Bloomberg posted this list of the fastest-shrinking U.S. cities back in May, but we just noticed a sobering fact about the list — 8 out of the 25 of its cities are in Michigan.
Bloomberg ranked U.S. cities based on the percentage change in population from 2012 to 2013. Only cities with at least 50,000 residents as of 2013 were included. Michigan cities included Detroit (population drop of 1.41%, or 9,881), Saginaw (.91%, or 460), Dearborn (.80%, or 770), Dearborn Heights (.79%, or 452), Taylor (.79%, or 490), Livonia (.67%, or 640), and Flint (.65%, or 649).
It reminded us of author Rollo Romig's New Yorker story about growing up in Detroit's North Rosedale from last week: "Detroit has been shrinking for more than half a century—since well before the 1967 riots—and there are only two broad reasons why anyone stays: they have utopian ideas or they can’t afford to move."
