SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAM IN Detroit

Detroit

Detroit is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from the Canadian city of Windsor, Ontario. It is the 26th-most populous city in the United States and the largest U.S. city on the Canada–United States border, with a population of 639,111 at the 2020 census. The Metro Detroit area, at over 4.4 million people, is the 14th-largest metropolitan area in the nation and second-largest in the Midwest, after the Chicago metropolitan area. The county seat of Wayne County, Detroit is a significant cultural center known for its contributions to music, art, architecture and design, in addition to its historical automotive and industrial background.

In 1701, French explorers Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and Alphonse de Tonty founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit. Detroit is a port on the Detroit River, one of the four major straits that connect the Great Lakes system to the St. Lawrence Seaway. One of its main features, the Detroit River, became the busiest commercial hub in the world. In the early 20th century, the promise of lucrative employment in the booming automobile industry drew hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Europe and African American migrants from the South, rapidly transforming Detroit into a boomtown. By 1920, Detroit had become the fourth-largest city in the country.

At its peak in the 1950 census, Detroit was the fifth-largest U.S. city, with a population of 1.85 million. In the mid-20th century, Detroit entered a state of urban decay as a result of industrial restructuring, the loss of jobs in the auto industry, and rapid suburbanization. Since reaching a peak of 1.85 million at the 1950 census, Detroit’s population has declined by more than 65 percent. In 2013, Detroit became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy, but successfully exited in 2014. In 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Detroit’s population grew for a second consecutive year and led population growth in Michigan for the first time since the 1950s.

The largest racial/ethnic groups in Detroit are Black (76.4%), followed by White (10.3%) and Hispanic (8.0%). Detroit has an area of 138.8 square miles and is the largest city by area in Michigan. Poverty remains a significant challenge, with approximately one-third of residents living below the poverty line.

The city anchors the third-largest regional economy in the Midwest and the 16th-largest in the United States. Detroit’s economy has historically been defined by the automobile industry — home to the “Big Three” automakers: General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Stellantis (formerly Chrysler). One symbol of the city’s decades-long decline, the Michigan Central Station, was long vacant. In 2018, Ford Motor Company purchased the building and redeveloped it into a multi-use facility that bills itself as “a global hub for mobility innovation.” Just down the street from the Motown Museum, Henry Ford Hospital is undergoing a $3 billion renovation.

Detroit operates under a strong mayor–City Council form of government. Mary Sheffield has served as the 76th mayor of Detroit since January 2026, a member of the Democratic Party and the first woman to serve as mayor of Detroit. She previously served on the Detroit City Council from 2014 to 2026, and was president of City Council from 2022 to 2026, as the youngest person ever to hold that office.

Detroit is renowned for its cultural contributions to American life. The city is the birthplace of Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy in 1959, which launched the careers of Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and The Four Tops. Detroit is also the cradle of the techno music genre and has produced legendary rock and blues artists. The city gave rise to punk rock through acts such as MC5 and Iggy Pop, and is the hometown of hip-hop icon Eminem. Detroit is a significant cultural center known for its contributions to music, art, architecture and design.

Landmarks include the Detroit Institute of Arts, one of the largest art museums in the country; the Detroit Historical Museum; the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History; the Motown Museum (“Hitsville U.S.A.”); Belle Isle Park; the Guardian Building; and the Renaissance Center on the riverfront. Detroit’s professional sports teams include the Detroit Lions (NFL), Detroit Tigers (MLB), Detroit Red Wings (NHL), and Detroit Pistons (NBA). Major universities in the area include Wayne State University, the University of Detroit Mercy, and Lawrence Technological University, with the University of Michigan in nearby Ann Arbor.

Notable people from Detroit include Henry Ford, Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Eminem, Madonna, Francis Ford Coppola, and Dave Bing.

City of Detroit