Dearborn Heights is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, a state in the United States. It is a suburb near Detroit and is located approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) west of downtown Detroit. The city shares a small border with Detroit and is known as a bedroom community, meaning many residents live there and work in Detroit. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 63,292.

History

Dearborn Heights was formed from two separate parts of Dearborn Township and a small strip of land from the village of Inkster. Requests to create the city were submitted on Friday, March 4, 1960, while Inkster officials submitted their own requests on Monday, March 7, 1960. Residents approved the creation of Dearborn Heights in an election held on June 20, 1960, which is the official date the city was established. Inkster, a community mostly made up of Black residents, filed a lawsuit, arguing that the shape of Dearborn Heights was designed unfairly based on race. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Inkster did not prove any legal harm and ended the lawsuit.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 11.75 square miles (30.43 km ), with 11.74 square miles (30.41 km ) being land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ) (0.09%) being water.

The southern part of the city is located in the watershed of the north branch of the Ecorse Creek, which is also called the Ecorse River. The land around the Ecorse is likely to flood. The northern part of the city is in the Rouge River watershed.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Dearborn Heights had a population of 63,292. The median age was 35.7 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18, and 14.9% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 94.8 males aged 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, and 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 22,904 households in Dearborn Heights. 33.6% of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.3% were married-couple households, 20.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 24,076 housing units, of which 4.9% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%, and the rental vacancy rate was 5.7%.

As of the 2010 census, there were 57,774 people, 22,266 households, and 14,591 families living in the city. The population density was 4,921.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,900.0/km²). There were 24,068 housing units at an average density of 2,050.1 per square mile (791.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.1% White, 7.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.7% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the population.

There were 22,266 households, of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 46.0% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.5% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57, and the average family size was 3.23.

The median age in the city was 38.3 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

In 2014, the Dearborn Heights director of community and economic development, Ron Amen, stated that Arabs are about 25% of the city's population. Many Arab businesses in Dearborn have established branch operations in Dearborn Heights.

As of the 2000 census, there were 58,264 people, 23,276 households, and 15,781 families living in the city. The population density was 4,973.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,920.1/km²). There were 23,913 housing units at an average density of 2,041.1 per square mile (788.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.64% White, 2.12% African American, 0.37% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 2.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.39% of the population. 19.8% were of Polish, 12.3% German, 8.8% Arab, 8.3% Italian, 8.0% Irish, and 5.3% English ancestry according to the 2000 census. 82.1% spoke English, 6.6% Arabic, 2.3% Polish, 2.1% Spanish, 1.5% Italian, and 1.0% Macedonian as their first language.

There were 23,276 households, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.2% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47, and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $48,222, and the median income for a family was $54,392. Males had a median income of $45,226, versus $29,

Economy

In 2014, the city government was the largest employer in the city. H.Y.P.E Athletics was the second largest employer, employing more than 200 people.

Politics

In the 2024 United States presidential election, in Dearborn Heights, 44% of the residents voted for Donald Trump, 38.3% voted for Kamala Harris, and 15.1% voted for Jill Stein.

Education

Dearborn Heights has five school districts. Residents in the northern part of the city usually attend schools in the Crestwood School District or Dearborn Public Schools. Residents in the southern part of the city attend schools in the Westwood Community School District or the Dearborn Heights No. 7 School District. Three high schools are located within Dearborn Heights: Crestwood High School on Beech Daly Road (Crestwood School District), Hamilton Robichaud High School on Janet Street (Westwood Community Schools), and Annapolis High School on Clippert Street (Dearborn Heights District No. 7).

The Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology, a magnet school operated by Dearborn schools, is located in Dearborn Heights. Students in the Dearborn Public Schools district attend either River Oaks, Haigh, or Lindberg elementary schools in Dearborn Heights. Middle schools in this area include Bryant and Smith. Dearborn High School serves all students in the Dearborn Public Schools district who live in Dearborn Heights.

A small part of Dearborn Heights is in the Wayne-Westland Community Schools. Students in this area attend Hicks Elementary School in Inkster, Franklin Middle School in Wayne, and John Glenn High School in Westland.

Some parts of Dearborn Heights are in the Taylor School District. Students in this area attend Taylor Parks Elementary School, Hoover Middle School, and Harry S. Truman High School, all located in Taylor.

Clara B. Ford Academy is located in Dearborn Heights. Global Educational Excellence operates one charter school in Dearborn Heights: Global Heights Academy (grades K-5).

Before 2011, Universal Learning Academy had two campuses in Dearborn Heights. It is now located in Westland.

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit operates two Catholic K-8 schools:
– St. Anselm Catholic School (established in 1955)
– St. Linus Catholic School (Dearborn Heights)

The archdiocese previously operated St. Mel Elementary School in Dearborn Heights, which closed in 2005, and St. Sebastian School, which opened in the 1950s and closed in 2019. It also operated St. Albert the Great in the past.

A campus of Henry Ford College was located in the northern part of Dearborn Heights from the mid-1970s until 2014.

The Dearborn Heights Library System operates the Caroline Kennedy Library and the John F. Kennedy Jr. Library.