Oakland County, Michigan
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, there were 1,202,362 people, 471,115 households, and 315,175 families residing in the county. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
as of the 2000 census
2000 Census
The following countries conducted a census of the general population in 2000:* Costa Rica, the ninth federal census, conducted at irregular intervals* Indonesia* United States, the 22nd decennial federal census...
was 1,369 people per square mile (528/km²). There were 492,006 housing units at an average density of 564 per square mile (218/km²). In 2000, the racial makeup of the county was 82.75% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 10.11% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.27% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.14% Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.84% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.86% from two or more races. 2.43% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. Regarding ancestry, 14.4% were German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 9.0% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 8.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 8.5% Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
, 5.7% Italian and 5.5% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, according to Census 2000. 87.4% spoke only English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at home; 2.0% spoke Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, 1.3% Syriac (Neo Aramaic)
Syriac language
Syriac is a dialect of Middle Aramaic that was once spoken across much of the Fertile Crescent. Having first appeared as a script in the 1st century AD after being spoken as an unwritten language for five centuries, Classical Syriac became a major literary language throughout the Middle East from...
and 1.0% Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
.
The 2000 census showed two Native American tribes with more than 1,000 members in Oakland County. There were 2,095 Cherokee and 1,458 Chippewa.
The Jewish community of metropolitan Detroit, with a population of 72,000, is the 21st largest Jewish community in the nation. This community is concentrated in Oakland County, especially in West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills, Troy and Huntington Woods.
There were 471,115 households, of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 54.20% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.10% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.09.
Among Asian Americans, eight ethnic groups had more than 1,000 members in the county. The most numerous were those of Asian Indian
Indian American
Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...
descent, with 20,705. Next were those of Chinese
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
heritage, numbering 10,018. Next were those of Japanese
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
(5,589), Filipino
Filipino American
Filipino Americans are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipino Americans, often shortened to "Fil-Ams", or "Pinoy",Filipinos in what is now the United States were first documented in the 16th century, with small settlements beginning in the 18th century...
(5,450) Korean
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
(5,351), Vietnamese
Vietnamese American
A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
(1,687), Pakistani
Pakistani American
A Pakistani American is any citizen or resident of the United States who has Pakistani heritage.- History in the United States :Muslim immigrants from areas that are now part of Pakistan have been migrating to America and first entered the United States as early as the eighteenth century, working...
(1,458) and Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
(1,210) ancestry.
The county's population was spread out in terms of age, with 25.20% of people under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 32.40% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $61,907, and the median income for a family was $75,540 (these figures had risen to $62,308 and $79,589 respectively as of a 2009 estimate). Males had a median income of $55,833 versus $35,890 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $32,534. About 3.80% of families and 5.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.50% of those under age 18 and 6.50% of those age 65 or over.
In 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that non-Hispanic whites (including Arabs and Chaldeans
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
) formed 76.8% of the population; African-Americans, 12.5%; Asian-Americans, 5.7%; and Hispanic or Latino people (of any race), 3.2%.
History
Created by territorial Gov. Lewis CassLewis Cass
Lewis Cass was an American military officer and politician. During his long political career, Cass served as a governor of the Michigan Territory, an American ambassador, a U.S. Senator representing Michigan, and co-founder as well as first Masonic Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Michigan...
in 1819, sparsely settled Oakland was twice its current size at first, but shrank as Michigan's population grew and new counties were established. Woodward Avenue and the Detroit and Pontiac Railroad
Detroit and Pontiac Railroad
The Detroit and Pontiac Railroad is a defunct railroad which operated in the state of Michigan during the mid-nineteenth century. It was the sixth railroad to receive a charter from Michigan, then a territory, and the second, after the Erie & Kalamazoo, to actually operate trains.The first attempt...
helped draw settlers in the 1840s. By 1840, Oakland had more than fifty mills. Pontiac, located on the Clinton River, was Oakland's first town and became the county seat. After the Civil War, Oakland was mainly an agricultural county with numerous isolated villages. By the end of the 19th century, three rail lines served Pontiac and the city attracted carriage and wagon factories. Streetcars began moving people in the late 1890s.
Developers turned southern Oakland County into a suburb of Detroit in the 1890s, when a Cincinnati firm platted a section of Royal Oak called "Urbanrest." Migration worked both ways. Several thousand people moved from Oakland County farms to Detroit as the city attracted factories. By 1910, a number of rich Detroiters had summer homes and some year-round residences in what became Bloomfield Hills. The auto age enveloped Pontiac in the early 1900s. The Oakland Motor Car Co. was founded in 1907 and became a part of General Motors Corp., which was soon Pontiac's dominant firm.
In the 1950s, jobs and people began leaving Detroit. Northland Center opened in 1954. Oakland County passed Wayne County in effective buying power by 1961, when it ranked 28th in the nation in household income. It ranked second-highest nationally in per capita
Per capita
Per capita is a Latin prepositional phrase: per and capita . The phrase thus means "by heads" or "for each head", i.e. per individual or per person...
income for counties of more than a million people, behind New York County (Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
). The median price of a home in Oakland County skyrocketed to $164,697, more than $30,000 above the national median.
Government
The county government operates the jail, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers public healthPublic health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners
County commission
A county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
controls the budget but has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships. Oakland County has an elected sheriff, and his or her law-enforcement services are used throughout the county. Fourteen cities/townships do not have municipal police forces, but rather contract with the sheriff for police services specific to the municipalities. For instance, the city of Rochester Hills does not have a "Rochester Hills Police Department," but instead has an established sheriff substation in the city with deputies who are dedicated to that city only. That branch operates as the Oakland County Sheriff's Department, Rochester Hills substation. The sheriff operates in the same manner with other municipalities who opt not to have their own police agencies. This typically is a cost-effective way for municipalities to provide police services to its citizens. The county sheriff also maintains a civil division, marine division, alcohol and traffic enforcement units, and an aviation division.
Roads that are not maintained by a local community (city/village) are maintained by the Road Commission for Oakland County, which is governed by three board members appointed by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
Oakland County elected officials
- County ExecutiveCounty executiveA county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...
: L. Brooks PattersonL. Brooks PattersonLewis Brooks Patterson is serving his fifth term as County Executive of Oakland County, Michigan. Patterson has been a major figure in Michigan politics for more than three decades, noted for his populist conservatism.- Education :...
(RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
) - Prosecuting AttorneyProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
: Jessica R. Cooper (Democrat) - SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
: Mike BouchardMike BouchardMichael J."Mike" Bouchard was a Republican candidate for governor of Michigan and is the sheriff of Oakland County...
(Republican) - County Clerk/Register of Deeds: Bill Bullard, Jr. (Republican)
- County TreasurerTreasurerA treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
: Andy MeisnerAndy MeisnerAndrew Meisner is a politician from Ferndale, Michigan. He is a former Democratic Party member of the Michigan State House of Representatives. He currently serves as the Oakland County Treasurer, having been elected to this position in 2008.-Early life:While in college, Meisner was an aide to...
(Democrat) - Water Resources Commissioner: John P. McCulloch (Republican)
- Board of CommissionersCounty commissionA county commission is a group of elected officials charged with administering the county government in local government in some states of the United States. County commissions are usually made up of three or more individuals...
: 25 members, elected from districts (15 Republicans, 10 Democrats)
Oakland County Commissioners
District 01: Beth Nuccio,
District 02: Robert Hoffman,
District 03: Michael J. Gingell (Chairman of the Board of Commissioners),
District 04: Thomas Middleton,
District 05: John A. Scott,
District 06: Jim Runestad,
District 07: Christine Long,
District 08: Philip J. Weipert,
District 09: Kathy Crawford,
District 10: Mattie M. Hatchett,
District 11: Tim Greimel,
District 12: Jeff Matis,
District 13: Robert Gosselin,
District 14: William Dwyer,
District 15: Jim Nash,
District 16: Shelley G. Taub,
District 17: Marcia Gershenson,
District 18: Dave Woodward,
District 19: Mike Bosnic,
District 20: David W. Potts,
District 21: Janet Jackson,
District 22: Helaine Zack,
District 23: Nancy L. Quarles,
District 24: Gary R. McGillivray,
District 25: Craig Covey
(information as of January 2011)
Politics
| Year | Democrat Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous... |
Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 56.42% 373,270 | 41.94% 277,480 |
| 2004 | 49.75% 319,387 | 49.32% 316,633 |
| 2000 | 49.31% 281,201 | 48.10% 274,319 |
| 1996 | 47.84% 241,884 | 43.48% 219,855 |
| 1992 | 38.64% 214,733 | 43.57% 242,160 |
| 1988 | 37.78% 174,745 | 61.27% 283,359 |
| 1984 | 32.76% 150,286 | 66.71% 306,050 |
| 1980 | 35.58% 164,869 | 54.65% 253,211 |
| 1976 | 39.47% 164,266 | 58.69% 244,271 |
| 1972 | 34.16% 129,400 | 63.78% 241,613 |
| 1968 | 44.76% 154,630 | 45.31% 156,538 |
| 1964 | 61.44% 182,797 | 38.33% 114,025 |
| 1960 | 45.39% 135,531 | 54.27% 162,026 |
Oakland County historically has been a stronghold of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. However, the county contains a sizable number of unaffiliated voters, many of whom have recently favored the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. In the 1990s, Oakland County moved toward the Democratic Party at the national level. Political analyst Michael Barone
Michael Barone (pundit)
Michael Barone is a conservative American political analyst, pundit and journalist. He is best known for being the principal author of The Almanac of American Politics, a reference work concerning US governors and federal politicians, and published biennially by National Journal...
, among others, has theorized that this occurred when cultural issues such as abortion rights and gun control became more salient than economic concerns for more voters, especially affluent suburban women. Democratic presidential candidates won a plurality of the county's vote in 1996, 2000 and 2004, and a majority in 2008 (See chart at right).
In the 111th Congress
111th United States Congress
The One Hundred Eleventh United States Congress was the meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government from January 3, 2009 until January 3, 2011. It began during the last two weeks of the George W. Bush administration, with the remainder spanning the first two years of...
, Oakland County is represented by two Democrats, Gary Peters
Gary Peters (Michigan politician)
Gary Peters is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of Oakland County, a suburban county northwest of Detroit. He previously represented the 14th District in the Michigan Senate, and was a political science professor at...
and Sander Levin, and two Republicans, Thaddeus McCotter and Mike Rogers. Peters was elected for the first time 2008, a victory that was seen as a particular coup for the Democrats as his seat, the 9th
Michigan's 9th Congressional District
Michigan's 9th congressional district is contained within Oakland County in the southeast areas of the state of Michigan and encompasses most of the county. It is the only congressional district to lie entirely within Oakland County....
, had been held by Republicans for over twenty years.
Cities, villages, and townships
Cities
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Huntington Woods, Michigan Huntington Woods is a city in southern Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,238 at the 2010 census. Huntington Woods is an inner suburb of Detroit and is bounded by Ten Mile and Eleven Mile Roads to the north and south, and by Coolidge Highway and Woodward Avenue to... Keego Harbor, Michigan Keego Harbor is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,970 at the 2010 census. The city originated as a real estate investment and planned resort established by Pontiac lawyer Joseph E. Sawyer circa 1900. The name Keego is said to mean "big fish" in an Indian... Lake Angelus, Michigan Lake Angelus is a city in North Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 290, making it Michigan's smallest incorporated city.-Geography:... Lathrup Village, Michigan Lathrup Village is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,075 at the 2010 census. This city is completely surrounded by the city of Southfield. The I-696 / Reuther Freeway goes through nearly the east-west center of town, and Southfield Road goes nearly... Madison Heights, Michigan Madison Heights is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, its population was 29,694.- History :... Novi, Michigan Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located... Oak Park, Michigan As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile... Orchard Lake Village, Michigan Orchard Lake Village is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a small, exclusive suburb on the outskirts of Metro Detroit. The population was 2,375 at the 2010 census.... Pleasant Ridge, Michigan Pleasant Ridge is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,526 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.-History:... |
Pontiac, Michigan Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County... (county seat County seat A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States.... ) Rochester, Michigan Rochester is an affluent city in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the northern outskirts of metro Detroit. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census... Rochester Hills, Michigan Rochester Hills is an affluent city in northeast Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 70,995. The city of Rochester is bounded on the north, south, and west by Rochester Hills... Royal Oak, Michigan Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby.... South Lyon, Michigan South Lyon is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 11,327 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the South Lyon-Howell-Brighton Urban Area, which had a population of 106,139 according to the 2000 census... Southfield, Michigan According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road... Sylvan Lake, Michigan Sylvan Lake is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,720 at the 2010 census. It borders Pontiac, the county seat, northeast.-Geography:... Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County... 1 Walled Lake, Michigan Walled Lake is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,999 at the 2010 census.-Origins of the name:The town's name is said to have been given by the first Euro-American settler, Walter Hewitt, in 1825... Wixom, Michigan Wixom is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 13,498 at the 2010 census. The city was home to the former Wixom Assembly Plant, which produced the Lincoln LS, the Ford Thunderbird, the Ford GT, and the Lincoln Town Car... |
1In the 2000 Census, Farmington Hills was the most populous city in the county. As of the 2005 Census estimates, Troy is now the most populous city.
2As of 2004, Hazel Park was the second most densely populated city in the state, succeeding Royal Oak Charter Township
Royal Oak Charter Township, Michigan
Royal Oak Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,419. The nearby city of Royal Oak is legally separate from the township.Until 2004, the...
after a portion of the township was annexed into Oak Park
Oak Park, Michigan
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,793 people, 11,104 households, and 7,595 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,863.8 persons per square mile . There were 11,370 housing units at an average density of 2,263.9 per square mile...
.
Villages
- Beverly HillsBeverly Hills, MichiganBeverly Hills is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,267.-Geography:...
- Bingham FarmsBingham Farms, MichiganBingham Farms is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,111 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
- FranklinFranklin, MichiganFranklin is a village in Southfield Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,150 at the 2010 census. The community is known for large, estate-style homes situated on ravines, as well as its vintage downtown and cider mill....
- HollyHolly, MichiganHolly is a village in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,086 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Holly Township. It is about south of Flint and northwest of Detroit.- Demographics :...
- Lake OrionLake Orion, MichiganLake Orion is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,973 at the 2010 census. "Lake Orion" is often used to describe both the village and the much larger Orion Township, of which the village is a part....
- LeonardLeonard, MichiganLeonard is a village in Addison Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 403 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.-Demographics:...
- MilfordMilford, MichiganMilford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,175 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Milford Township.- Geography :...
- OrtonvilleOrtonville, MichiganOrtonville is a village in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The village is within Brandon Township, although some development near the village lies within adjacent Groveland Township...
- OxfordOxford, MichiganOxford is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township. The village occupies one square mile and is both politically and geographically a part of the township. The village calls itself...
- Wolverine LakeWolverine Lake, MichiganWolverine Lake is a village in Commerce Township, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,312 at the 2010 census. It is named after the wolverine, from which Michigan acquired its unofficial nickname of Wolverine State....
Townships
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Oakland Charter Township, Michigan Oakland Charter Township is a charter township on the north Oakland County outskirts of Metro Detroit, in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is usually referred to as "Oakland Township". The population was 16,779 at the 2010 census... Orion Township, Michigan Orion Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 35,394 at the 2010 census. The official motto of the township and village is "Where living is a vacation". Orion Township contains the much smaller village of Lake Orion... Oxford Charter Township, Michigan Oxford Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,526 at the 2010 census. The village of Oxford is located within the township and is geographically and politically a part of the township.... Pontiac Township, Michigan Pontiac Township is a defunct civil township in Oakland County, Michigan, USA. The area consisted of what is now the cities of Pontiac, Auburn Hills, and Lake Angelus.... * Rose Township, Oakland County, Michigan Rose Township is a civil township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 6,250 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 3.71%, is water.-Demographics:As of the census of... Royal Oak Charter Township, Michigan Royal Oak Charter Township is a charter township of Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit and is part of the Metro Detroit area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,419. The nearby city of Royal Oak is legally separate from the township.Until 2004, the... Southfield Township, Michigan Southfield Township is a civil township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 14,547 at the 2010 census.The cities of Lathrup Village and Southfield are autonomous municipalities and are no longer part of the township. The township shares some responsibilities with the... Springfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan Springfield Township is a charter township of Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 13,940... Waterford Township, Michigan Waterford Charter Township is a charter township in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 71,707.-History:... West Bloomfield Township, Michigan West Bloomfield Charter Township is an affluent charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 64,690. As of 2008, West Bloomfield Township was ranked the 8th highest income city in the... White Lake Township, Michigan White Lake Charter Township is a charter township of north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, it is part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 30,019... |
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Rochester Hills is an affluent city in northeast Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 70,995. The city of Rochester is bounded on the north, south, and west by Rochester Hills...
; Farmington to the City of Farmington Hills
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Farmington Hills is a community in southeastern Michigan. It is the largest city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Its population was 79,740 at the 2010 census...
; Pontiac to the City of Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan
Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County...
, City of Lake Angelus and City of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
; and Troy to the City of Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
. For survey purposes, these areas are still referred to by the assigned township name.
Air
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County AirportDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport....
(RomulusRomulus, MichiganRomulus is a suburban city of Metro Detroit, located in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 23,989 at the 2010 census, an increase from 22,979 in 2000. Romulus is home to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and a General Motors plant that opened in 1976...
) - Major commercial airport, hub for Delta Air LinesDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and Spirit AirlinesSpirit AirlinesSpirit Airlines is a United States ultra low-cost carrier operating scheduled flights throughout the Americas. The airline is headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit currently maintains a base in Fort Lauderdale, Florida...
; located in Wayne County. - Flint-Bishop International Airport(FNT)Bishop International AirportBishop International Airport is an airport located in the city of Flint, Michigan. The third busiest airport in Michigan, it surpassed competitor MBS International Airport in terms of airline operations in 2002. In 2007, 1,072,420 passengers used Bishop Airport, followed by a slight drop to...
(FlintFlint, MichiganFlint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
) - Commercial airport, which is located in neighboring Genesee County. - Coleman A. Young International Airport (DET)Coleman A. Young International AirportColeman A. Young International Airport , also known as Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport, is a public use airport located five nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Detroit, in Wayne County, Michigan, United States...
(Detroit) - General aviation only. This airport is in neighboring Wayne County in the city of Detroit. - Oakland County International Airport (PTK)Oakland County International AirportOakland County International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located in Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The airport is five nautical miles west of the central business district of Pontiac....
Waterford TownshipWaterford Township, MichiganWaterford Charter Township is a charter township in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 71,707.-History:...
) - Charter passenger facility.
Major highways
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(Walter P. Chrysler Walter Chrysler Walter Percy Chrysler was an American machinist, railroad mechanic and manager, automotive industry executive, Freemason, and founder of the Chrysler Corporation.- Railroad career :... Freeway) is the main north-south route in the region, serving Flint, Pontiac, Troy, and Detroit, before continuing south (as the Fisher and Detoit-Toledo Freeways) to serve many of the communities along the shore of Lake Erie Lake Erie Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the... . |
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runs northwest-southeast through Oakland County and (as the Jeffries Freeway) has its eastern terminus in downtown Detroit. |
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runs north-south from I-75 in the south to the junction of I-96 and I-696 in the north, providing a bypass through the western suburbs of Detroit. |
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(Walter P. Reuther Walter Reuther Walter Philip Reuther was an American labor union leader, who made the United Automobile Workers a major force not only in the auto industry but also in the Democratic Party in the mid 20th century... Freeway) runs east-west from the junction of I-96 and I-275, providing a route through the northern suburbs of Detroit. Taken together, I-275 and I-696 form a semicircle around Detroit. |
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US-24 U.S. Route 24 U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near... ends north of Pontiac at I-75. To the south, US 24 serves suburban Detroit and Monroe Monroe, Michigan Monroe is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 20,733 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but both are politically independent. The city is located approximately 14 miles ... before entering Ohio Ohio Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... . Much of US 24 in Oakland County is named Telegraph Road Telegraph Road (Michigan) In the U.S. state of Michigan, US Highway 24 , also known as Telegraph Road, is a major north–south state trunkline highway; it is mostly divided highway. The total length is approximately and is signed as US 24 in its entirety... (US 24), and it is a major north-south road extending from Toledo, Ohio Toledo, Ohio Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan... through Monroe, Wayne, and Oakland Counties to Pontiac Pontiac, Michigan Pontiac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan named after the Ottawa Chief Pontiac, located within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 59,515. It is the county seat of Oakland County... . It gained notoriety in a song (Telegraph Road) by the group Dire Straits Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band active from 1977 to 1995, composed of Mark Knopfler , his younger brother David Knopfler , John Illsley , and Pick Withers .Dire Straits' sound drew from a variety of musical influences, including jazz, folk, blues, and came closest... . |
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M-1 M-1 (Michigan highway) M-1, commonly known as Woodward Avenue, named for Augustus B. Woodward, is a north–south state trunkline in the US state of Michigan. Until a few years ago, the northern terminus of M-1 was at BL I-75 and BUS US 24 in Bloomfield Township between the city limits of Bloomfield Hills and... (Woodward Avenue) has a northern terminus in Pontiac. The route continues southerly from Oakland County into the City of Detroit, ending downtown. The Detroit Zoo is located along M-1 in Oakland County. M-1 is also home to the Woodward Dream Cruise Woodward Dream Cruise The Woodward Dream Cruise event is a classic car event held annually on the third Saturday of August in Metropolitan Detroit, along Woodward Avenue. The WDC Event spans much of the avenue, from Pontiac through Ferndale in Oakland County, Michigan, all the way to the State Fair Grounds inside the... , a classic-car cruise from Pontiac to Ferndale Ferndale, Michigan Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north.... that is held in August. It is the largest single-day classic-car cruise in America. |
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M-5 M-5 (Michigan highway) M-5 is a highway in the metro Detroit area of the US state of Michigan.-Route description:M-5's eastern terminus is at the junction of Grand River Avenue and Interstate 96 in western Detroit... |
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M-10 M-10 (Michigan highway) M-10, is a state trunkline route in the US state of Michigan. The southernmost portion follows Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit, and the southern terminus is at the intersection of Jefferson and Randolph Street leading to the entrance to the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel... : The John C. Lodge Freeway runs largely parallel to I-75 from Southfield to downtown Detroit. |
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M-15 M-15 (Michigan highway) M-15 is a north–south state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan. The southern terminus is a junction with US Highway 24 just south of Clarkston on the northwestern edge of the Detroit metropolitan area. The trunkline is a recreational route running north and northwest to the... (Ortonville Road, Main St. in Clarkston) |
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M-24 M-24 (Michigan highway) M-24 is a state trunkline highway in the U.S. state of Michigan that extends through Southeast Michigan, from northeast Auburn Hills to Unionville. It starts at an interchange with Interstate 75 and ends where it merges with M-25... (Lapeer Road) has a southern terminus at I-75 north of Pontiac. To the north, the route continues to Lapeer Lapeer, Michigan Lapeer is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Lapeer County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,841. Most of the city was incorporated from land that was formerly in Lapeer Township, though portions were also annexed from Mayfield Township and Elba... and beyond. Note: M-24 and US 24 do not intersect at present, although this was the case until the 1950s. |
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M-39 M-39 (Michigan highway) M-39 is a state highway in the US state of Michigan that runs from Lincoln Park to Southfield. The southern terminus of M-39 is at the corner of Southfield Road and Lafayette Boulevard in Lincoln Park, one block southeast of the junction of I-75 and two blocks northwest of M-85... : The Southfield Freeway runs north-south from Southfield to Allen Park from I-94. North of 10 Mile Road, the freeway ends and continues as Southfield Road into Birmingham. |
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M-59 M-59 (Michigan highway) M-59 is an east–west state trunkline highway that crosses the northern part of Metropolitan Detroit in the US state of Michigan. It runs between Howell at Interstate 96 and I-94 on the Chesterfield Township – Harrison Township line near the Selfridge Air National Guard Base... (Highland Road [from Pontiac westerly], Huron Street [within Pontiac] and Veterans Memorial Freeway [Pontiac to Utica Utica, Michigan Utica is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,577 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 4,924.- History :... ]), continues east in Macomb County as Hall Road to Clinton Township Clinton Charter Township, Michigan The Charter Township of Clinton, usually referred to as Clinton Township, is a charter township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a part of Metro Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 96,796, and is Michigan's most populous township... and west to I-96 near Howell Howell, Michigan Howell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township... |
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M-102 M-102 (Michigan highway) M-102 is a state trunkline in the US state of Michigan, running along the northern boundary of Detroit. It is known as 8 Mile Road for most of its length. As part of the land surveying of the state, the road follows the Michigan Baseline, and it is called Base Line Road in places. M-102 is the... Perhaps better known as 8 Mile Road, M-102 follows the Oakland/Wayne County boundary line for most of its length. 8 Mile Road, known by many due to the film 8 Mile 8 Mile (film) 8 Mile is a 2002 American hip-hop drama film written by Scott Silver, directed by Curtis Hanson, and starring Eminem, Mekhi Phifer, Brittany Murphy, and Kim Basinger.... , forms the dividing line between Detroit on the south and the suburbs of Macomb and Oakland counties on the north. It is also known as Baseline Road outside of Detroit, because it coincides with the baseline Baseline (surveying) In the United States Public Land Survey System, a baseline is the principal east-west line that divides survey townships between north and south. The baseline meets its corresponding meridian at the point of origin, or initial point, for the land survey... used in surveying Michigan; that baseline is also the boundary for a number of Michigan counties, as well as the boundary for Illinois Illinois Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,... and Wisconsin Wisconsin Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is... . It is designated as M-102 M-102 (Michigan highway) M-102 is a state trunkline in the US state of Michigan, running along the northern boundary of Detroit. It is known as 8 Mile Road for most of its length. As part of the land surveying of the state, the road follows the Michigan Baseline, and it is called Base Line Road in places. M-102 is the... for much of its length in Wayne County. |
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M-150 M-150 (Michigan highway) M-150 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that runs through Rochester. It is more commonly known as Rochester Road, or Main Street through Downtown Rochester. The northern terminus is at Tienken Road, and its southern terminus is at the M-59 expressway... (Rochester Road) serves as a spur highway from M-59 into the city of Rochester. |
Other major roads
- Grand River AvenueGrand River AvenueUS Highway 16 , also called Grand River Avenue for much of its length, is one of the principal pre-Interstate roads in the state of Michigan. Before the creation of the United States Numbered Highway System in 1926, the highway had been designated M-16...
connects the suburbs of Brighton, Novi, and Farmington to downtown Detroit. The avenue follows the route of old U.S. Route 16U.S. Route 16U.S. Route 16 is an east–west United States Highway between Rapid City, South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming....
, before I-96 replaced it in 1962. It is one of the five roads planned by Judge August Woodward to radiate out from Detroit and connect the city to other parts of the state.
Mile roads
- Surface-street navigation in metro Detroit is commonly anchored by "mile roads," major east-west surface streets that are spaced at one-mile (1.6 km) intervals and increment as one travels north and away from the city center. Mile roads sometimes have two names, the numeric name (e.g., 15 Mile Road), used in Macomb County, and a local name (e.g., Maple Road), used in Oakland County (for the most part).
Bicycling
The conditions on most non-residential roads in Oakland County are not favorable to bicycling. Exceptions to this are primarily in the inner-ring suburbs within the southeast corner of the county. This is due to their street gridGrid plan
The grid plan, grid street plan or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid...
.
A primary reason for these unfavorable cycling conditions is the Road Commission for Oakland County has a policy of not accommodating bicycles on the road. As a result, some communities have designated sidepaths (locally called "safety paths") as bike routes which do not meet the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
(AASHTO) guidelines for bicycling facilities and have been found to be less safe than on-road bike facilities.
As a result, there are no designated Bicycle Friendly Communities within Oakland County.
Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
, Berkley
Berkley, Michigan
Berkley is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 14,970.-Downtown, Dream Cruise, etc.:...
, Clawson
Clawson, Michigan
Clawson is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,825.-Geography:...
, and Ferndale
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
have passed Complete Streets
Complete streets
In U.S. urban planning and highway engineering, complete streets are roadways designed and operated to enable safe, attractive, and comfortable access and travel for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and public transport users of all ages and abilities...
resolutions or ordinances. Only the city of Ferndale
Ferndale, Michigan
Ferndale is adjacent to the cities of Detroit to the south, Oak Park to the west, Hazel Park to the east, Pleasant Ridge to the north, Royal Oak Township to the southwest, and Royal Oak to the north....
has a comprehensive bicycle network. The city of Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
has developed the first non-motorized plan within the county but it has not been adopted by their city council (as of October 2010.) Royal Oak
Royal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
and Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
are currently developing non-motorized plans.
Programs
Oakland County Community and Home Improvement DivisionFunded through The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) primarily in the form of Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), this program benefits low to moderate income residents of the 50 communities in Oakland County's program. CDBG funds are used to keep residential neighborhoods sound, attractive, and economically viable.
One facet of the program involves distributing low-interest, deferred-payment loans to homeowners in participating communities to update their residences. Oakland County technicians inspect approved homes and write up work specifications, which are then bid out to approximately six contractors. After bidding, homeowners may either approve the lowest bidder or pay the difference between the lowest bidder and the contractor of their choice.
Oakland County Homebuyer Program For Vacant Foreclosed Properties
Oakland County's Homebuyer Program for vacant foreclosed properties is part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) created by the U.S. Congress in 2008 for redeveloping and occupying abandoned and foreclosed homes. NSP is funded through The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Community Planning and Development under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and locally administered by the staff at the Oakland County Community & Home Improvement Division.
Oakland County's Homebuyer Program provides homebuyers loans for down payment assistance, closing costs, home improvements for eligible vacant foreclosed single family homes located within participating Oakland County communities.
Oakland County Main Street Program
Oakland County established the first county-level Main Street program in the U.S. in February 2000.
Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) is housed within the Planning Group of the Planning & Economic Development Services Division of Oakland County's Department of Community & Economic Development. Oakland County is now a partner with the National Trust's Main Street Center and contracts with them for services to the county and local communities.
MSOC ...
- empowers Oakland County's traditional downtowns to establish and/or maintain successful, comprehensive, ongoing revitalization programs;
- builds a greater awareness of the economic and quality of life importance of revitalizing and maintaining the county's historic commercial districts;
- provides the stakeholders of Oakland County's traditional downtowns with technical assistance and training resources;
- provides information about downtown revitalization to the county's communities, business organizations, and residents;
- assists communities in implementing the "Main Street Four Point Approach" to downtown management in each of the county's traditional downtowns and corridors;
- facilitates networking and communication between communities about downtown revitalization;
- provides information about county business finance programs and other economic development resources to existing downtown businesses and to those considering downtown locations;
- monitors and measures progress and success in local downtown revitalization efforts; and
- assists each of the county's 30 traditional downtowns and town centers to help them realize their full economic development potential while preserving their sense of place.
MSOC is currently working with 12 downtowns in Oakland County. These communities were selected after a detailed application process in which they demonstrated their readiness and commitment to participating in the National Trust Main Street program.
Oakland County's Main Street Communities
| Farmington | Keego Harbor | Pontiac |
| Ferndale | Lake Orion | Rochester |
| Highland | Ortonville | Royal Oak |
| Holly | Oxford | Walled Lake |
Higher education
Oakland County is home to several institutions of higher education.Baker College of Auburn Hills, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Auburn Hills is a city in Metro Detroit, Oakland County, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. The city was formed in 1983 when Pontiac Township became the City of Auburn Hills.-Economy:...
, has a current enrollment of approximately 5,000 students. Baker College of Auburn Hills is part of the nine campus Baker College System.
Oakland University
Oakland University
Oakland University is a public university co-founded by Matilda Dodge Wilson and John A. Hannah whose campus is located in central Oakland County, Michigan, United States in the cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills. It is the only major research university in Oakland County, from which OU...
, located in Rochester
Rochester, Michigan
Rochester is an affluent city in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the northern outskirts of metro Detroit. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census...
, is a research university with more than 18,000 students. Rated as one of the country's 82 Doctoral/Research universities by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, OU announced plans in the spring of 2007 to establish a medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
on its campus in collaboration with William Beaumont Hospital
William Beaumont Hospital
Beaumont Hospital is a regional medical system in the greater Detroit, Michigan area. It first opened with a 238 bed hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan in 1955...
. The medical school, which will be the fourth in the state of Michigan to offer the M.D. degree, is slated to open in the fall of 2011 or winter of 2012. OU has also partnered with The Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Thomas M. Cooley Law School
Thomas M. Cooley Law School is an American Bar Association accredited law school in the United States. Located in Michigan, its main campus is in Lansing, and its satellite campuses are in Ann Arbor, Auburn Hills, and Grand Rapids. Cooley plans on opening another satellite campus in Tampa Bay,...
which operates one of its campuses near OU, to provide a legal curriculum.
Lawrence Technological University
Lawrence Technological University
Lawrence Technological University, also known as Lawrence Tech or simply LTU, is a private university located in Southfield, Michigan. The school offers undergraduate, masters, and doctoral programs in engineering, science, mathematics, architecture, graphic design, and business...
, located in Southfield
Southfield, Michigan
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which 0.04% is water. The main branch of the River Rouge runs through Southfield. The city is bounded to the south by Eight Mile Road, its western border is Inkster Road, and to the east it is bounded by Greenfield Road...
, has a current enrollment of approximately 4,000 students. Lawrence Tech, which was originally founded in 1932 as Lawrence Institute of Technology, is consistently ranked in the top tier of Midwestern Master's Universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
rankings.
Rochester College
Rochester College
Rochester College is a four-year, liberal arts college located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The college was founded by members of Churches of Christ in 1959. Total enrollment for the fall 2011 semester is 1,084 students....
, located in Rochester
Rochester, Michigan
Rochester is an affluent city in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan on the northern outskirts of metro Detroit. The population was 12,711 at the 2010 census...
, has a current enrollment of approximately 1,000 students. Affiliated with the Churches of Christ, Rochester College offers a variety of academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences, business, and education.
South University
South University
South University is a proprietary university owned by Education Management Corporation with programs in business, health care, design, and legal and criminal justice, operating at locations in Savannah, Georgia; Round Rock, Texas; Columbia, South Carolina; Montgomery, Alabama; Novi, Michigan; Glen...
has a new campus in Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
on Twelve Mile Road just east of Twelve Oaks Mall
Twelve Oaks Mall
Twelve Oaks Mall is a super-regional shopping mall with over 180 stores located in Novi, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The mall is located on the Northeast corner of Interstate 96 and Novi Road. Taubman Centers is the owner and manager of the mall, and it is anchored by Macy's, Lord & Taylor,...
.
Walsh College, officially Walsh College of Accountancy and Business, has campuses in Troy
Troy, Michigan
Troy is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and is a suburb of Detroit. The population was 80,980 at the 2010 census, making it the 11th-largest city in Michigan by population, and the largest city in Oakland County...
, Novi
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
, and in Macomb County
Macomb County, Michigan
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 788,149 people, 309,203 households, and 210,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,640 people per square mile . There were 320,276 housing units at an average density of 667 per square mile...
.
Oakland Community College
Oakland Community College
Oakland Community College is a community college established June 8, 1964 in Oakland County, Michigan. It opened September 1965 with two campuses - Highland Lakes, a renovated hospital in Union Lake, and Auburn Hills, a former Army Nike missile site in Auburn Hills.OCC is the largest of Michigan's...
, which is one of Michigan's largest community colleges, operates five campuses throughout Oakland County: Orchard Ridge, Auburn Hills, Southfield, Highland Lakes, and Royal Oak.
Primary and secondary education
Many of the public school districts in Oakland County have multiple "National Exemplary" Schools. The International AcademyInternational Academy
The International Academy, or IA, is a high school located in Bloomfield Hills, Oakland County, Michigan, with additional campuses in White Lake Township, Michigan and Troy, Michigan. It is a public, tuition-free school of choice for students across Oakland County...
(IA), which is part of the Bloomfield Hills School District
Bloomfield Hills School District
Bloomfield Hills School District is a school district in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was founded in the 1950s. BHSD has ranked among the best school systems in Michigan multiple times.-Schools:*Wing Lake Developmental Center...
, has been ranked by Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
as one of the top 10 public high schools in the nation every year since 2003, when IA was ranked the top public high school in the United States.
Oakland County also is home to a number of well-known private schools, including the Detroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School
Detroit Country Day School is a private, secular school located in four campuses in Oakland County, Michigan, north of Detroit. The administrative offices, facility services, safety and security services, and the upper school are located in a campus in Beverly Hills, along with the middle school...
, Orchard Lake St. Mary's Preparatory, Detroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school in Novi, Michigan. Founded in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the school is operated by the Congregation of St. Basil...
, Brother Rice High School
Brother Rice High School (Michigan)
Brother Rice High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys non-residential college prep school with approximately 700 students located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan . Until 1993 its address was in neighboring Birmingham, Michigan's postal district. In 1993 the U.S...
, the Cranbrook Schools
Cranbrook Schools
Cranbrook Schools is a private, PK–12 school located on a campus in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The schools comprise a co-educational elementary school, a middle school with separate schools for boys and girls, and a co-educational high school with boarding facilities...
, Notre Dame Preparatory, Everest Academy
Everest Catholic High School
Everest Academy and High School is a private, independent Roman Catholic school offering co-ed education for preschool through grade 2, and gender-specific education for grades 3 to high school on a campus near Clarkston, Michigan, United States. The high school opened to 9th grade students in...
, Eagle Creek Academy, and the Roeper School.
Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Pistons Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where... |
National Basketball Association National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada... |
The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association... |
1958 (moved to the Palace in 1988) | 3 |
| Detroit Shock Detroit Shock The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion... |
Womens National Basketball Association | Moved to Oklahoma, October 2009 | 1998 | 3 |
| Oakland County Cruisers Oakland County Cruisers The Oakland County Cruisers were a professional baseball team based in Waterford Township, Michigan, in the United States. They are a member of the East Division of the Frontier League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball.... |
FL Frontier League The Frontier League, based in Sauget, Illinois, is a professional, independent baseball organization located in the Midwestern United States, Western Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. It operates mostly in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is not affiliated with either... , Baseball |
Diamond at the Summit Diamond at the Summit Diamond at the Summit is a tentative name of the new ballpark in Waterford Township, Michigan that is currently in the planning stages. It will be primarily used for baseball and will be the home of the Oakland County Cruisers of the Frontier League. The ballpark will have a capacity of 3,900... |
2009 | 0 |
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Oakland County, Michigan
- Oakland County Child KillerOakland County Child KillerThe Oakland County Child Killer was an unidentified serial killer responsible for the murders of four or more children in Oakland County, Michigan, United States in 1976 and 1977...
- Saginaw TrailSaginaw trailSaginaw Trail is the collective name for a set of connected roads in Southeastern Michigan that runs from Detroit to Saginaw through Pontiac and Flint. It was originally a tribal foot trail. On December 7, 1818 the Michigan Territorial government authorized the building of a road from Detroit to...
External links
- Oakland County
- Map of Oakland County
- An Account of Oakland County edited by Lillian Drake Avery. Dayton, Ohio: National Historical Association, Inc., [1925?]
- Clarke Historical Library, Central Michigan University, Bibliography on Oakland County
- Automation Alley
- Main Street Oakland County
- Oakland County Home Improvement Division