About Us

Why Inner Ring

What is an inner-ring suburb?

Inner-ring or "first" suburbs are the suburbs adjacent to or located in close proximity to major cities like Detroit. Because of their close location near the urban core, these cities were among the first suburbs to develop and are usually among the oldest in a metropolitan region. Their economies and social networks are often characterized by a strong interdependence with their core city.

What makes inner-ring suburbs unique?

These cities are not completely urban, nor do they fit the traditional description of "suburban." They share characteristics with both outlying, fast-growing suburbs and central cities. Challenged by deteriorating infrastructure, built-out land, increasingly diverse populations, and growing concentrations of poverty, these suburbs face a unique set of challenges that puts them in a category of their own.

How many cities in southeast Michigan are mature, inner-ring suburbs?

Because there are many "rings" of suburbs surrounding Detroit, the line between inner and outer suburbs is not exact. However, by our calculation, 45 cities in southeast Michigan fit the description of a mature, inner-ring suburb.