Michigan Adds Roughly 4,000 Residents, Ending Two Years of Population Decline

Michigan's population grew slightly over the past year, according to newly released Census Bureau data. The state added roughly 4,000 residents between July 2022 and July 2023, reversing a pattern of decline.

The gain follows two consecutive years in which Michigan lost population. According to the data, an influx of international migrants was enough to offset losses in other categories, including residents relocating to other states. Michigan has just over 10 million residents and ranks as the 10th most populous state in the country.

Michigan is not alone in the turnaround. Ten other states that lost population in 2022 also recorded gains this year: New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maryland, Kansas, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Mississippi and Alaska.

Nationally, population growth remains historically low, the data show, but it represents a modest improvement over the 0.4% increase recorded in 2022 and the 0.2% increase in 2021.

Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau's Population Division, attributed the national trend to two main factors. "U.S. migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation's growth," Wilder said in a statement.

Wilder noted that births declined but that the effect was tempered by a decrease in deaths of nearly 9%. "Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018," she said.

The same Census information indicates that Detroit has just over 620,000 residents. That is down from 639,000 in 2020.

In other Michigan news on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that the state lottery has contributed more than $1.3 billion to the state school aid fund this year. General Motors canceled two shifts at its Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant on Tuesday after a fire broke out in a bin holding lithium-ion batteries and related parts.

The Detroit Free Press also reported that GM says nearly half of its Buick franchises nationwide have chosen to accept a buyout instead of investing in the changes needed to sell and service electric vehicles. Separately, a Detroit police officer has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a 71-year-old man, who reportedly fell and struck his head on the pavement after the officer punched him in the face.