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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Detroit, MI
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Detroit profile


Living in Detroit



Detroit is a very large city located in the state of Michigan. With a population of 620,376 people and 274 associated neighborhoods, Detroit is the largest community in Michigan.

A relatively large number of people in Detroit telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 8.73% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

One thing noticeable about Detroit, is that it has a large population of people who are young, single, educated, and upwardly-mobile career starters. That’s because Detroit is full of single people in their 20s and 30s and who have undergraduate or graduate degrees and are starting careers in professional occupations. This makes Detroit a great place for young, educated career starters looking to find many people like themselves, with good opportunities for friendships, socializing, romance, and fun. In fact, Detroit is one of the top larger cities in America for educated single professionals to flock.

One of the benefits of being a big city like Detroit is having a public transportation system, but in Detroit the transit system is the mode of choice for lots of people getting to and from work every day. You will find many people using the bus for their daily commute, even though other transportation options exist. If you ask these commuters, many will tell you that not having to drive in the snarl of big city traffic is one of main reasons for leaving the car at home, or even not owning a car at all. With so many people taking the bus Detroit benefits from a reduction in air pollution and traffic.

The percentage of adults in Detroit with college degrees is slightly lower than the national average of 21.84% for all communities. 16.88% of adults in Detroit have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree.

The per capita income in Detroit in 2022 was $22,861, which is low income relative to Michigan and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $91,444 for a family of four. However, Detroit contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Detroit also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 31.51% of its population below the federal poverty line.

Detroit is a very ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Detroit home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Detroit residents report their race to be Black or African-American, followed by White. Important ancestries of people in Detroit include German, Irish, African, Polish, and English.

The most common language spoken in Detroit is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Arabic.