Livonia is a city in Wayne County, Michigan. It is a western suburb of Detroit, located roughly 20 miles (32.2 km) northwest of downtown Detroit. According to the 2020 census, the city had a population of 95,535. Livonia was first established as a township in 1835 and became a city in 1950.

History

After most members of the indigenous tribes were forced to leave the area, European-American settlers from New England and New York moved there. The borders of Livonia Township were set by the Legislature of the Territory of Michigan on March 17, 1835.

The settlers named the community "Livonia" after a town called Livonia in New York, where many of them had lived before moving.

Livonia Township was separated from Nankin Township, where a Livonia post office had opened in June 1834. During the township's early years, several small communities formed. One of these was Elmwood, originally called McKinley's Station. It was a stop on the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad. Elmwood had its own post office from 1858 to 1906. Another post office in the township was Giltedge, which operated from 1899 to 1902.

Livonia was made into a city on May 23, 1950, after the people of the township voted to do so. A reason for this was that city status allowed residents to collect tax money from the Detroit Race Course (DRC). From 1985, the track only held races for Standardbred horses. The track closed in 1998 when the land was sold for new development. The last race tracks in the state were Hazel Park Raceway, which closed in 2018, and Northville Downs, which closed in 2024.

People from Palestine and Lebanon, including Christians and Muslims, moved to Detroit for industrial jobs in the 20th century. By 1985, Palestinian Christians had settled in Livonia and nearby areas like Farmington and Westland. By 2005, many Christian Palestinian Americans who had moved from Ramallah had started small and medium-sized businesses in the area.

Six U.S. presidents visited Livonia: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city covers a total area of 35.86 square miles (92.88 km), with 35.70 square miles (92.46 km) being land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km) being water.

The city includes many creeks and rivers, with large parts of Newburgh and Nankin Lake located in the south and southwest areas. These two lakes are connected by a river and a road called Edward N. Hines Drive, which is often referred to as Hines Drive by people who live there.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census, Livonia had a population of 95,535. The median age was 45.6 years. Seventeen point nine percent of residents were under the age of 18, and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 94.5 males aged 18 and over.

One hundred percent of residents lived in urban areas, while 0% lived in rural areas.

There were 39,282 households in Livonia. Twenty-four point eight percent of these households had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.5% were married-couple households, 16.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 40,380 housing units, of which 2.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7%, and the rental vacancy rate was 5.3%.

The most reported ancestries in the 2020 census were:
• German (23.5%)
• Irish (21.1%)
• English (17.3%)
• Polish (16%)
• Italian (9.2%)
• Scottish (6.2%)
• French (5.8%)
• African American (3.5%)
• Mexican (2.3%)
• Hungarian (1.9%)

According to a 2010 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the city was $65,391, and the median income for a family was $77,119. Males had a median income of $62,071, versus $42,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,536. About 5.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

As of the census of 2010, there were 96,942 people, 38,714 households, and 26,856 families living in the city. The population density was 2,715.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,048.5/km²). There were 40,401 housing units at an average density of 1,131.7 per square mile (437.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 3.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 38,714 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. Of all households, 26.7% were made up of individuals, and 13.1% 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 3.01.

The median age in the city was 44.5 years. Twenty point eight percent of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 31.5% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 100,545 people, 38,089 households, and 28,071 families living in the city. The population density was 2,815.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,086.9/km²). There were 38,658 housing units at an average density of 1,082.3 per square mile (417.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.45% White, 0.95% African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.32% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.72% of the population. Sixteen point three percent were of Polish, 15.9% German, 11.2% Irish, 8.6% Italian, and 8.5% English ancestry according to the Census 2000. Livonia has a substantial Middle Eastern population, mostly Arab, and trace their ancestry to the Levant region, mainly from Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon, and are of the Christian faith. The Arab-American community has few churches in the city, mainly Saint Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. The community settled in Livonia in the late 1960s and has since continued a steady growth.

There were 38,089 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non

Economy

Livonia has schools, colleges, churches, parks, a recreation center, libraries, and St. Mary Mercy Hospital. It also has businesses, factories, restaurants, and stores. Laurel Park Place, a high-end shopping mall with 74 stores, was built in 1989 at 6 Mile Road and Newburgh Road. Von Maur department store is the main store in the mall.

The city once had two other malls, but they were later removed. Wonderland Mall opened in 1959 and closed in 2003. It was replaced by a development called Wonderland Village, which includes Walmart and Target stores. Livonia Mall was built in 1964 to the north. It closed in 2008 and was changed into Livonia Marketplace, which includes a second Walmart, Sears, and Kohl's. The Sears store closed in 2020. Large stores are also located near Laurel Park Place.

Livonia has the Livonia Hockey Association, the largest amateur hockey group in Michigan, and the Livonia Knights, who won state championships twice. The city also has the Livonia City Soccer Club, one of the largest soccer programs in the state, with 1,300 participants.

• Ford Motor Company
• Trinity Health
• Livonia Public Schools
• St. Mary Mercy Hospital
• NYX, Inc
• ZF Automotive
• Schoolcraft College
• Roush Performance
• United Parcel Service
• Mastronardi Produce

Arts and culture

The Livonia Public Library has four branches: the Civic Center Library, the Alfred Noble Library, the Carl Sandburg Library, and the Vest Pocket Library. The Jack E. Kirksey Livonia Community Recreation Center, which is named after Mayor Jack Kirksey, is located at 15100 Hubbard Livonia, MI 48154.

