Michigan population drops by 12,575 to 10.1 million
Detroit and Grand Rapids grew slightly, while Lansing saw the largest percentage gain among large cities.
By Takeshi Davidson ·
Michigan’s population fell to 10.1 million in 2025, a loss of 12,575 residents compared to 2024.
The US Census Bureau released these figures this week. The decline represents a decrease of less than half a percent. This marks the first drop in population after two consecutive years of growth.
Detroit and Grand Rapids, the state’s two largest cities, both experienced small gains. Detroit’s population rose by 0.5% to an estimated 649,115 people. Grand Rapids also grew by 0.5%, adding 1,049 residents to reach a total of 201,180.
Lansing recorded the highest percentage increase among major cities. The state capital added 1,317 new residents, a 1.2% jump that brought its population to 114,783. Lansing is now the sixth largest city in Michigan. Four other major cities, including Dearborn, Southfield, Rochester Hills, and Farmington Hills, each lost approximately 800 people. All four remain above 75,000 residents.
Median household income in Michigan increased to $75,832 in 2025, up from $72,389 the previous year. The state figure remains below the national median of $84,780. The Census data also showed that 148,819 Michigan households owned an electric vehicle last year. This equates to about 4% of households, a rate lower than the 5.5% national average.
Tricia Holley, a survey statistician at the Census Bureau, noted that western states led the country in EV adoption. California had the highest rate, followed by Washington, Hawaii, and Nevada. Michigan also trailed Illinois and Minnesota in EV ownership rates. The survey found that 65,918 Michigan households had solar panels installed, a number lower than the counts in Illinois and Ohio.
Education metrics showed mixed results for the state. The percentage of Michiganders with a high school diploma or equivalent stood at 92.7%, exceeding the national estimate of 90.6%. However, only 33.9% of the state population held a bachelor’s degree or higher, below the national figure of 37.4%. Earlier this year, SAT data indicated that only one in four 11th graders in Michigan was college ready, down from 35% a decade ago.
