Here are some basic facts about metro Detroit. For a more detailed look at the region, please go to our Detroit Regional Profile.

Area

The Detroit region consists of 10 counties: Genesee, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne. The city of Detroit is in Wayne County.

Land Area
6,657 square miles

Municipalities
More than 275 cities, villages and townships.

Economy

Labor Force:

Civilian labor force (2010): 2,541,134
Employment (2010): 2,222,861
Unemployment (2010): 347,273
Unemployment Rate (2010): 12.6%

Retail sales:
(2010 est., in thousands): $74,842,588

Income: (Detroit MSA)
Per Capita (2010 est.): $27,283
Household income (2010 est.):$70,719
Disposable Income (2010 est., in thousands): $158,777,304

Real Estate: (2009)
Office Vacancy Rate: 22.1%
Industial Vacancy Rate: 19.5%

Median House Value (2010 Est.): $148,632
Non-Residential Construction, 2008: 14,459,166 square feet

People

2010 Population 
Detroit region: 5,318,744

2010 Households
Detroit region: 2,084,250

Top 5 Fastest Growing Communities:

Source: Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

For more information on the People of Detroit

Taxes

Income:
Flat rate of 4.35%
Seven regional Detroit municipalities have a local income tax.

Property:
Real estate is assessed at 50% of market value.
Millage rates range from $14.25 to $73.19 per $1,000 valuation depending on the municipality.

Sales:
Sales tax is 6.0%.

Business:
Michigan adopted a new and improved business tax called the Michigan Business Tax (MBT). To calculate your companies business tax visit www.michigan.gov/mbt.

For more information on Taxes and Incentives

Business

Top Ten Largest Employers in the Detroit Region .

1. Ford Motor Co.
2. University of Michigan
3. General Motors Co.
4. Henry Ford Health Systems
5. Chrysler Group LLC
6. U.S. Government
7. William Beaumont Hospitals
8. Detroit Public Schools
9. St. John Providence Health
10. Trinity Health

Fortune 500 Companies

Source: Fortune 500.

Technology

• The Detroit region is a hotbed for technology companies. The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation ranked Michigan 19th in the 2008 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transportation in the States report. This report measures 26 categories, ranging from IT professionals to venture capital and measures the global, entrepreneurial and knowledged-based economy of each state.

• Additionally, in the first round of the $2 billion 21st Century Jobs Fund, 61 life science, alternative energy, homeland security and advanced manufacturing companies will share more than $100 million for new development and scientific advancements.

• More than 287,000 people work in advanced manufacturing for more than 3,000 Michigan companies.

• There are more than 100 companies in the Detroit region involved in development of alternative energy technology.

• Michigan’s life sciences industry has seen the fastest growth in the nation. There are now a total of 525 companies employing more than 40,000 with an average salary of $73,390.

Transportation

Interstates

• I-75 runs north from Florida to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

• I-94 runs west from Port Huron, through Detroit, to Montana.

• I-96 runs northwest from downtown Detroit to Grand Rapids and Muskegon.

Airports

• Bishop International Airport (Flint) – General aviation and air cargo services.

• Detroit/Wayne County Metropolitan Airport (Romulus) – 16 major national and international airlines with nearly 1,500 daily departures and arrivals.

• Detroit City Airport (Detroit) – General aviation and air cargo services.

• Oakland International Airport (Waterford) – Second-busiest airport in Michigan.

• Willow Run Airport (Ypsilanti) – Reliever airport for Detroit Metro Airport. The third largest cargo airport in the country

Port of Detroit

• Two full-service terminals, a liquid-bulk terminal and a bulk facility and a single-dock facility which can handle up to 10 ocean-going vessels at a time.

• Fully equipped to handle all types of cargo.

Public Transit

• The City of Detroit-Dept. of Transportation (D-DOT) offers more than 50 routes serving the city of Detroit.

• Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) offers 55 routes serving Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

• The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) offers 26 routes serving Washtenaw County.

• The People Mover is a 2.9-mile elevated system serving downtown Detroit. The system travels in a continuous loop around the downtown area, with 13 stops.

For more information on Transportation

Quality of Life

Cost of Living

2010 Annual Average
Detroit 99.3

Atlanta 95.5

Boston 132.4

Chicago 116.8

Cleveland 101.0

Philadelphia 126.4

New York 216.4

Education

• 150 K-12 school districts
• 10 universities
• 13 colleges
• 18 community college campuses

The region is home to numerous vocational training providers. These providers are training professionals in a wide variety of culinary skills and technology.

In 2008 Michigan Colleges and Universities granted nearly 62,000 degrees. Michigan ranks in the top 10 States for Associates, Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate and Professional degrees conferred .

For more information on Education

Health Care

• 64 hospitals with over 11,000 physicians working in 80 specialty and subspecialty areas.

• Two area teaching and research centers: The Detroit Medical Center in Detroit and The University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.

• Nine regional Detroit hospitals earned top honors of “Best Hospital” in 2009-2010 by U.S. News and World Report. The University of Michigan Hospital and Medical Centers ranked 14th on the reports Honor Roll.

For more informatoin on Health Care

Arts & Culture

• 30 arts museums including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the fifth-largest fine arts museum in the United States and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the largest of its kind in the country.

• Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, is a massive indoor-outdoor complex that includes an IMAX theatre. The village and museum cover 12 acres, include nearly 100 historic buildings and house an incomparable collection of American artifacts and memorabilia.

• 18 professional, 21 community and 8 student/university live theaters including the beautifully restored Fox Theatre in Detroit.

• The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, under musical direction of Leonard Slatkin, easily ranks within the top bracket of America’s best symphonies.

• The Detroit region is home to three casinos. Two of the three recently celebrated grand openings of their permanent casinos and hotels. The MGM Grand recently opened an new facility while the MotorCity casino expanded.

For more information on Arts & Culture

Recreation

Sports

• Michigan ranks as the 9th largest boating state according to the National Marine Manufacturers Association. In Michigan, you are never more than six miles from a lake or stream.

• Michigan's more than 850 golf courses has earned it the title of "America's Summer Golf Capital." Michigan has more courses than any other state. In the Detroit Region, there are 228 public and 73 private golf courses and 36 driving ranges.

• Professional sports teams: Detroit Lions (NFL), Detroit Pistons (NBA), Detroit Tigers (American League, MLB), Detroit Red Wings (NHL)

Shopping

• 24 regional shopping malls
• 5 trade and outlet centers

For more information on Recreation

Fun Facts about Detroit

Did you know that Detroit...

• had the first newspaper Published in the USA, Detroit Free Press, 1837
• had the first convention and visitor's bureau in the world established in 1879
• had the first soft drink made in the US, Vernors Ginger Ale
• is the first city outside of Washington DC To get satellite U.S. patent office (still in process) 
• was the first established city in the Midwest
• had the first State Fair held in the nation in 1849, the Michigan State Fair
• was the first city to assign telephone numbers in 1897
• home to the first mass produced car built by Henry Ford in 1896, sold for $950.00
• had the first mile of paved road laid in the world was in 1909 on Woodward Avenue, between 6 & 7 Mile Roads
• had the first radio news program, which was broadcasted on August 31,1920
• had the first Stop light in the USA, which was installed at Woodward & Michigan Avenues in October 1920
•  has the first and only vehicular tunnel to a foreign country built in 1930, the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
• had the first urban freeway built, the Davison, in 1942
• held the first ethnic festival held in the U.S., International Riverfront Festival
• held the first Kiwanis Club in 1915
• head the first Thanksgiving Day National Football League game in 1934 was played by the Detroit Lions

Prepared by the Detroit Regional Chamber Research Coordinator. For more information, please call 313.596.0418.