Census shocker: Detroit's population falls to 713,000
Jim Lynch, Leonard M. Fleming and Ron French / The Detroit News
Detroit — Detroit's population fell to 713,777 in 2010, its lowest level in a century, according to U.S. Census figures released today.
The loss of 238,270 residents since 2000 is a sobering statistical stamp on a decade's worth of job losses, plant closings and foreclosures in a city that was home to 1.8 million residents in 1950. Detroit's nearly 25 percent decline in population was the most by far among the top 20 cities, with only Chicago showing a population loss of 6.9 percent.
It's the largest 10-year drop in Detroit's history, including the years after the 1967 riots.
The numbers follow Census figures released in December that show Michigan was the only state to lose residents since 2000, falling 54,000 to 9,883,640. Michigan is set to lose one of its 15 congressional seats.
Mayor Dave Bing declined comment to reporters at a noon gathering at the GM Renaissance Center, but has scheduled a 4:15 p.m. press conference. At the turn of the century, Detroit ranked 11th among the nation's largest cities. As of today, it is 18th, behind cities including Charlotte, N.C., Fort Worth, Texas and Columbus, Ohio.
For many, it was a drop of unexpected proportions. Even professional demographers were stunned by the scope.
Reynolds Farley, professor emeritus and research scientist at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, thought he'd misheard Detroit's population figure when first told by The Detroit News.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110322/METRO/103220399/Census-shocker--Detroit’s-population-falls-to-713-000#ixzz1HLxRe9Lg