Warren is a city located in Macomb County Michigan. Warren has a 2023 population of 136,153. Warren is currently declining at a rate of -0.72% annually and its population has decreased by -2.14% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 139,129 in 2020.
The average household income in Warren is $69,890 with a poverty rate of 15.32%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Warren is 39.1 years, 37.9 years for males, and 40.2 years for females.
Warren is located in Macomb County, Michigan about 20 miles north of Detroit. Warren is Macomb County's largest city and it's the 3rd largest city in the state. Warren is the largest suburb by population in the Detroit metro area. Due to successive decades of decline in the population of Warren, an increase in violent crime, and a collapse in the housing market, Warren was ranked 7th place in Forbes magazine’s list of Most Miserable Cities to Live in the United States, along with two other Michigan cities, Flint and Detroit, which in the top 10.
Between 2000 and 2010, the African American population of Warren saw a more than 300% increase, from around 3,700 people to over 18,000. The Asian population also saw a large increase, although not nearly as substantial, with a 46% increase to over 6,000 people.
In its years since incorporation in 1957, Warren has seen more of a decrease in population than an increase, owing mainly to an increase in violent crime and a collapsing housing market.
In the first half of the 20th century, Warren saw an increase of only 300 people. That saw a huge increase of over 62%, however, during the 1950s, bringing the population up from 700 in 1950 to over 89,000 by 1960. While this would repeat itself over the following decade, with a further increase of over 90,000, by the 1980s this was in rapid decline. As of 2019, the population stands at an estimated 135,000, down almost 33% from its peak in 1970.
Warren's population decline is part of a trend across the United States wherein cities with crime and high unemployment (https://www.coloradoan.com/story/money/2019/05/05/americas-fastest-shrinking-cities-face-unemployment-crime-issues/39436365/) are facing decline due to net migration.
The settlement that later became Warren was founded in 1830, going by the name Beebe’s Corners. This was a carriage stop between Utica and Detroit, consisting of a trading post, a mill, a tavern, and a distillery. In 1837, the Warren Township was established, first going Hickory, then a year later Aba, and shortly after that being renamed Warren.
1893 saw the Warren Township incorporated when it became the Village of Warren. The small village grew slowly over the following decades, while the larger surrounding township grew at a much more rapid pace.
In 1957, the Village of Warren, along with the majority of the Township of Warren, and together with neighboring community Van Dyke, incorporated as a city. From then until the end of the following decade, Warren’s population soared, more than doubling from over 42,000 to just shy of 90,000. This rapid growth can be put down to the post World War II Baby Boom, and the White Fright of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Subsequent decades have seen a decline in Warren’s population, with an increase of violent crime and a collapse in the housing market.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Warren was:
White
Black or African American
Asian
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 54,502 | 2.53 | 70.4 | 29.6 |
Married | 21,848 | 3.39 | 83.4 | 16.6 |
Non Family | 20,606 | 1.21 | 65.7 | 34.3 |
Female | 8,538 | 3.19 | 52.6 | 47.4 |
Male | 3,510 | 3.28 | 60.7 | 39.3 |
3.22
Average Family Size
2.53
Average Household Size
70.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
81.61% of Warren residents speak only English, while 18.39% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 8.59% of the population.
rate
15.32%
Overall Poverty Rate
14.21%
Male Poverty Rate
16.38%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Warren is Native, with 65.35% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Warren is Other, with 4.12% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.15%. Among those working part-time, it was 15.56%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.55%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.8%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.2%
Male Marriage Rate
40.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
9.64%
Veteran Poverty Rate
31.19%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.1%
Labor Force Participation
58.2%
Employment Rate
7.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
76.42%
Born in Warren
87.13%
Native Born
13.73%
Foreign Born
4.12%
Non Citizen
9.6%
Naturalized
87.13% of Warren residents were born in the United States, with 76.42% having been born in Michigan. 4.12% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
---|---|---|---|
1900 | 400 | -129,990 | 4.59% |
1910 | 300 | -100 | -2.84% |
1920 | 300 | ||
1930 | 500 | 200 | 5.24% |
1940 | 600 | 100 | 1.84% |
1950 | 700 | 100 | 1.55% |
1960 | 89,246 | 88,546 | 62.39% |
1970 | 179,260 | 90,014 | 7.22% |
1980 | 161,134 | -18,126 | -1.06% |
1990 | 144,864 | -16,270 | -1.06% |
2000 | 138,247 | -6,617 | -0.47% |
2010 | 134,056 | ||
2011 | 134,589 | 533 | 0.4% |
2012 | 135,122 | 533 | 0.4% |
2013 | 135,655 | 533 | 0.39% |
2014 | 136,188 | 533 | 0.39% |
2015 | 136,721 | 533 | 0.39% |
2016 | 137,254 | 533 | 0.39% |
2017 | 137,787 | 533 | 0.39% |
2018 | 138,320 | 533 | 0.39% |
2019 | 138,853 | 533 | 0.39% |
2020 | 139,129 | 276 | 0.2% |
2021 | 138,130 | -999 | -0.72% |
2022 | 137,138 | -992 | -0.72% |
2023 | 136,153 | -985 | -0.72% |
2024 | 135,175 | -978 | -0.72% |
2025 | 134,204 | -971 | -0.72% |
2026 | 133,240 | -964 | -0.72% |
2027 | 132,283 | -957 | -0.72% |
2028 | 131,333 | -950 | -0.72% |
2029 | 130,390 | -943 | -0.72% |