Melvindale is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

. At the 2020 census, the city population was 12,851.

History

Melvindale began as the

unincorporated Unincorporated may refer to: * Unincorporated area, land not governed by a local municipality * Unincorporated entity, a type of organization * Unincorporated territories of the United States, territories under U.S. jurisdiction, to which Congress ...

settlement of Oakwood Heights in the northwestern part of Ecorse Township in the early 1920s.City of Melvindale website
About Melvindale webpage, accessed 18 October 2011 The subdivision was designed to house workers from the nearby Ford River Rouge Plant in the city of Dearborn. The city was named after one of the original developers of the settlement, Melvin Wilkinson. The eastern part of Oakwood Heights was annexed by the city of

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

in 1922, and the remainder was incorporated as the village of Melvindale the same year. In 1933, the village incorporated as a city.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Melvindale serves an important role for railroad traffic in Metro Detroit. The Norfolk Southern Railway Oakwood Yard, located along its Detroit District, divides the city into northwest and southeast sides. The Canadian National Railway Dearborn Subdivision serves as the city's western boundary, and the Conrail Shared Assets Lincoln Secondary, serving as a direct route between Detroit and

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

for CSX Transportation trains, passes through industrial areas in the far southeast corner of the city, which is also the location of the remnants of the Conrail Lincoln Yard.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2020, there were 12,851 people living in Melvindale, this was an increase from the city's population of 10,715 in the 2010 census, and the first time since the 1970 census that the city's recorded population increased. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was .

2010 census

As of the

of 2010, there were 10,715 people, 4,420 households, and 2,601 families living in the city. The

was . There were 4,918 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 76.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

(66.6% non-Hispanic white), 11.3%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.7% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 6.4% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 18.3% of the population. There were 4,420 households, of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present. 35.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.17. The median age in the city was 36.5 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.6% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 10,735 people, 4,499 households, and 2,694 families living in the city. The

was 3,876.9 per square mile (1,496.3/km²). There were 4,760 housing units at an average density of 1,719.0 per square mile (663.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.40%

, 5.26%

, 0.75% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.39% from

, and 2.88% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 8.90% of the population. There were 4,499 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,954, and the median income for a family was $46,759. Males had a median income of $38,048 versus $28,026 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $19,011. About 7.6% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Melvindale-Northern Allen Park Public Schools serves Melvindale. Melvindale High School is the district's high school. In 2005 the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit The Archdiocese of Detroit ( la, Archidiœcesis Detroitensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. It is ...

announced that St. Mary Magdalen Elementary School in Melvindale would close.15 Catholic Schools To Close In Metro Detroit
." ''

WDIV-TV WDIV-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with NBC. It serves as the flagship broadcast property of the Graham Media Group subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company. WDIV-TV maintains studio facili ...

''. March 17, 2005. Retrieved on November 4, 2011.

Notable people

* Al Cicotte, baseball player * Mickey Goodwin, light-heavyweight boxer * Raymond Kalisz, Roman Catholic bishop *

Mike Jolly Michael Anthony Joseph Jolly (born March 19, 1958) is a former American football player. He played professional football as a defensive back for the Green Bay Packers from 1980 to 1983. He also played college football for the University of Michig ...

, played football at the University of Michigan and for the Green Bay Packers * Jessica Smith, 2014 Olympic speed skater

Gallery

Melvindale Civic Center.jpg, Melvindale Civic Center and John J. Kessey Fieldhouse Shops on Allen Road in Melvindale (2).jpg, Shops on Allen Road 7 Eleven and Comerica Bank on Allen Road in Melvindale.jpg, 7 Eleven and Comerica Bank on Allen Road

References

External links

City of Melvindale official website
{{Authority control Cities in Wayne County, Michigan Metro Detroit Sundown towns in Michigan