Wayne County, Michigan: commercial real estate data.
Wayne County, Michigan had an estimated 1,771,063 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,793,896, across 612 square miles. County output reached $129.92 bn in 2024, 33,699 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2,278 7(a) approvals worth $918.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wayne County
How many people live in Wayne County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,772,259
- Households700,591
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$60,539
- Median age37.9
- Median gross rent$1,132 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$178,500
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher27.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree10.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over1,206,499
- Population under 18418,687
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over293,523
- Share 65 and over16.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 641,060,049
- Civilian labor force828,838
- Unemployment rate8.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.2 percent
- Rank by population among Michigan counties1st of 83
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included19th of 3,222
Wayne County is the 1st largest of 83 Michigan counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 16.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wayne County
Is Wayne County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20241,771,063
- Census 2020 base population1,793,896
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.27 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20248,692
- Births, 202420,184
- Deaths, 202418,159
- Natural change, 20242,025
- Net domestic migration, 2024-9,570
- Net international migration, 202416,206
- Total net migration, 20246,636
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-61,538
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2280th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.27 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wayne County
Where are people moving to Wayne County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving26,368
- People arriving, from those returns44,430
- Tax returns filed by households leaving33,436
- Net household movement-7,068
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.60 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-678.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$60,504
- Average income of a leaving household$68,010
- Largest single originOakland County (6,851 households)
- Largest single destinationOakland County (8,361 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland County | 6,851 | 11,201 | $441.8 m |
| Macomb County | 3,681 | 6,585 | $154.6 m |
| Washtenaw County | 2,462 | 3,913 | $148.6 m |
| Monroe County | 876 | 1,465 | $40.7 m |
| Livingston County | 441 | 654 | $28.4 m |
| Cook County | 372 | 552 | $35.9 m |
| Ingham County | 301 | 446 | $13.7 m |
| Genesee County | 298 | 478 | $13.4 m |
Households arriving report $7,506 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Oakland County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Wayne County
What is the Wayne County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$129.92 bn
- County GDP, 2023$125.07 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.9 percent
- GDP change over five years33.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Michigan areas BEA publishes2nd of 83
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes44th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$73,308
Output grew 3.9 percent in the latest year and 33.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Wayne County
Employment by industry in Wayne County
- Covered employment, annual average725,504
- Establishments reporting36,727
- Average annual pay$76,411
- Average weekly wage$1,469
- Health care and social assistance, employment116,757
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$69,910
- Manufacturing, employment89,659
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$91,119
- Retail trade, employment64,087
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,530
- Accommodation and food services, employment60,098
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$29,402
- Transportation and warehousing, employment58,035
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment53,927
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 116,757 | 5,633 | $69,910 |
| Manufacturing | 89,659 | 1,710 | $91,119 |
| Retail trade | 64,087 | 5,512 | $40,530 |
| Accommodation and food services | 60,098 | 3,374 | $29,402 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 58,035 | 1,936 | $70,487 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 53,927 | 3,469 | $123,586 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 38,789 | 1,851 | $57,550 |
| Finance and insurance | 27,371 | 1,422 | $109,654 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 116,757 jobs, 16.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wayne County
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
- Establishments, all industries33,699
- Employment at those establishments665,558
- Annual payroll$46.63 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents19.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wayne County
Building permits in Wayne County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20242,629
- Declared construction value permitted$437.5 m
- Single family units authorized1,058
- Multifamily units authorized1,571
- Multifamily share of units59.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$166,418
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.8
Multifamily is 59.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wayne County
SBA loans in Wayne County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2,278
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$918.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$403,385
- Median 7(a) approval$141,450
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,101,650
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)22,077
- Jobs per approval9.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active121
- Distinct industries receiving approvals349
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms288
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1,848
- Franchise loans215
- Franchise share of approvals9.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (242)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (1,125)
- 504 approvals recorded247
- 504 gross approval dollars$197.7 m
- Average 504 approval$800,287
- Median 504 approval$465,000
- Distinct CDCs active9
- 504 jobs per approval15.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.4
- Most active CDCMichigan Certified Development Corporation (149)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.12 bn
The average approval of $403,385 sits well above the median of $141,450, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 12.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wayne County
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded423
- Paid in full371
- Charged off52
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans12.3 percent
- Status: Cancelled294
- Status: Paid in full371
- Status: Exempt from disclosure1,414
- Status: Charged off52
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed147
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484121 | General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 68 | 6 | 8.8% |
Of the 423 loans that have reached a final outcome, 12.3 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least 30 resolved loans, General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload carries the highest charge-off rate at 8.8 percent.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
SBA lending by place in Wayne County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending73
- Detroit, approvals579
- Dearborn, approvals252
- Canton, approvals233
- Livonia, approvals188
- Plymouth, approvals124
- Westland, approvals93
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 579 | $278,790,100 |
| Dearborn | 252 | $67,760,300 |
| Canton | 233 | $71,972,500 |
| Livonia | 188 | $80,327,600 |
| Plymouth | 124 | $56,426,300 |
| Westland | 93 | $43,573,800 |
| Dearborn Heights | 84 | $18,352,400 |
| Redford | 63 | $35,610,400 |
| 65 other borrower cities | 662 | $266,097,700 |
Detroit accounts for 579 approvals against 252 in Dearborn. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
How large is Wayne County?
