| Auburn Hills, Michigan | |
| Official Name: | City of Auburn Hills |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Motto: | "Honoring The Past. Building The Future" [1] |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Label: | Auburn Hills |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Name2: | Oakland |
| Government Footnotes: | [2] |
| Government Type: | Council–manager |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Brian Marzolf (D) |
| Leader Title1: | Manager |
| Leader Name1: | Thomas Tanghe |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1821 |
| Established Title2: | Incorporated |
| Established Date2: | 1983[3] |
| Area Footnotes: | [4] |
| Area Total Km2: | 43.21 |
| Area Land Km2: | 43.10 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.11 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 24360 |
| Population Density Km2: | 565.26 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1464.03 |
| Population Metro: | 4296250 (Metro Detroit) |
| Timezone: | EST |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Ft: | 961 |
| Coordinates: | 42.6875°N -83.2342°W |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 16.68 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 16.64 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.04 |
| Elevation M: | 293 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 48309 (Rochester) 48326 |
| Area Codes: | 248 and 947 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-04105[5] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1675443 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northern suburb of Detroit, Auburn Hills is located about 26miles north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 24,360.[6]
Auburn Hills is home to Oakland University and the U.S. headquarters of Stellantis, PHINIA, BorgWarner and Volkswagen. Before incorporating as a city in 1983, the area was part of the now-defunct Pontiac Township.[7]
In 1908, automobile pioneer John Dodge bought a farmhouse 3miles northeast of Auburn Heights to use as his country retreat. His oldest child, Winifred Dodge, married real estate baron Wesson Seyburn, who built his own country retreat 2.5miles north of Auburn Heights. The estate included hunting land, dog kennels, a swimming pool, horse stables, and a 5000square feet Colonial Revival house. Pontiac Township purchased the estate in 1976, and adapted the buildings for government use. Today, it is known as the Auburn Hills Civic Center.
The first use of the name "Auburn Hills," in 1964, was by Oakland Community College. They named their campus (a former Nike missile base) at Featherstone and Squirrel roads for the town and the hilly terrain in the area. Besides Oakland Community College, three other colleges, Oakland University, Baker College, and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School have campuses partially within the city limits.
Auburn Hills began as Pontiac Township, including the village of Auburn, in 1821, at what is today the corner of Auburn and Squirrel roads. Situated on the Clinton River, it was named by Aaron Webster, the first settler, for Auburn, New York. His sawmill and grist mill attracted settlers to Auburn. After the streets were laid out in 1826, Auburn rivaled nearby Pontiac until the 1860s, when it lost its own prosperity. The town was renamed Amy in 1880, and it officially became Auburn Heights in 1919. Pontiac Township bordered the city of Pontiac on two sides. The township attempted to incorporate as Pontiac Heights in 1971, but was denied by state officials. Pontiac Township became a charter township in 1978, to protect itself from further annexation. In 1983, Pontiac Township merged with the village of Auburn Heights to become the City of Auburn Hills. It is not to be confused with the similarly named city of Auburn, Michigan, that exists in Bay County, near Saginaw Bay.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.64sqmi, of which 16.6sqmi is land and 0.04sqmi (0.24%) is water.[8]
As of the census[9] of 2010, there were 21,412 people, 8,844 households, and 4,923 families living in the city. The population density was 1289.9PD/sqmi. There were 9,965 housing units at an average density of 600.3/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 66.3% White, 18.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 8.9% Asian, 2.7% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.8% of the population.
There were 8,844 households, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.3% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90.
The median age in the city was 31.4 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 17.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.9% were from 25 to 44; 21.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% female and 51.6% male.
As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 19,837 people, 8,064 households, and 4,604 families living in the city. The population density was 1194.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 8,822 housing units at an average density of 531.2sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 75.92% White, 13.22% African American, 0.32% Native American, 6.33% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 2.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.50% of the population.
There were 8,064 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them; 43.0% were married couples living together; 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.9% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.92.
The age distribution is 20.4% under the age of 18, 15.9% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $51,376, and the median income for a family was $60,849. Males had a median income of $45,686 versus $34,015 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,529. About 3.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 66 or over.
Auburn Hills roughly follows the course of Interstate 75 and is home to a prosperous business community. In the early 1980s, Oakland University partnered with developers to create a technology and research park. The Oakland Technology Park was approved by the city in 1985, with Comerica, EDS, and Chrysler to build campuses there. The city's many tech and office buildings host 80,000 people during the workday.
Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, an enclosed super-regional outlet shopping mall, opened November 12, 1998.
In 2002, the area at Auburn and Squirrel was revitalized as the "Village Center" with streetscape improvements. Pedestrian-friendly development is encouraged in this district now known simply as Downtown Auburn Hills. At the end of 2013, a number of large projects were completed Downtown, including a four-story graduate student apartment complex, a 233-space parking deck, an auxiliary classroom space for schools and colleges called the University Center and the Downtown Educational Nook (DEN), a refurbished historic log cabin acting as a student and community center.
Auburn Hills is home to PHINIA, BorgWarner, Guardian Industries, Autoliv, RGIS, Joyson Safety Systems, the Americas headquarters of GKN Driveline, the North American headquarters of Faurecia, Volkswagen/Audi North American Headquarters, and until its demolition, The Palace of Auburn Hills, the former home of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons and the former home of Women's National Basketball Association's Detroit Shock.
In 2017, Maserati announced it was moving its U.S. headquarters from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey to the former Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills.[11]
School districts serving sections of Auburn Hills include Avondale School District,[12] Pontiac School District,[13] and Rochester Community Schools.
The Avondale School District operates two elementary schools in the city limits: R. Grant Graham Elementary School and Auburn Elementary School. Portions of Auburn Hills in ASD are zoned to these schools. All ASD residents are zoned to Avondale Middle School in Rochester Hills and Avondale High School in Auburn Hills. Other ASD facilities in Auburn Hills include the district administrative offices and Avondale Montessori.[12] A Pontiac school district school, Will Rogers Elementary School, is located in northeastern Auburn Hills.[14]
Private schools in Auburn Hills include:
Private schools near Auburn Hills:
The main campus of Oakland University sits within Auburn Hills. Oakland Community College, Baker College, and Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School are also situated in Auburn Hills.
Auburn Hills is home to several local parks, many of which are open year-round.