On Wednesday, March 25, regional leaders gathered at the 2026 State of the Region to hear a targeted analysis of the Detroit Region’s key economic metrics and where it ranks among its peers in areas such as the labor market, population, and economic growth during a presentation of the 12th annual State of the Region report.
The data reveals some stark realities about where the state and Region stand in key economic measures like per capita income and educational attainment. The declines have been swift, and demand attention from government, business, and community leaders. While no state has fallen harder and faster than Michigan, the decline has been in process for a generation, under both Democrat and Republican governors and legislatures. To point to one political party or individual that is ‘responsible’ for this decline is not what the Chamber suggests, and it will not spark the candid conversation needed to move Michigan forward and innovate our state back to being a top-10 state. By acknowledging where we are and collaboratively embracing our tools and strengths, we can reverse these troubling trends.
