For decades, Michigan’s story was one of population loss. Families left, young people didn’t return, and cities struggled to recover.
However, the narrative is now changing.
Detroit’s population has grown for two years in a row, breaking a decades-long trend of decline.
Flint is seeing growth for the first time in 25 years.
And Grand Rapids is topping national charts as the fastest-growing metro area in America for job growth and attracting new talent.
“It’s really what it takes. It’s a group project,” said Hilary Doe, Michigan’s Chief Growth Officer. “Since we announced this effort two years ago, we’ve had over 20,000 Michiganders really join in and tell us what they love about this place and what’s between them and building their future here.”
That feedback is shaping policy — and it appears to be having a positive impact.
Michigan added more than 67,000 people between 2020 and 2024, according to census releases.
Doe points to job opportunities and economic diversity as major reasons.
“Currently, today, we have 140,000 open jobs across our state,” Doe said. “In Detroit, we have the second-fastest growing startup ecosystem in America, and some of the fastest growing industries, including clean energy and defense.”
Perhaps the biggest shift is among young adults.
“It’s always been retention first,” Doe said. “And what we’re seeing is recent grads choosing to stay and young families choosing to move in.”
The data backs that up.
“As of this year, the acceleration in our young adult population is now faster than in 45 other states,” Doe said. “We’re top five in the nation now, which was not true in the 2010s, and I think it’s a reflection of a lot of this hard work.”
But growth comes with challenges. Infrastructure, education, and affordability remain concerns — especially housing.
“When we listen to young folks across the country, Millennial and Gen Z, it is the case that housing affordability and access to home ownership is the top concerns,” Doe said. “We’ve made historic housing investments. We’re committed to getting 115,000 new units online by next fall, and we’re right on track.”
Michigan still has a cost advantage.
“As of today, owning a home in Michigan is still 40% more affordable than the average U.S. home price,” Doe said. “That doesn’t mean folks here aren’t feeling the pinch, but it does give you some perspective relative to the country.”
Detroit, meanwhile, is leaning into entrepreneurship.
Programs are helping new business owners not only launch but stay rooted in the city.
“In Detroit, that looks like entrepreneurial programs, helping entrepreneurs get the housing stipends and housing support that they need, to make sure that they can stay here and scale their businesses here,” Doe said.
For a state long associated with population decline, the momentum feels different this time.
And leaders say the focus is clear: keep talent here, attract new families, and build a future where Michigan is growing again.