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Detroit's population falls to lowest level since 1920
MLive.com ^ | February 8, 2005 | The Associated Press

Posted on 02/08/2005 5:00:55 AM PST by wmichgrad

DETROIT (AP) — The number of Detroit residents has fallen below 900,000 for the first time since 1920, according to estimates released by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments.

The agency said Monday that its estimate of the city's population, as of Feb. 1, is 899,387. That's a 5.5-percent drop — or 51,883 people — since the 2000 U.S. Census, which showed the city had dropped below 1 million.

Detroit's population peaked at about 2 million in the early 1950s. Since 2000, when it had 951,270 residents, Detroit has lost the most people of any U.S. city with 100,000 or more residents.

"Clearly, that's sobering news," Howard Hughey, a spokesman for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, said of the SEMCOG estimate.

"A lot of this decline is economic flight and we're aggressively addressing the root of that flight," Hughey told the Detroit Free Press. "We will continue to add strategies to grow Detroit neighborhood by neighborhood."

Annual population estimates compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau usually count about 10,000 fewer residents than does SEMCOG. The annual Census Bureau estimates will be available in July.

On the Net:

Southeast Michigan Council of Governments: http://www.semcog.org/

U.S. Census Bureau: http://www.census.gov/


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: detroit; exodus
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To: TXBSAFH
If Detroit does not lower taxes and make it attractive to live there again in 100 year the entire city will be a national park. Come see the ruins of a abandoned 20th century industrial city.

You can virtually go there now.

The Chicago machine had a lot of old world cunning and tenacity, and was quite Machiavellian in seeing what had to be done to stay in power and doing it. Detroit politicians seem to have been more of the naive new world sort, used to playing second fiddle to corporations, unions and the federal government and settling for what they could get from them. That docility pleased postwar liberals but it proved to be the death of Detroit.

101 posted on 02/08/2005 10:43:36 AM PST by x
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To: libs_kma
Cincinnati is fast becoming the next Detroit.

In some respects that may be true, however Cincinnati's downtown and the area in closest proximity, which is predominantly black, doesn't come close to the blighted look of downtown Detroit. Cincinnati is relatively clean with most properties and streets in reasonably good repair.

102 posted on 02/08/2005 10:43:59 AM PST by BluH2o
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To: TXBSAFH; Jack Black

We have the same shirts in Rochester NY. They have a Colt 1911 .45 pistol on them and say "Thanks for visiting Rochester, NY... We'll get ya next time!"


103 posted on 02/08/2005 10:44:34 AM PST by t_skoz ("let me be who I am - let me kick out the jams!")
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To: t_skoz

There are some cities it just is not safe to walk in.


104 posted on 02/08/2005 10:51:59 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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To: TXBSAFH

I don't think having a mayor named Kwame caused the problems...it's the result.


105 posted on 02/08/2005 10:54:36 AM PST by gogeo (Often wrong but seldom in doubt.)
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To: gogeo

He is not the first incompetent mayor they have had. It is really bad when they are so out of it they can't even steal small amounts and not get caught.


106 posted on 02/08/2005 10:56:15 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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To: BillM

I worked for awhile in downtown Detroit (Fisher Building). My first day there, I was told "whatever you do, do NOT stay at the office past 4:30 PM" I took their advice.


107 posted on 02/08/2005 10:58:15 AM PST by dfwgator (It's sad that the news media treats Michael Jackson better than our military.)
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To: dfwgator

You will not get middle class families to move to where they are not safe.


108 posted on 02/08/2005 11:00:06 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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To: Williams

Yep. I live in the St. Louis metro area (not in the city) and we have the same problem. Everyone is leaving the city and metro for the western burbs of St. Francis, Washington, and Jefferson counties where the government is republican and taxes are low.

All of our public schools are horrible.


109 posted on 02/08/2005 11:02:02 AM PST by DownInFlames
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To: libs_kma
"We're considering moving even further away from the city than we are now."

In the early ninties book, Day Of Reckoning, this is called moving to the exurbs..a minimum of one hours drive away from the city. It's happening all over the US.

110 posted on 02/08/2005 11:02:18 AM PST by blam
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To: DownInFlames

My wife and I live in Harris county Tx, the same county as Houston. We are talking of moving in a few years to the next county becase taxes are lower. When will the politicos learn lower taxes equal growth.


111 posted on 02/08/2005 11:04:19 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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To: wmichgrad

Bet there are still more than 900,000 registered dims in Detroit.


112 posted on 02/08/2005 11:04:38 AM PST by AxelPaulsenJr (Pray Daily For Our Troops and President Bush)
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To: wmichgrad

I hear that Detroit's mayor no longer presents a "key to the city" to various dignitaries, he now presents them the "crowbar to the city."


113 posted on 02/08/2005 11:05:30 AM PST by doctor noe
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To: wmichgrad

Lookout below! Philadelphia will be racing Detroit to the bottom, though. And for all this, the intellectual ninnies still can't figure out why these cities are losing population....


114 posted on 02/08/2005 11:07:33 AM PST by Antoninus (In hoc sign, vinces †)
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To: wmichgrad
Come to Superbowl XL and tour the ruins of Detroit.

Corrupt, incompetent and racist.
115 posted on 02/08/2005 11:08:37 AM PST by School of Rational Thought (Republican - The thinking people's party)
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To: wmichgrad

bump ....


116 posted on 02/08/2005 11:11:09 AM PST by Centurion2000 (Nations do not survive by setting examples for others. Nations survive by making examples of others)
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To: Oystir
Detroit, in my opinion, now stretches as far west as Brighton and Howell.

I KNEW you had to be from Grand Rapids when you posted that. Howell's closer to Lansing than Detroit. Brighton about 1/2way between them both.

A lot of difference here. Little crime, the guns here are legal, a rural attitude still for the most part, and we're more Republican than Kent County, let alone Detroit. :)

117 posted on 02/08/2005 11:11:57 AM PST by Dan from Michigan (Republican Party Reptile)
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To: leprechaun9

St. Louis & Cleveland both had pops of over 800,000 circa 1950, now they are under 400,000.


118 posted on 02/08/2005 11:12:05 AM PST by Tribune7
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To: TXBSAFH

I am a realtor. Send them my way.


119 posted on 02/08/2005 11:12:32 AM PST by School of Rational Thought (Republican - The thinking people's party)
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To: School of Rational Thought

Just remember that in the halftime show they have cancelled the fireworks to afraid that it would be n=mistaken for the usual tracer fire.


120 posted on 02/08/2005 11:13:11 AM PST by TXBSAFH (Never underestimate the power of human stupidity--Robert Heinlein)
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