By the Numbers

Large Income Gaps Persist Across Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Region

WHAT IT SHOWS: 

• In 2024, real median household income gains were concentrated among Asian and white households (about +4%), while Hispanic or Latino (–4.5%) and Black (–3.3%) households experienced real income declines despite overall regional growth of 2.2% year over year.

• The median income of Asian households exceeded that of Black households by approximately $75,000, while the gap between white and Black households was roughly $40,500. The difference between white and Hispanic or Latino households was about $14,800, and Hispanic or Latino households earned approximately $25,700 more than Black households on average.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• Income inequality can constrain workforce participation and economic activity, undermining the Region’s long‑term competitiveness and its ability to attract talent and investment.

Explore more Median Household Income data on the Chamber’s Detroit Data

Overall Unemployment Stable, but Black Unemployment Remains High

• Unemployment outcomes varied substantially by race and ethnicity. Asian and white workers experienced relatively low unemployment rates at 4% in 2024. Hispanic or Latino workers reported an unemployment rate of 5%, unchanged from the prior year and aligned with the regional average.
• Black or African American workers faced an unemployment rate of 10% in 2024, double the regional average and one percentage point higher than in 2023. This persistent gap highlights continued disparities in labor market outcomes, even in a period of relatively stable overall unemployment.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• The unemployment rate measures the percentage of people aged 16 and older who are not working but are available and actively seeking employment. Reducing unemployment helps close economic gaps, lower poverty, and ensure the Region fully leverages its workforce.

Explore more Unemployment by Race data on the Chamber’s Detroit Data Center

Black or African American Workers Had the Lowest Participation Rate in 2024

WHAT IT SHOWS:

• Asian workers led participation at 69% in 2024, up from 2023, while Hispanic or Latino participation held steady at 67%. Participation edged down among white and Black workers by one percentage point each. Labor force participation was lowest among Black or African American workers, at 60% in 2024.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• The labor force participation rate measures the percentage of the working-age population that is either employed or actively seeking employment. A high participation rate indicates that a larger proportion of the population is actively contributing to the economy through employment.

Explore more Labor Participation Rates by Race data on the Chamber’s Detroit Data Center   

Poverty Remains Elevated and Deeply Unequal Among Racial and Ethnic Groups

WHAT IT SHOWS:

• Black or African American residents experience the highest poverty rate at 26% in 2024, more than double the rate for white and Asian residents (10%). Hispanic or Latino residents also face elevated poverty at 20%, twice the rate of white residents.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• Gaps in poverty rates point to unequal access to employment, wages, and economic opportunity, factors that directly affect labor force participation and talent availability.
• Black and Hispanic families consistently experience higher levels of poverty, especially when compared with their white counterparts. Ongoing factors like decades of disinvestment in social programs, discriminatory hiring practices, and disparities in generational wealth have also contributed to poverty.

Explore more Poverty Rates by Race on the Chamber’s Detroit Data Center

Educational Attainment Among Black or African American Adults Remains Unchanged from the Previous Year

WHAT IT SHOWS:

• Educational attainment in the Detroit MSA increased slightly from 44% in 2023 to 45% in 2024. Black or African American adults were the only group with no year‑over‑year increase, remaining at 30%, highlighting a persistent gap in degree attainment despite broader gains.
• Asian adults in the Region were most likely to hold an associate degree or higher (74%).

WHY IT MATTERS:

• Higher‑wage jobs increasingly demand advanced skills and education. Closing the persistent racial gaps in educational attainment is essential for strengthening the Region’s workforce.
• Chamber programs like the Detroit Promise, which offers tuition-free college access for Detroit high school graduates; Detroit Reconnect, which helps adults pursue higher education; and Detroit Drives Degrees, which works on reaching 60% postsecondary attainment in the Region while cutting the equity gap in half.

Explore more Educational Attainment by Race data on the Chamber’s Detroit Data Center

Black or African American Homeownership Remains Among the Lowest in the Region

WHAT IT SHOWS:

• In 2024, Black households in the Region owned homes at a rate of 48%, compared with a national Black homeownership rate of 45%. Yet, Black residents face a disproportionately greater barrier to homeownership compared with the regional average (71%) which is 23 percentage points higher.
• The homeownership gap between white and Black residents remains substantial. In 2024, 80% of white households owned their homes compared with just 48% of Black households—a 32‑point gap.

WHY IT MATTERS:

• Homeownership can be a critical pathway to economic security and mobility. Income gaps among races, along with discriminatory housing policies such as redlining, have prevented generations of Black or African Americans from purchasing homes and increasing wealth.

Explore more Home Ownership by Race on the Chamber’s Detroit Data Center