Population 12,620 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Melvindale
Household size in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.24 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.75 | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Melvindale are large by national standards, averaging 3.24 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has climbed from 2.50 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only two of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.0 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.8 | 40.1 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.0 | 40.9 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 29.7 | 41.0 | 41.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.3 | +2.1 | +2.4 | +2.3 |
Melvindale is young: half of its residents are under 29.7, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. The median age has dropped from 35.0 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Only four of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.9% | 12.3% | 11.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.1% | 11.2% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Melvindale (11.1%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 7.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Melvindale
Renters in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7% | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.4% | 30.2% | 28.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.9% | 31.0% | 28.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.2% | 28.8% | 26.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Melvindale rent their homes (39.2%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Just over six in ten owners (62.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 26 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.3% | 11.3% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 11.2% | 13.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.1 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Melvindale is close to the national rate: 8.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1968 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1956 | 1969 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1969 | 1971 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1970 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +2 | +3 | +6 |
The housing in Melvindale is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Only 15 of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $688 | $952 | $833 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $828 | $1,005 | $886 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $923 | $1,123 | $978 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,098 | $1,373 | $1,228 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$410 | +$421 | +$395 | +$606 |
The median renter in Melvindale pays $1,098 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $410 a month since 2006–10, up 60%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Melvindale
Bachelor's degrees in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 27.8% | 26.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 28.8% | 27.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.3% | 31.1% | 29.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 34.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +6.7 pts | +6.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Melvindale have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 14.7%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 331 Michigan cities with 5,000+ people, only 22 have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.1% | 87.7% | 88.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.3% | 88.4% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.0% | 89.8% | 90.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 70.8% | 90.9% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | −6.2 pts | +3.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About three in ten adults in Melvindale never finished high school, well above the national share: only 70.8% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 6.2 points, even as the national rate rose. Only one other Michigan city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Melvindale
| Period | Melvindale | Detroit area | Michigan | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.4% | 12.7% | 11.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 12.8% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 6.8% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −11.7 pts | −5.9 pts | −5.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Melvindale is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Detroit area overall (6.7%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 11.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Melvindale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melvindale | 3.24 | 29.7 | 11.1% | 39.2% | 8.9% | 1952 | $1,098 | 14.7% | 70.8% | 5.7% |
| River Rouge | 2.57 | 35.3 | 14.8% | 42.7% | 12.9% | 1947 | $887 | 7.0% | 78.4% | 11.6% |
| Allen Park | 2.40 | 42.6 | 10.7% | 12.7% | 5.9% | 1955 | $1,239 | 31.7% | 93.2% | 5.0% |
| Ecorse | 2.53 | 38.6 | 19.1% | 37.8% | 11.0% | 1953 | $846 | 9.0% | 71.4% | 8.2% |
| Lincoln Park | 2.74 | 35.8 | 16.6% | 31.1% | 6.1% | 1954 | $1,175 | 10.9% | 80.2% | 8.3% |
| Dearborn | 3.13 | 34.3 | 7.9% | 31.6% | 8.4% | 1951 | $1,394 | 33.3% | 82.7% | 6.7% |
| Wyandotte | 2.29 | 40.8 | 12.8% | 26.3% | 7.8% | 1949 | $1,078 | 23.0% | 92.4% | 3.3% |
| Dearborn Heights | 2.82 | 35.4 | 10.4% | 29.5% | 7.3% | 1959 | $1,396 | 24.3% | 89.0% | 7.8% |
| Southgate | 2.39 | 41.0 | 11.8% | 32.8% | 6.9% | 1967 | $1,294 | 21.7% | 88.4% | 4.4% |
| Taylor | 2.50 | 38.7 | 17.7% | 33.3% | 6.4% | 1966 | $1,235 | 15.3% | 86.2% | 7.7% |
| Inkster | 2.66 | 35.3 | 26.2% | 53.2% | 15.2% | 1958 | $1,149 | 12.7% | 84.0% | 15.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Parker, SC · Oatfield, OR · Ocean Pines, MD · Ogdensburg, NY · Oneonta, AL · Orrville, OH · Overlea, MD · Oxford, GA · Palmer Town, MA · Paris, KY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Melvindale. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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