Detroit Evening Report: New census data shows slight population increase in Michigan

Michigan’s population grew slightly in the past year, gaining roughly 4,000 residents between July 2022 and July 2023, according to new census data.

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The slight increase comes after losing population for the previous two years in a row. An influx of international migrants offset losses in other categories, such as residents moving to other states, the data showed. The state has just over 10 million residents, making it the 10th largest in the country by population. 

Michigan is joined by 10 others that lost population in 2022 and are now seeing gains, including New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, Massachusetts and Maryland, Kansas, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Mississippi and Alaska.

This year’s national population growth is still historically low, according to the data, but represents a slight uptick from the 0.4% increase in 2022 and the 0.2% increase in 2021.

“U.S. migration returning to pre-pandemic levels and a drop in deaths are driving the nation’s growth,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division at the Census Bureau, in a statement. “Although births declined, this was tempered by the near 9% decrease in deaths. Ultimately, fewer deaths paired with rebounding immigration resulted in the nation experiencing its largest population gain since 2018.”

That same Census information shows Detroit has just over 620,000 residents — down from 639,000 residents in 2020. 

Other headlines for Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023:

• Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that the lottery has provided more than $1.3 billion to the state school aid fund this year. 
• General Motors had to cancel two shifts at its Factory Zero Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant on Tuesday after a fire started in a bin containing lithium-ion batteries and related parts.
• General Motors says almost half of its Buick franchises around the country have decided to take a buyout rather than investing the money needed to sell and maintain electric vehicles, the Detroit Free Press reports.
• A Detroit police officer has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a 71-year-old man who fell to the ground after the officer reportedly punched him the face, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head on the pavement.

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