Detroit Information
Joined: 17 Dec 2006
Posts: 17
Home Country: usa
|
 Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 12:40 am Post subject: DETROIT CITY PROFILE / DETROIT CITY GUIDE |
 |
|
DETROIT CITY PROFILE
Introduction
Detroit is the seat of Michigan's Wayne County, the centre of a consolidated metropolitan statistical area that includes Ann Arbor and Flint, and the centre of a metropolitan area that includes Oakland County, third wealthiest in the country. One of the oldest settlements in the Midwest, Detroit played an instrumental role in the development of the Northwest Territory. During the War of 1812 Detroit became the only major American city ever to surrender to a foreign power; in 1847 the city lost its status as state capital when the legislature moved the state headquarters to Lansing. Detroit was a leading regional economic power in the nineteenth century. The invention of the automobile and its mass production in Detroit headed by Henry Ford changed American and world culture. As more and more manufacturing jobs moved to lower-wage areas of the U.S. and increasingly overseas, Detroit's population declined and the economy struggled. In the early 1990s Detroit's position as the automobile capital of the world was being challenged by foreign competition. Throughout, though, the city's metropolitan area has grown and the regional economy diversified, making metropolitan Detroit still one of the largest and most prosperous areas of the country. Detroit has a long history of producing groundbreaking and influential musical talent, such as the Motown greats Iggy Pop, Bob Seger, and the White Stripes, known throughout the world. City sports franchises such as the Detroit Tigers, Red Wings, and Pistons are among the most storied in American history.
The City in Brief
Founded: 1701 (incorporated, 1815)
Head Official: Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) (since 2001)
City Population
1980: 1,203,339
1990: 1,027,974
2000: 951,270
2003 estimate: 879,575
Percent change, 1990–2000: -7.4%
U.S. rank in 1980: 6th
U.S. rank in 1990: 7th
U.S. rank in 2000: 14th
Metropolitan Area Population (CMSA)
1990: 4,266,654
2000: 4,456,428
Percent change, 1990-2000: 5.2%
U.S. rank in 1990: Not reported
U.S. rank in 2000: 7th (CMSA)
Geography and Climate
Area: 138.7 square miles (2000)
Elevation: 581 feet above sea level at Detroit River
Average Annual Temperature: 48.6° F
Average Annual Precipitation: 30.97 inches of rain, 45 inches of snow
Economy
Major Economic Sectors: Services; trade; manufacturing; finance, insurance, and real estate
Unemployment Rate: 8.2% (February 2005)
Per Capita Income: $14,717 (1999)
Cost of Living
A 2004 worldwide survey conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting ranked Detroit the 16th costliest American city to live in, and the 101st most expensive worldwide. In 2003 the median home price in the city was $145,000, compared to $163,000 nationally.
The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors in the Detroit area.
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Average House Price: $324,420
2004 (3rd Quarter) ACCRA Cost of Living Index: 107.5 (U.S. Average = 100.0)
State income tax rate: 3.9% (2005)
State sales tax rate: 6.0%
Local income tax rate: 3.0% residential; 1.5% non-residential
Local sales tax rate: None
Property tax rate: $67.97 per $1,000 assessed valuation (2003 millage)
Other Information
2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 85,035
Major Colleges and Universities: Wayne State University, University of Detroit-Mercy
Daily Newspapers: Detroit Free Press; Detroit News |
|
Register
Log in
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
