DETROIT – In the past year, 3,107 people have made the decision to leave the city of Detroit.
That has bumped the city out of the top 20 list of most populated U.S. cities. For the first time since the American Civil War, Detroit ranks 21st.
However, there is an interesting thing happening with Detroit's population.
Kathleen Lomako, the executive director at SEMCOG (Southeast Michigan Council of Governments), said the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau are not necessarily bad news for Detroit.
"What we see is the lowest loss in population in decades. We think that's good news for both the city of Detroit and the region," said Lomako.
That's right: 3,000 people is the smallest population decline Detroit has seen in decades. Moreover, SEMCOG sees a trend: The population is growing in cities surrounding Detroit.
"Hamtramck, Highland Park, Southwest Detroit ... which we think shows our region is more attractive to immigrants," said Lomako.
So what does Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan have to say?
"We look at the numbers every single month. We know they're headed in the right direction. And the Census Bureau lags a year behind, and I think we'll have really good news next year," he said.
SEMCOG said people are flocking to live in Downtown Detroit. However, Dorothy Jefferson, who has lived on Orleans Street on Detroit's east side for 52 years, said she can't help but notice when an elderly person passes away in her neighborhood, the home stays empty. Still, you couldn't pay her to move.
"I have neighbors that I've known since I moved here. Some of the neighbors have moved on, but I feel secure here," said Jefferson.
Even though a loss of 3,000 people is Detroit's smallest decline in decades, it was still the largest in the country, surpassing Chicago's drop of 2,890. The Midwest has lost population while the South and West are gaining.