This measure tracks the count of active single-family and condo/townhome listings.  It excludes pending listings.   The supply of homes listed for sale is important to track, as changes to supply can increase/decrease home sale prices and ultimately home values.

Housing: Active Listing Count

The average hourly earnings are the reported aggregate weekly payroll divided by the reported aggregate weekly hours.   Earnings may change for a number of reasons, such as, overtime premiums, late-shift work, shortage of labor, and/or changes to payroll structure (e.g., fewer high-wage/low-wage employees).   Average hourly earnings give us an idea of the current rate at which employees are being paid.

Average Hourly Earnings

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.  The default view shows the 12-month percent change, but the index values are available too.  There is also data available for the United States.   Data for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn CBSA are available on a bi-monthly basis, but data for the U.S. is available monthly; therefore, the observation for the Detroit region is repeated in the month not published.  Changes in consumer prices are important to track, as inflation impacts residents' ability to afford basic necessities.

Consumer Price Index

This measure from the Census Bureau estimates the annual number of applications for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).  It is important to note that actual business formation, as well as longevity, are not tracked.    The number and rate of new business applications is one way to measure a region's entrepreneurialism. 

Business Applications and Annual Percent Change

Every two years, Michigan bridges undergo an extensive inspection that tracks their condition.  The Michigan Transportation Asset Management Council collects and disseminates this data.   Bridges are expensive, long-lived assets that are essential to roadways and commerce. Continued implementation of this preventative maintenance strategy will be necessary to keeping bridges that are currently rated fair from falling into the poor category.

Bridge Condition

Disconnected youth is defined as the percentage of residents, age 16-19, who are neither working nor enrolled in school.   Our youth is our region's budding labor force; ensuring that they are participating in school and/or working brightens their economic future and our region's prosperity.   

Disconnected Youth

Educational attainment measures the share of the population (age 25 and older) by highest level of education awarded.  Regions with higher levels of education tend to have greater per capita income growth, as well as, a workforce that is better prepared for knowledge-based and technical jobs.    

Educational Attainment

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indicates how much a county’s economy is expanding or contracting by measuring the value of goods and services produced.   It is measured in real (or inflation-adjusted) terms.   Real GDP serves as the most comprehensive measure of economic growth. This chart is broken into select industry sectors for more detailed analysis.  Real GDP serves as the most comprehensive measure of economic growth.

Real GDP by Industry Sector

Some data are suppressed.   Years with suppressed data show as "0".   The sum of the suppressed data are rolled into the "All Other Sectors" category.

Real median household income measures the 50th percentile of all household incomes (i.e, if all of the household incomes are sorted, the median is the middle value).  Household income uses "money income", a concept from the Census Bureau that includes pre-tax income received on a regular basis.   It comes in the form of wages, salaries, commissions, tips, self-employment, dividends, net rental income, Social Security, retirement, disability benefits, Veteran's payments, unemployment or worker compensation, child support, and alimony.   Unlike personal income, it excludes the value of noncash benefits, like employer contributions to health insurance and Medicare and Medicaid payments.     The income values are adjusted for inflation.     Perhaps the most accepted measure of income, real median household income indicates whether a region's population is becoming more prosperous.  

Real Median Household Income and Annual Percent Change

The homeownership rate is the percent of households in a given area that are owner-occupied. Homeownership rates matter because they reflect economic stability, social cohesion, political engagement, and wealth distribution. They are a key metric for understanding the broader health of a society. High homeownership rates can signal overall societal well-being as homeownership fosters community involvement, social stability, and stronger local ties, as homeowners are more likely to stay in one place, invest in their neighborhoods, and participate in local activities, leading to safer, more cohesive communities.

Home Ownership

Housing cost burden measures the percentage of households paying more than 30% of their income towards housing.   Severely cost burdened households pay more than 50% of their income towards housing.   For renters, costs include any utilities that the renter must pay.   For owners, costs are for the mortgage; real estate taxes; fire, hazard, and flood insurance payments; and mortgage insurance premiums.  Generally, households should keep housing costs to under 30% of their income to budget for other necessities and build wealth.    Increases in the percentage of cost burdened households can negatively impact housing conditions and worsen inequities.

Housing Cost Burden

This measure tracks the percentage of households with access to a high speed (broadband) internet subscription, a cellular data connection, or satellite internet.  Subscription rates are broken down by age group.   Access to high speed internet is critical to our region's prosperity, allowing users to communicate with each other.

High-Speed Internet Subscription by Age Group

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of people in the labor force divided by the working-age population.  (The labor force is defined as people employed plus people who are unemployed, but looking for work).  This chart shows five measures of the labor force participation rate:   overall (age 16+), prime working-age (age 25-54), males (age 20-64), females (age 20-64), and for people with any disability (age 20-64).   Labor force participation measures how engaged the working-age population is in pursuing job opportunities.   Southeast Michigan's rates for the prime-age population and people with disabilities are especially important, as the region has lagged most major metropolitan areas.

Labor Force Participation Rates

The unemployment rate measures the percentage of workers who do not have job and are looking for work.  Generally, an unemployment rate of four percent or lower indicates an economy at full-employment, or everyone who wants a job is employed.  (At the full-employment stage, those without a job are usually transitioning between jobs, or recently entered the labor force and started looking for a job.)   Low unemployment rates, while challenging for firms, can improve wage growth and encourage new residents, looking for job opportunities, to move to our region.

Unemployment Rate

Real median earnings measures the 50th percentile of all person earnings - or income obtained in return for labor or services.    The median value is the middle value if all earnings are sorted from lowest to highest.  The Census Bureau measures earnings as pre-tax income, including:  wages, salaries, net income (gross receipts minus expenses) from self-employment, commissions, tips, and cash bonuses.  It excludes the value of noncash benefits, like employer contributions to health insurance and Medicare and Medicaid payments.     The earnings are adjusted for inflation.   Tracking real median earnings provides insight into the largest source of income for most households.   Changes to real median earnings tell us whether workers' incomes are growing or declining. 

Real Median Earnings and Annual Percent Change

There are two measures in this chart - the total number of housing units and the overall occupancy rate.     Multiply the total housing units by occupancy rate to get the total number of households.     Tracking the number of housing units provides data on the housing supply, while occupancy rates provide further information as to whether the supply is being fully utilized by the population.     Changes in either measure can influence housing and rental prices, impacting the quality of place.

Total Housing Units and Occupancy Rate

Pavement condition in Michigan is tracked to assess what treatments will preserve the structural quality of the roads. Between 2008-2019, most counties rated their roads on a two-year cycle, represented by the last year of each cycle (i.e., data in 2009 represent the 2008-2009 survey period).    Ratings were not done in 2020.  Since 2021, ratings returned to a two-year cycle and are represented again by the last year of each cycle, but those years are now even-numbered years (i.e., data in 2022 represent the 2021-2022 survey period).    It is important to monitor pavement conditions, as reconstructing roads in the poorest condition is many times more expensive than applying preventative treatments to roads in fair condition.  Quality roads improves the efficiency and safety of travel for the region's employees, businesses, and residents.

Pavement Condition

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.

Components for Population Change

The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program produces annual estimates of population for counties, using current data on births, deaths, and migration.   The estimates from previous years are revised with each new release.    Changes in population growth informs stakeholders on potential for consumer spending, labor supply, as well as, demand for infrastructure and services. 

Total Population and Annual Percent Change

The poverty rate measures the percentage of people (or households) living in poverty.    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to detect who is poor.  The poverty thresholds do not vary geographically, but they are updated annually for inflation with the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).    People living in poverty are more vulnerable to losing access to the basic necessities of life such as  shelter, heat, electricity, and food. Poverty also limits access to education, jobs, health care, and is  related to lower educational and health outcomes in children. Lowering the poverty rate will help ensure  the most vulnerable children and families are considered as the region seeks to improve economic  prosperity.

Poverty Rate

This chart measures number of jobs paid through a wage or a salary, either part-time or full-time, based on workplace.    These employees are counted through state unemployment insurance or federal unemployment compensation programs.   Covered employees include those receiving pay on the 12th day of each month, including employees on paid sick leave, paid holiday, and paid vacation.   This chart breaks down employment by industry sector.    Changes in the number of jobs by industry indicate whether certain sectors are growing/shrinking and if our economy is becoming increasingly diversified.

Wage & Salary Jobs by Industry

Some data are suppressed.   Years with suppressed data show as "0".   The sum of the suppressed data are rolled into the "Unclassified or Suppressed Employment" category.

This chart measures number of jobs paid through a wage or a salary, either part-time or full-time, based on workplace.   These employees are counted through state unemployment insurance or federal unemployment compensation programs.   Covered employees include those receiving pay on the 12th day of each month, including employees on paid sick leave, paid holiday, and paid vacation.   Increase in the number of jobs is an indicator of growth in both existing and new businesses. More jobs provide greater opportunities for employment, which is the foundation of a region's economy.

Total Wage & Salary Jobs and Annual Percent Change

College enrollment measures the share of the college age population (ages 18 to 24) that are enrolled in college or graduate school. College enrollment reflects access to higher education, which is closely tied to economic growth, workforce development, and social mobility. Higher college enrollment in a region indicates a more educated and skilled future workforce.

School Enrollment

Commute mode measures the share of workers by the mode of transportation used to get to their primary job.  Changes in commute mode provides information on the types of infrastructure being utilized to get to work - including roads, carpool lanes, transit, pedestrian, and broadband.  Knowing the commute modes used by our residents helps to guide plans for building reliable and resilient infrastructure.

