Southeast Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Southeast Michigan
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Metro Detroit lies within southeast Michigan.
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Michigan |
Southeast Michigan is a very important part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It's where many of Michigan's businesses and factories are located. More than half of the state's people live here, especially around Metro Detroit.
Contents
Exploring Southeast Michigan's Geography
This region is surrounded by water. To the northeast, you'll find Lake St. Clair. To the southeast, there's Lake Erie. The Detroit River connects these two large lakes.
Main Cities in Southeast Michigan
Here are some of the most important cities in Southeast Michigan:
- Detroit: This is Michigan's biggest city. It's also the main city for Wayne County.
- Mount Clemens: This city is the main one for Macomb County.
- Pontiac: This is the main city for Oakland County.
Other Key Cities in the Core Area
Many other important cities are found in the main counties of Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne. These include:
- Birmingham
- Dearborn
- Livonia
- Novi
- Romulus: This city is home to the Detroit Metro Airport.
- Royal Oak
- Southfield
- Sterling Heights: This is the fourth-largest city in Michigan by population.
- Troy
- Warren: This is the third-largest city in Michigan. It's home to the General Motors Technical Center and important U.S. Army facilities.
- West Bloomfield Township
Cities on the Edge of the Region
Some cities are part of Southeast Michigan but also connect to other areas. They might feel a bit separate from the main counties of Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne.
- Adrian: This is the main city for Lenawee County. It's also home to Adrian College and Siena Heights University.
- Ann Arbor: This city is the main one for Washtenaw County. It's famous for the main campus of the University of Michigan.
- Hillsdale: This city is the main one for Hillsdale County. It's located between the southeast and southwest parts of the state.
- Howell: This city is the main one for Livingston County. It's located between Metro Detroit and the Greater Lansing areas.
- Jackson: This city is the main one for Jackson County. It's also sometimes considered part of Greater Lansing.
- Monroe: This city is the main one for Monroe County.
- Port Huron: This city is the main one for St. Clair County. It's also considered part of the Thumb region.
- Saline: A community located in Washtenaw County.
- Ypsilanti: A community in Washtenaw County. It's home to the main campus of Eastern Michigan University.
Understanding the Metropolitan Area
The Metro Detroit area had about 4.5 million people in 2010. This made it one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The Ann Arbor area is also a significant metropolitan area.
The U.S. Census Bureau groups several counties together. This larger area is called the Detroit–Ann Arbor–Flint Combined Statistical Area (CSA). It includes parts of Southeast Michigan, the Thumb, and Flint/Tri-Cities. This combined area has over 5.4 million people.
Counties in the Combined Statistical Area
Here are the counties that make up this large combined area:
- Genesee County
- Lapeer County
- Lenawee County
- Livingston County*
- Macomb County*
- Monroe County*
- Oakland County*
- Saint Clair County*
- Washtenaw County*
- Wayne County*
The counties marked with an asterisk (*) are also part of the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG).
Southeast Michigan's Economy
The main economic activity in Southeast Michigan is making cars. Cities like Warren, Sterling Heights, Dearborn, and Detroit are major car manufacturing hubs. Detroit is even called "Motor City" or "Motown" because of this.
Other important economic activities include banking and various service industries. Most people in Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties live in cities or towns. In recent years, more people have moved to areas like Canton and Clinton.
The metropolitan area also has some of the best hospitals and medical centers. These include the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), Henry Ford Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, and the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor.
There's a plan for a regional train system called SEMCOG Commuter Rail. It would connect Ann Arbor and Detroit.
The Detroit Metro Airport is the busiest airport in the area. It's located in Romulus.
While manufacturing and services are key, some farming still happens. In rural parts of Saint Clair County, Monroe, and Livingston Counties, farmers grow crops. These include corn, sugar beets, soy beans, other types of beans, and fruits. Romeo and northern Macomb County are well-known for their apple and peach orchards.
Media in Southeast Michigan
This region has many ways for people to get news and entertainment.
Radio Stations
Most major Detroit radio stations, like WJR and WWJ, can be heard throughout Southeast Michigan. Smaller cities like Port Huron, Howell, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti, Adrian, and Monroe also have their own local radio stations. You can also listen to National Public Radio (NPR) from Ann Arbor on Michigan Radio WUOM 91.7 FM and from Detroit on WDET-FM 101.9 FM.
Television Channels
Here are some of the main television stations in the area:
- WJBK Fox 2 Detroit (part of Fox)
- WXYZ Channel 7 (part of ABC)
- WDIV Local 4 (part of NBC)
- WWJ-TV CBS 62 (part of CBS)
- WKBD CW 50 (part of CW)
Newspapers
You can find daily newspapers like the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News all over the area.
