Data Shows Population Shifts to and from Oakland County (Kurt Metzger, Dec. 27, 2017) Oakland County, MI – Population change in any geographic area, be it city, township, county or state, is comprised of four primary components – Births and Deaths (combining to create Natural Increase), Immigration and Domestic Migration (combining to create Net Migration).…
November 7 Election Turnout Across Oakland County (Kurt Metzger, Pleasant Ridge Reelected Mayor, Nov. 8, 2017) Pleasant Ridge, MI – It has become tradition that Crystal Proxmire and I review voter turnout rates after each election. While yesterday’s election was considered an off-year election (odd numbered years), the fact that many communities were voting on…
Oakland County Population Grows, but is Passed by Franklin County, Ohio – Home of the Buckeyes (Kurt Metzger, March 25, 2016) The Census Bureau released new July 1, 2015 county population estimates today. While Oakland County experienced the 5th straight year of population growth this decade, the 2014-2015 growth was the smallest of the five,…
Analysis: Marriage and Divorce Trends in Oakland County (Guest View by Kurt Metzger, Dec. 1, 2015) I have been married for 37 years and, as a result, have a very personal interest in its success and permanence. However, the institution of marriage took on a great deal more importance for me two years ago. That…
Analysis of Voter Turnout in South Oakland County, 2015 (Guest View: Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, Nov. 5, 2015) Now that the results are final and the celebrations are over, it is time to reflect on Tuesday’s election results across communities in southeast Oakland County. As one would expect in an off-year election, the…
Pontiac Election: A Perfect Example of Why Voter Turnout Matters (Guest View by Kurt Metzger, Detroit’s Data Guru, Aug. 5, 2015) Yesterday, voters in the Pontiac School District, which currently is under a consent agreement with the state to address a massive deficit, asked voters to allow for the creation of a special fund —…
A Grayer Michigan: How the Aging of the Mitten State will Impact Public Policy (A guest view by Public Sector Consultants, Dec. 17, 2014) Now that elections are over, policymakers and the public are grappling with issues that will chart Michigan’s course for years to come. But just what will that future Michigan look like?…
A Look at Low Voter Turn Out Rates in the Aug. 5 Primary (Guest Column by Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, orig. Aug. 26, 2014, republished Oct.29 ) Access to more detailed, geographically focused data sets, combined with the developed of more sophisticated mapping (GIS) systems, have made the Redistricting (gerrymandering) process more sophisticated.…
A Look at Low Voter Turn Out Rates in the Aug. 5 Primary (Guest Column by Kurt Metzger, Mayor of Pleasant Ridge, Aug. 26, 2014) Access to more detailed, geographically focused data sets, combined with the developed of more sophisticated mapping (GIS) systems, have made the Redistricting (gerrymandering) process more sophisticated. This has allowed the…
A Look at Data: Increased Births and Decreased Deaths in Oakland County (Kurt Metzger, Director Emeritus, Data Driven Detroit / Mayor, Pleasant Ridge,Aug. 9, 2014) Have you looked around your community of late and noticed more strollers and small people o the streets? I know I have and recognize it as a sign that Pleasant…
New Visualization Tool Shows That We Are All In This Together! (Guest Column by Pleasant Ridge Mayor Kurt Metzger, July 10, 2014) The clearest indicator of the regional connections that we share as communities comes from an analysis of place of residence and place of work. The Census Bureau uses commuting patterns to determine the…