The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program produces annual estimates of population for counties, using current data on births, deaths, and migration. This chart breaks down population change into the four major components - births, deaths, international migration, and domestic migration. The estimates from previous years are revised with each new release, with domestic migration also including re-estimation residuals. It is important to understand changes to the population components, as changes to birth and death rates, along with domestic and international migration, impact the labor pool and the demand for public and educational services. Given our region's 30-year forecast is predicting more deaths than births, attracting new residents through domestic and international migration is critical.
Southeast Michigan's population grew for its third straight year in 2025. The growth is attributed to two factors: 1) domestic migration, while still negative, was less negative in 2025 than in 2024; and 2) international migration, while lower in 2025 than in 2024, was still over 21,000 people. Domestic migration improved from -15,538 in 2024 to -8,149 in 2025, a difference of more than 7,000 people. International migration decreased from 35,071 in 2024 to 21,543 in 2025. Deaths decreased by just over 600 people. The one area of concern is births which did not change much, falling from 48,389 in 2024 to 48,345 in 2025, for a decline of 44 newborns.