Detroit was once in such bad shape it was forced to declare bankruptcy. Now, it is experiencing somewhat of a miracle.

This Midwestern city, once known for sparking a significant music movement and being the cradle of the American auto industry, had homes on sale for just $1 in [TK year]. Today, it is transforming into a thriving, affordable destination with a flourishing job and housing market.

Upscale restaurants and retail shops have emerged, while old, neglected houses that once populated the city streets have been replaced with contemporary apartment complexes.

This prominent city in Michigan, where Motown music was born, where rapper Eminem hails from, and known as the epicenter of America’s automotive sector, is undergoing a strong rejuvenation.

The city’s population grew for the second year in a row in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. It reached 645,705 residents in 2024 compared with 638,914 in 2023.

‘I’ve been a realtor in Detroit since 2016, so I’ve seen years of unprecedented growth in the residential sector,’ local realtor Jay Taylor told the Daily Mail.

‘After years of stagnation and decline in commercial real estate, it’s now showing steady growth, too.’

Detroit, MI, is officially revving back to life after suffering a period of decline

Detroit now buzzes with construction and a rich culture filled with boating and sports

‘There’s been a shift in population away from the blighted neighborhoods while the city makes improvements, and people are filling in the neighborhoods adjacent to colleges and commercial corridors,’ he added.

After decades of decline, Motor City is now roaring into its new era. Population growth has now outpaced the national average and a wave of multi-million-dollar real estate developments draw new residents daily.

The city now buzzes with construction, coffee shops and a rich culture of boating, sports and entertainment – all while remaining faithful to its history.

At the heart of the transformation is billionaire Dan Gilbert, chairman of Bedrock, a Detroit-based real estate giant that has poured a whopping $7 billion into the city since 2011.

Gilbert’s team has transformed the city’s Victorian, Art Deco and Neoclassical homes into luxury and budget apartments, retail spaces and boutique hotels.

Bedrock also backed the QLine, a streetcar set to start running this month, and poured money into public hotspots like Parker’s Alley and The Belt, home to upscale art, dining and nightlife.

New additions to the housing scene include luxury builds The Residences at 150 Bagley, Kingsley Arms, Lee Arden and 680 Hazelwood. The new, sprawling City Modern development totals 445 units made of single-family homes, condos, rentals and a 55-plus community.

The Hudson’s Detroit megaproject will add 97 luxury condos to the city as part of a 1.5-million-square-foot mixed-use tower. 

Diana Ross was the lead singer of the Supremes in the 1960s and called the Queen of Motown

A car show in Detroit, known as Motor City, which has a rich history with the car industry

The government poured money into Detroit, helping the city out of debt and helping new parks be built

Detroit is home to the MLB’s Detroit Tigers, who play at Comerica Park downtown

Local realtor Jay Taylor 

Taylor says families, creatives, young professionals and empty nesters from the suburbs are rediscovering the city, where the average single-family home is valued at $321,090. The median monthly rent downtown is $1,763. 

‘The city has diversified over the years, so while it still has a strong auto maker workforce, it also has tech and healthcare as equally strong magnets for professionals,’ he said.

‘The workforce feels optimistic, as most have only seen the positive growth, having moved here after 2013, when Detroit filed for bankruptcy. 

‘Since then, Belle Isle has had a makeover, the river walk has gained national attention, the Lions have had a comeback, Bedrock, The Platform and other developers have rolled out several major renovations of key landmarks, and the list keeps getting better.’

In the early 1900s, major car companies flocked to Detroit – Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler all started there. The city became the number one hub in the US for car production and jobs were plentiful.

Detroit reached its peak population in 1950 with around 1.85 million residents, ranking it as one of the nation’s top five cities.

But over time, Detroit became one of the most neglected and dangerous cities in America.

By 2010, the population fell to just above 700,000. By 2020, it had dipped even further to about 639,000.

The rail downtown is a perk for commuters who don’t want to drive downtown

The landmark Guardian building is located downtown in Detroit’s Financial District

Detroit was the automobile capital of America and held car rallies nearly every weekend

The Ambassador Bridge at night, it connects Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, in Canada

Detroit Community Markets are where you can buy fresh, affordable, locally produced food

Between 1947 and 1963, when Detroit’s industrial scene began moving to the suburbs, Sunbelt states and overseas in search of cheaper labor, the city lost nearly 200,000 manufacturing jobs. 

In the 1970s, competition from foreign automakers further weakened the city.

Racial violence in Detroit also led many white families to leave the city for the suburbs. The 1967 Detroit riot had the city’s deep racial tensions on display. [I think we need more about this to explain how Detroit crumbled in the first place – it was a pretty massive part of racial history in the US. Wording here also doesn’t quite capture what the Detroit Uprising was]

As middle‑class residents left, the tax base collapsed, and sanitation, education and healthcare were not properly funded.

The city limped along until 2008, when the auto industry collapsed and more residents lost jobs and moved away.

Detroit was severely impacted by the housing crisis and the subprime mortgage meltdown, and in 2013 the city filed for bankruptcy protection. 

Now, the city is being injected with new life – and new money.

In 2021, Detroit received $826 million from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The money has since been used for new infrastructure, to help fund small businesses and startups, improve public safety initiatives and rebuild neighborhoods.

Since being awarded the funding, public safety has improved and crime has dropped significantly.

Detroit was severely impacted by the housing crisis and the subprime mortgage meltdown, and has a significant number of abandoned buildings

In 2021, Detroit received $826 million from the federal government through the ARPA

Detroit is currently experiencing a significant wave of construction and development

Detroit was the center of the US auto industry and still holds vintage car shows

Detroit has a vibrant LGBT community and neighborhoods known for their LGBTQ+ pride

In 2024, Detroit recorded 203 homicides – a 19 percent drop from 2023 and the fewest since 1965. When the data was released, Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement the data was ‘the strongest indication yet that our strategies are working.’

Locals are seeing a difference.

Downtown, and in the Midtown and New Center neighborhoods, economic and residential growth has been exponential.

Corporate heavyweights including Rocket Mortgage, General Motors and Ford have set up shop downtown.

The QLine will be up and running soon, and MoGo, the city’s first public bike share program, will begin operating this month.

The brand-new Little Caesars Arena will become home to the NBA’s Detroit Pistons and NHL’s Detroit Red Wings later this year.

Even though it is undergoing aesthetic improvements, the city remains proud of its history. 

Detroit will always claim that distinct Motown sound. With $800 and a vision, Berry Gordy started Motown (a portmanteau of motor and town) Records in 1959, and made stars out of Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and Marvin Gaye.

Stevie Wonder was only 11 years old when Motown signed him to a contract in 1961

Motown Records founder Berry Gordy stared the label with $800 and a dream 

Detroit is experiencing a period of revitalization with restaurants and shopping downtown

Many neighborhoods were severely affected by the downturn as people moved away

Today, at the Motown Museum, brave visitors can karaoke the Temptations hit song My Girl in front of strangers.

Studio A, where the Supremes first sang Stop in the Name of Love, contains an 1877 Steinway grand piano.

In addition to its facelift, Detroit is also undergoing a cultural makeover, and foodies are taking notice.

At new brunch hotspot The Hudson Café, diners can order $14 French toast with graham cracker crust and cream cheese frosting.

Nearby Leila serves modern Lebanese, SavannahBlue offers soul food, and Buddy’s Pizza is known for its thick Detroit-style square pies.

Cocktail lovers can hit Willow, Standby and Kamper’s Rooftop Lounge, then visit the nearby Detroit Institute of Arts, The Charles H Wright Museum or the Detroit Opera.

The Fox Theatre, originally opened in 1928, went through a $12-million restoration in 1987 and reopened in 1988.

A reopening ceremony featured a performance by Motown legend Smokey Robinson with the Count Basie Orchestra. The theater was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.

Detroit has made significant strides in the last decade and has become a destination

Abandoned downtown buildings are being revitalized, and businesses are booming

Detroit’s decay began with the loss of jobs in the auto industry and rapid suburbanization

Detroit’s population decline and economic struggles led to the decline of many neighborhoods

The East side of Detroit managed to keep some neighborhoods and its population

The Detroit Pistons play home games at Little Caesars Arena, located in Midtown 

Included in the city’s improvements are the schools. Formerly run down, neglected buildings and bad stats have been improved with the federal funding. 

Detroit’s public schools serve 52,000 students and top private schools in the city include Cranbrook, Detroit Country Day and Frankel Jewish Academy.

Higher education is also booming with Wayne State University, University of Detroit Mercy and the College for Creative Studies.

Local realtor Taylor summed up what he envisions for the city in the next five years.

‘Detroit’s future feels bright,’ he said. 

‘We’ve seen unprecedented commercial growth. Not just in mom and pop shops, which there are plenty, and not just from retailers like Gucci and Nike and Apple, while those are good signs, but also from large institutions like Chase Bank and the University of Michigan. 

‘When Detroit’s credit rating moved out of the bankruptcy status and was awarded a score that makes large financial investments attractive, the entire landscape changed.

‘New construction condos and housing developments are popping up all over the place, and we’re seeing neighborhoods become walkable again. 

‘This is a great time to call Detroit home, and that appears to only be getting more and more true each year.’