Northwest Wayne News

Population patterns in Michigan have been updated by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, confirming that Flint, Dearborn, Warren and Detroit are still on the decline for multiple years in a row, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential.

At the same time, cities like Marenisco Township, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti saw the first dip in population for quite some time. 

According to the report, Macomb Township had the largest population growth with 1,207 new residents last year. Grand Rapids came in second with 877 and Shelby Charter Township was third with 782.

Meanwhile, Detroit had the biggest loss as 2,946 people left the city. Ann Arbor was second place with a loss of 1,449 and Marenisco Township lost 932 residents, making it the third-largest loss in the state last year.

One factor that played a part in Marenisco’s numbers, which mark a 63% decrease, is the Ojibway Correctional Facility closing down. The facility accounted for 800 prisoners. Still, other areas like Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti don’t have a clear reason to explain the major decline. Surprisingly, Ann Arbor had a solid increase from 2008 to 2018 before landing second on the list for population loss in 2019.

It’s safe to say that while Detroit is on the decline, some of its neighboring areas like Macomb Township, Shelby Charter Township, Auburn Hills, Canton Charter Township, Lyon Charter Township, Washington Township and Orion Charter Township all made the top 10 for population growths, suggesting that people were leaving the metropolitan city for its suburbs.

The townships hold “a special township classification created by the Michigan Legislature in 1947 to provide additional powers and streamlined administration for governing a growing community,” according to the Michigan Township Association. 

Townships have proven popular this year, as other nearby cities like Dearborn and Warren saw major dips in population.