The Detroit Region is at the center of multiple industries shaping the global economy—we have unmatched automotive and mobility leadership, deep manufacturing roots, and strengths in advanced engineering, logistics, digital technology, financial services, and corporate operations. The Detroit Region has evolved into a diversified powerhouse, and our leading industry clusters demonstrate why we continue to attract investment and lead in site selection, talent attraction, and innovation.

 

Michigan is the #1 State for Automotive Investments 

  • Michigan’s $36 billion automotive investments make up nearly 15% of the nation’s total from 2020-2024.
  • The Detroit Region is the #1 region for vehicle production, producing 1.7 million vehicles annually across 17 models, 7 of which are EV models.
  • The Detroit Region is one of the nation’s largest production talent hubs, ranking #1 for total assembler and fabricator employment. We employ 10× more motor vehicle manufacturing workers than the national average (2024).
  • Michigan is the #1 state for mobility related testing sites in the nation. The Detroit Region has 11 locations supporting applications in maritime, aerial, ground vehicle, off-road vehicles (ORV), software-defined vehicles (SDV), defense, energy storage, and charging.
  • Learn more about the Automotive and Mobility industry.

 

The Detroit Region Leads the Nation in Advanced Manufacturing Talent 

  • Out of all U.S. metros, Detroit has the highest concentration of manufacturing talent, with more than 250,000 workers in the region.
  • The Detroit Region has nearly 7x the national average in manufacturing tech and tool & die talent.
  • Michigan is #1 globally for high-growth drone companies and is in the top ten states for aerospace attractivities.
  • Learn more about the Advanced Manufacturing industry.

The Detroit Region is a Highly Affordable Hub for Corporate and Professional Services Companies 

  • The Detroit Region has 19 Fortune 1,000 companies (9 Fortune 500) that employ more than 808,000 workers worldwide with a combined revenue of $529 billion (2024).
  • Employers have access to a workforce of more than 753,000 professionals across business, finance, and office operations.
  • Detroit offers one of the best overall values for cost of living, office space, and tax rates, making it highly affordable for businesses.
  • Detroit is the #2 metro for new office space under construction, adding 3.3 million sq ft of new office space in Q2 2025.
  • Learn more about the Corporate and Professional Services industry.

 

Research, Engineering and Design: the Detroit Region has the Highest Concentration of Engineers and Technicians in the Nation 

  • Detroit is the first and only city designated UNESCO City of Design, and 20% of the region’s economy is powered by design firms.
  • The Detroit Region’s concentration of commercial and industrial design talent is more than 4x higher than the national average.
  • The Detroit Region offers nationally leading higher education programs to deliver a design and engineering talent pipeline of 10,000+ graduates annually.
  • Learn more about the Research, Engineering, and Design industry.

 

Logistics: Detroit is One of the Largest Export Markets in the U.S. 

  • Detroit exported $48.3 billion worth of goods around the globe in 2024.
  • Michigan is a top location for logistics talent pipeline, with over 17,000-degree completions in the state and nearly 10,000 in the Detroit Region.
  • More than 50 million passengers travel through the Detroit Region’s 15 airports each year, led by Detroit Metro Airport (DTW).
  • The Detroit Region’s logistics workforce has grown 30% over the past five years, exceeding 576,000 workers.
  • Learn more about the Logistics industry.

 

The Detroit Region’s Growing Financial Services Industry Boasted Nearly 100,000 Workers in 2024.

  • The nation’s largest mortgage lenders, UWM and Rocket, are headquartered in the Detroit Region along with the presence of the big four accounting firms (Deloitte, Ernest &Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
  • Michigan Venture Capital investment increased by 40% from 2019-2024 with 184 deals and over $1.1 billion in investments.
  • Learn more about the Financial Services industry.

 

Digital Tech: Detroit is the Fastest-Growing Startup Hub in the U.S. 

  • Michigan is a top location for unicorn companies, with more than six companies being founded here with a valuation of more than $1 billion.
  • Detroit has been recognized by PitchBook as the fastest?growing startup hub in the U.S. and ranks #2 globally, highlighting the region’s innovation and entrepreneurship (2023).
  • Brookings identified the Detroit and Ann Arbor metros as emerging AI hubs, placing both in the top 25% of talent, innovation, and adoption among 195 benchmarked metros.
  • The Detroit Region is the #3 metro for technology talent quality vs. cost.
  • Learn more about the Digital Tech industry.