[outside of a few outliers).

Astute. I like it.

**Hermod** · August-03-13, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by nain rouge

The census estimates are always way off. If I remember correctly, the census was projecting a population of about 850,000 in Detroit right up to when the official 2010 count came in.

Also known as "whistling past the graveyard" on the part of the city boosters while all the evidence pointed to the true census results.

**mwilbert** · August-03-13, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Also known as "whistling past the graveyard" on the part of the city boosters while all the evidence pointed to the true census results.

It wasn't just city boosters; there were estimates all over the place--the estimate from the Census ACS was quite high, maybe 850,000. Many people, including you as I recall, did not believe it, and of course they were correct not to. But the actual Census estimate in 2009 was still about 750,000.

**313WX** · August-03-13, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by mwilbert

It wasn't just city boosters; there were estimates all over the place--the estimate from the Census ACS was quite high, maybe 850,000. Many people, including you as I recall, did not believe it, and of course they were correct not to. But the actual Census estimate in 2009 was still about 750,000.

And the same thing will be the case in 2020. People will PREDICT Detroit's population is only around 650,000, when it reality it has fallen to around/below 500,000.

**Crumbled_pavement** · August-03-13, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

And the same thing will be the case in 2020. People will PREDICT Detroit's population is only around 650,000, when it reality it has fallen to around/below 500,000.

All one has to do is drive around the vast majority of neighborhoods in Detroit. There are miles and miles and miles, and I'm speaking literally, of wasteland and burnt out houses. Not every neighborhood. There are plenty of intact neighborhoods. Still there are also plenty of whole neighborhoods that are gone. Not a house, not a block, whole NEIGHBORHOODS. No way this can pass for stabilization. Places in Detroit that I know were vibrant just 7 - 8 years ago are wastelands now. I don't see what changes to slow the bleeding. If anything, all I've seen in the last few years are things that should increase the bleeding. Bing was a dismal failure. The last City Council was a dismal failure. The city is filing bankruptcy, no one knows what will really be the result of that, but that will take YEARS to sort through either way. Meanwhile, city services are still poor, crime is still high, enrollment in DPS is tumbling like an old woman falling down stairs. It just doesn't look pretty, not at all.