Michigan Population Holds Near 10.1 Million as Detroit and Grand Rapids Gain Residents

The U.S. Census Bureau released estimates this week indicating that Michigan’s population stabilized in 2025, with the state retaining approximately 10.1 million residents. The data shows a slight decline of 12,575 people compared to 2024, a drop of less than half a percent that follows two years of estimated growth for the state.

Detroit and Grand Rapids, the two largest cities in the state, both experienced modest population increases. Detroit’s estimated population reached 649,115, an increase of 3,413 people or 0.5 percent. Grand Rapids followed with an estimated 201,180 residents, adding 1,049 people. Lansing recorded the highest percentage gain among large cities, with its population rising 1.2 percent to 114,783 as it added 1,317 new residents.

Median household income in Michigan increased from $72,389 in 2024 to $75,832 in 2025. Despite this rise, the state’s figure remains below the national median household income of $84,780. The American Community Survey, which provides these estimates for areas with more than 65,000 residents, also revealed that four other large cities, including Dearborn, Southfield, Rochester Hills, and Farmington Hills, each lost approximately 800 residents during the same period.

For the first time, the survey included data on electric vehicles and solar panels. An estimated 148,819 households in Michigan owned an electric vehicle in 2025, representing about 4 percent of homes. This rate is lower than the national estimate of 5.5 percent. Tricia Holley, a survey statistician at the Census Bureau, stated that Western states have led adoption, with California, Washington, Hawaii, and Nevada recording the highest rates per household.

Michigan also had 65,918 households equipped with solar panels in 2025. This number trails Illinois, which had 177,113 such households, and Ohio, which had 72,125. In terms of education, 92.7 percent of Michiganders held a high school diploma or equivalent in 2025, exceeding the national estimate of 90.6 percent. However, the share of the population with a bachelor’s degree or higher stood at 33.9 percent, below the national figure of 37.4 percent.

State data on college readiness released earlier this year indicated that only a quarter of 11th graders in Michigan are prepared for college, a decrease from 26.6 percent the previous year. A decade ago, that figure was 35 percent. The Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey tracks these demographic and economic shifts to provide current estimates for state and local policymakers.