Commute Mode

This chart measures the exports of goods to foreign countries based on the transportation origin of movement.  The data have two subsets - manufactured and non-manufactured commodities - however, SEMCOG excludes non-manufactured commodities due to its small size.   Increasing the exports of manufactured goods from Michigan aids in the growth and prosperity of Southeast Michigan.

Exports of Goods for Michigan

Annual vehicle miles traveled are estimated from annual average daily traffic counts as collected by the state and its partners.   Vehicle miles traveled serves as an important metric for planning, maintaining, and improving our region's road network.

Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled (in Billions)

This measure represents the vacancy rate for industrial buildings in Southeast Michigan.    The vacancy rate covers numerous industrial property uses including: manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, research and development, and flex spaces.   Industrial buildings are crucial to Southeast Michigan's advanced manufacturing economy; for they provide the necessary space for our region to manufacture, transport, and develop future goods.

Industrial Vacancy Rate

The Job Openings to Unemployed Ratio is the number of job openings divided by the number of unemployed people.    A value above 1 means there are more job openings than unemployed people, thus a labor shortage.  A value below 1 means there are fewer job openings than unemployed people, thus a labor surplus.  This ratio is useful in measuring the demand for labor.

Job Openings to Unemployed Ratio for Michigan

This measure tracks the median listing price per square foot for each county in Southeast Michigan.   Such data gives an idea as to the current direction of the housing market, for housing is the largest single asset for most residents and residential property is the largest component of Southeast Michigan's property tax base.

Housing: Median Listing Price per Square Feet

This measure tracks the median listing price for each county in Southeast Michigan.   The median listing price indicates how much is being asked for homes in the current market.    It is worth noting that listing prices are impacted by numerous factors like supply and demand, housing unit size and type, and housing unit condition.   Such data gives an idea as to the current direction of the housing market, for housing is the largest single asset for most residents and residential property is the largest component of Southeast Michigan's property tax base.

Housing: Median Listing Price

This measure represents the vacancy rate for office buildings in Southeast Michigan.    The vacancy rate covers all property type classes (A, B, and C).  With the onset of employers utilizing less office space, it is important to understand the magnitude of this trend on our region.

Office Vacancy Rate

SEMCOG collects building permit data from local governments in Southeast Michigan; the data include: single-family, two-family, condominium, and multi-family units.   This chart shows the total number of building permits from the last 12-month period, giving a sense of an annual rate.  Building permits tell us what kind, and how much, of new residential housing is being constructed. New construction not only provides shelter, but also helps the region's economy to grow - creating a multiplier effect for industries that provide goods and services to households, as well as, providing new property tax revenue to local governments and school districts.

Trailing 12-Month Building Permits

Taking data from the Consumer Price Index's Rent of Primary Residence, this measure tracks the cost of shelter for renter-occupied housing units.  It includes the payment for all services provided by the landlord, such as utilities and furnishings.  Government subsidies paid to the landlord are included as well.    It is important to note, that there is sometimes a lag between market rental rates and consumer rental payments.    For example, the market rent may change while a tenant is locked into their lease.   Therefore, the tenant does not experience large increases/decreases in rents for many months, leading the index to change later than the market.  The default view shows the 12-month percent change, but the index values are available too.   Data for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn CBSA are available on a bi-monthly basis and the observation is repeated in the month not published.   Almost 30% of Southeast Michigan's housing units are rented, thus, having trends for the rental market provides data to help formulate housing policies.

Residential Rent Index for Detroit-Warren-Dearborn CBSA

SEMCOG collects traffic crash data from the Michigan State Police, Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC).   Traffic crashes are classified by severity: fatal, serious injury, minor injury, possible injury, or no injury.   Serious traffic crashes endanger the lives and livelihoods of our residents.  A safe transportation network is necessary for a healthy and vibrant region.

Total Population

Natural Change

(Births - Deaths)

Net Migration

(Domestic + Int'l)

Wage & Salary Jobs

Job Openings to Unemployed

Business Applications

Exports

Unemployment Rate

Labor Force Participation (LFPR)

LFPR for People with Disability

School Enrollment

(Age 18-24)

Associate Degree+

Real Median Household Income

Real Median Earnings

Consumer Price Index

Household Poverty Rate

Annual Vehicle Miles Traveled

Traffic Crashes with Fatal or Serious Injuries

Drive Alone to Work

Work from Home

Carpool or Transit to Work

Residential Occupancy Rate

Active Housing Listings

Median Home Listing Price per sqft

Residential Building Permits

Renter Burden Rate

Home Ownership

Office Vacancy Rate

Industrial Vacancy Rate

High-Speed Internet