- Land area612 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Michigan counties34th of 83
- Width, east to west34.9 mi
- Height, north to south29.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land2,896
- Establishments per square mile55.06
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wayne County
Flood risk in Wayne County
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book41
- Of those, participating in the NFIP38
- NFIP participation rate92.7 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class7
- Radon levels in Wayne County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The EPA places Wayne County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 92.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Wayne County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Wayne County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20241,772,259
- Households700,591
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$60,539
- Median age37.9
Common questions
Wayne County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wayne County, Michigan?
The Census Bureau estimates 1,771,063 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 1,772,259, in 700,591 households, ranking 1st of 83 Michigan counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wayne County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.27 percent since the 2020 census base of 1,793,896, to 1,771,063 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 20,184 births against 18,159 deaths, with net migration of 6,636. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
$60,539. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $178,500, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,132 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
33,699 establishments, employing 665,558 people with an annual payroll of $46.63 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wayne County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 116,757 jobs, 16.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 725,504 jobs at an average annual pay of $76,411, or $1,469 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wayne County?
2,278 7(a) approvals totaling $918.9 m since FY2020, across 121 lenders, with a median approval of $141,450, plus 247 504 approvals worth $197.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
Of the 423 loans that have reached a final outcome, 371 were paid in full and 52 charged off, a charge-off rate of 12.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Wayne County?
2,629 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $437.5 m. Multifamily was 59.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wayne County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Wayne County come from?
The largest single origin is Oakland County, with 6,851 households. Arriving households report an average income of $60,504 against $68,010 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wayne County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Wayne County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Wayne County
Cities and places in Wayne.
34 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wayne County. All 34 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | city | 638,530 | 579 | Wholly in this county |
| Dearborn | city | 107,423 | 252 | Wholly in this county |
| Livonia | city | 93,851 | 188 | Wholly in this county |
| Westland | city | 83,633 | 93 | Wholly in this county |
| Taylor | city | 62,081 | 58 | Wholly in this county |
| Dearborn Heights | city | 61,771 | 84 | Wholly in this county |
| Lincoln Park | city | 39,257 | 31 | Wholly in this county |
| Southgate | city | 29,366 | 32 | Wholly in this county |
| Allen Park | city | 27,925 | 29 | Wholly in this county |
| Hamtramck | city | 27,743 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Garden City | city | 26,739 | 40 | Wholly in this county |
| Inkster | city | 25,428 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Romulus | city | 24,831 | 34 | Wholly in this county |
| Wyandotte | city | 24,489 | 26 | Wholly in this county |
| Trenton | city | 18,125 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Wayne | city | 17,310 | 28 | Wholly in this county |
| Grosse Pointe Woods | city | 16,094 | 19 | Wholly in this county |
| Harper Woods | city | 15,116 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Woodhaven | city | 12,690 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Melvindale | city | 12,554 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverview | city | 12,186 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Grosse Pointe Park | city | 11,319 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Flat Rock | city | 10,340 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Grosse Pointe Farms | city | 9,904 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Plymouth | city | 9,214 | 124 | Wholly in this county |
| Ecorse | city | 9,064 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Highland Park | city | 8,628 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| River Rouge | city | 7,008 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Northville | city | 6,069 | 51 | 51.1 percent here, 48.9 percent Oakland County |
| Grosse Pointe | city | 5,541 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Gibraltar | city | 4,873 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Belleville | city | 3,910 | 25 | Wholly in this county |
| Rockwood | city | 3,161 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Village of Grosse Pointe Shores | city | 2,795 | None recorded | 87.0 percent here, 13.0 percent Macomb County |
A further 391 of the county's 2,278 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Wayne County, the largest being Canton (233), Redford (63), Brownstown (12). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby