🌅 Immigration Positively Impacts Economies

Sunrise Stat
June 10, 2025

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Detroit’s population grew 1.1% in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of growth after nearly 70 years of decline. The increase pushed the city from the 27th to 26th largest in the U.S., surpassing Portland, Oregon.

Experts say one factor in Detroit’s success has been its intentional effort to attract and settle immigrants in the city. Detroit and other former immigrant gateway metro areas, like Cleveland, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and St. Louis, Missouri, experienced significant population increases in the early 20th century as immigrants chased American expansion and opportunity. The population booms were then followed by prolonged periods of decline as immigration and economic patterns shifted.

Despite today’s political rhetoric, research consistently shows immigration has a positive impact on economies, leading to more innovation, a better educated workforce, and higher overall economic productivity. Evidence also suggests that while immigration indeed contributes to greater housing demand, it has a far weaker impact on the U.S. housing crisis than factors like persistent housing shortages, restrictive zoning laws, and Americans’ shifting housing preferences.