Government

Livonia's mayor is Maureen Miller Brosnan. The city is located in Michigan's 12th congressional district, which is represented by Rashida Tlaib (Democrat). Livonia is in Michigan's 7th State Senate District, and is represented by Dayna Polehanki (Democrat).

Most of Livonia is part of Michigan's 19th State House District, where Laurie Pohutsky (Democrat) was elected in 2018. A portion of southeast Livonia is in Michigan's 11th State House District, which is represented by Jewell Jones (Democrat).

Education

Livonia is home to several private and public colleges and universities, such as Madonna University, Schoolcraft College, and a small University of Phoenix campus. The most recent university to open in Livonia was a Davenport University campus, which began operations in 2008. However, this campus moved to Detroit in 2017.

The majority of Livonia is served by the Livonia Public Schools district. This district includes two early childhood centers, thirteen elementary schools, four upper elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools. It also serves students in parts of Westland. A portion of northeast Livonia is served by the Clarenceville School District.

Currently, there are four public high schools in Livonia: Franklin, Churchill, and Stevenson high schools, which are part of the Livonia Public Schools district; and Clarenceville High School, which is part of the Clarenceville Public School District. Ladywood High School, a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school operated by the Felician Sisters, closed in 2018. Bentley High School, the first high school built in the district, closed in 1985.

Each high school in the Livonia Public School District offers a unique educational program. Stevenson High School is the location of the School of Global Education, which combines English and social studies classes with a focus on students’ roles in the world. Churchill High School offers the MSC (Math/Science/Computer) and CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts) programs. Franklin High School currently provides an International Baccalaureate program for select students.

Frost Middle School houses the Middle School Alternative Classrooms for the Academically Talented (MACAT) program. The public K–6 Webster Elementary School is home to the Alternative Classrooms for the Academically Talented (ACAT) program and offers many after-school programs. Webster Elementary also provides classes for students with disabilities. In 2008, the original Webster school was destroyed by an arsonist, and the school was relocated to a former school building called Tyler Elementary.

CAPA is a performance arts program at Churchill High School. MSC (Math, Science, and Computers) is a program for academically gifted students at Churchill High School.

Ladywood High School was a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Livonia. It closed in 2018.

St. Edith and St. Michael Catholic grade schools include St. Michael the Archangel School. This school opened on September 21, 1942. A second story was added to the school building after permission was granted by the archdiocese on November 9, 1943. The addition was completed from January to May 1944. In the 1944–1945 school year, there were 345 students. Construction for a new addition began on September 24, 1997, and cost $3.4 million. The addition was completed before September 8, 1998, and was dedicated on October 11, 1998. The new addition included a cafeteria, library, gymnasium, computer lab, and six classrooms.

Peace Lutheran School (Pre-K–8) and St. Paul’s Lutheran School (Pre-K–8) are affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

St. Genevieve Catholic School closed in 2016.

Media

The newspapers in the Metro Detroit area are the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. The Livonia Observer is printed twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. The newspaper Between the Lines and the website PrideSource are based in Livonia.

Infrastructure

Livonia has few public bus options that are provided by the Detroit Department of Transportation.

In 2012, the National Motorists Association shared the results of a survey about the "Worst Speed Trap Cities" in North America. Livonia was ranked number two.

Notable people

• Janet M. Anderson, artist who created images of Detroit
• Adam Bedell, soccer player
• Chuck Behler, musician and drummer for the band Megadeth from 1987 to 1989
• Doug Brzezinski, former football player for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers
• Bernie Carbo, baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1980 (graduated from Franklin High School in 1965)
• Jeff Cassar, soccer player and coach
• Charlie Collins, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fayetteville
• Chris Conner, hockey player for the Washington Capitals
• Brian Conz, racing driver
• Mike Cox, former Attorney General of Michigan
• Nancy Jane Dean, teacher and Presbyterian missionary in Persia
• Warren Defever, musician and producer
• Mike Donnelly, hockey player who played for five NHL teams
• Judy Greer, actress (graduated from Churchill High School)
• Charlie Haeger, baseball pitcher who played for three Major League Baseball teams
• Al Iafrate, hockey player who played for four NHL teams
• Ryan Kesler, hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks
• Jeff Lerg, hockey player for the New Jersey Devils
• Mike Modano, hockey player who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
• David Moss, hockey player for the Phoenix Coyotes
• Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
• Alfred Noble, civil engineer who worked on the Soo Locks and the Panama Canal
• Aaron Palushaj, hockey player for the Brynäs IF
• FP Santangelo, baseball player who played in Major League Baseball from 1995 to 2001
• Tracie Savage, actress and journalist
• Dana Schutz, painter
• Tim Shaw, football player who played for four NFL teams
• Chris Tancill, hockey player who played for four NHL teams
• Sheila Taormina, athlete who won a gold medal in the 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics; competed in the Olympics four times (1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008); first woman to qualify in three different Olympic sports (freestyle swimming, triathlon, and modern pentathlon)
• Ken Westerfield, pioneer and athlete in disc sports (Frisbee)
• Jonathan B. Wright, actor who works in stage and film

Images

• Chapel built in 1961 by the Felician Sisters in Livonia, Michigan – sculpture created by Corrado Parducci
• Saint Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church
• St. Mary Mercy Hospital
• Entrance to the neighborhood located at Berwick and Plymouth in the Rosedale Gardens Historic District
• Street scene on Auburndale in Rosedale Gardens Historic District
• Street scene on Auburndale in Rosedale Gardens Historic District
• Rosedale Gardens Historic District
• Orson Everitt House historic site