Auburn Hills, Michigan

City in Michigan, United States

Auburn Hills, Michigan

City

Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center

Motto:

"Honoring The Past. Building The Future"[1]

Location within Oakland County

Auburn Hills

Location within the state of Michigan

Coordinates: 42°41′15″N 83°14′03″W﻿ / ﻿42.68750°N 83.23417°W﻿ / 42.68750; -83.23417
Country| United States
State| Michigan
County| Oakland
Settled| 1821[2]
Incorporated| 1983[3]
Government

[2]

• Type| Council–manager
• Mayor| Brian Marzolf (D)
• Manager| Thomas Tanghe
Area

[4]

• City

| 16.68 sq mi (43.21 km2)
• Land| 16.64 sq mi (43.10 km2)
• Water| 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)
Elevation

| 961 ft (293 m)
Population

(2020)

• City

| 24,360
• Density| 1,464.03/sq mi (565.26/km2)
• Metro

| 4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone| UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)|

48309 (Rochester)
48326

Area codes| 248 and 947
FIPS code| 26-04105[5]
GNIS feature ID| 1675443[6]
Website| auburnhills.org

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 26 miles (42 km) north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 24,360.[7]

Auburn Hills is home to Oakland University and the U.S. headquarters of Stellantis North America (formerly Chrysler) and BorgWarner. Before incorporating as a city in 1983, the area was part of the now-defunct Pontiac Township.[8]

## History

[edit]

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.[9] 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.

In 1908, automobile pioneer John Dodge bought a farmhouse 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Auburn Heights to use as his country retreat. He and his wife, Matilda Dodge Wilson, continued to buy farmland, eventually totaling 1,400 acres.[10] Dodge died in 1920, and Matilda Dodge later married lumber baron Alfred Gaston Wilson, with whom she built one of America's castles, Meadow Brook Hall,[11] on a portion of the estate in present day Rochester Hills at a cost of $4 million ($55.1 million in 2023).[12][13] In 1957, Matilda Dodge Wilson donated her land to Michigan State University, leading to the creation of Oakland University.[13]

John Dodge's oldest child, Winifred Dodge, married real estate baron Wesson Seyburn, who built his own country retreat 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of Auburn Heights. The estate included hunting land, dog kennels, a swimming pool, horse stables, and a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) Colonial Revival house. Pontiac Township purchased the estate in 1975, and adapted the buildings for government use.[14] 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, Oakland University's campus is partially within the city limits.

### Incorporation history

[edit]

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.

## Geography

[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.64 square miles (43.10 km2), of which 16.60 square miles (42.99 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) (0.24%) is water.[15]

## Government

[edit]

### Federal, state, and county legislators

[edit]

United States House of Representatives[16] District  | Representative  | Party  | Since

|
|
|

11th | Haley Stevens | Democratic | 2019
Michigan Senate[17][18] District  | Senator  | Party  | Since

|
|
|

7th | Jeremy Moss | Democratic  | 2023
Michigan House of Representatives[19][20] District  | Representative  | Party  | Since

|
|
|

53rd | Brenda Carter | Democratic  | 2019
54th | Donni Steele | Republican | 2023
Oakland County Board of Commissioners[21] District  | Commissioner  | Party  | Since

|
|
|

4  | Brendan Johnson  | Democratic  | 2023

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1880| 111| | —
1990| 17,076| | —
2000| 19,837| | 16.2%
2010| 21,412| | 7.9%
2020| 24,360| | 13.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[22]

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the census[23] of 2010, there were 21,412 people, 8,844 households, and 4,923 families living in the city. The population density was 1,289.9 inhabitants per square mile (498.0/km2). There were 9,965 housing units at an average density of 600.3 per square mile (231.8/km2). 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.

### 2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 19,837 people, 8,064 households, and 4,604 families living in the city. The population density was 1,194.5 inhabitants per square mile (461.2/km2). There were 8,822 housing units at an average density of 531.2 per square mile (205.1/km2). 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.

## Economy

[edit]

The Palace of Auburn Hills

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.[24]

## Education

[edit]

Auburn Hills Public Library

### Primary and secondary schools

[edit]

School districts serving sections of Auburn Hills include Avondale School District,[25] Pontiac School District,[26] and Rochester Community Schools.[citation needed]

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.[25] A Pontiac school district school, Will Rogers Elementary School, is located in northeastern Auburn Hills.[27]

Private schools in Auburn Hills include:

* Auburn Hills Christian School
* Oakland Christian School

Private schools near Auburn Hills:

* Notre Dame Preparatory/Marist Academy, Pontiac
* Holy Family Regional School (HFRS) - Consists of a grade PK-3 North Campus in Rochester and a 4-8 South Campus in Rochester Hills. Two churches in Auburn Hills designate HFRS as the parish school: St. John Fisher Chapel and Sacred Heart of the Hills. The first two sponsored the school from the beginning and the other three joined later, with Sacred Heart being the final one.[28]

### Higher education

[edit]

The main campus of Oakland University sits within Auburn Hills. Oakland Community College is also situated in Auburn Hills.

## Parks and recreation

[edit]

Auburn Hills is home to several local parks, many of which are open year-round.

Auburn Hills Skate Park

A skateboard, inline skate and BMX bike park open to all ages and skill levels. The use of the facility is always free and it remains open from April to November, 8 a.m. until dusk.

Civic Center Park

Popular hiking and walking attraction with numerous nature trails. A fishing pond and picnic area are also available for public use. The park offers open lawn areas and a picnic shelter with a fireplace inside. The park features a softball field, 9-hole disc golf course, tennis courts, two play structures, and swings.

River Woods Park

Clinton River Trail

An expansive, 16-mile (26 km) walkway through the heart of Oakland County. The trail cuts through several different cities, including Rochester, Rochester Hills, Sylvan Lake, Auburn Hills, and Pontiac. The 2.1-mile (3.4 km) section of trail within Auburn Hills is covered in finely crushed stone, ideal for walking, jogging and biking.

Dennis Dearing Jr. Memorial Park

Featuring a fireman-themed "tot-lot" for children ages 2–5, Dennis Dearing Jr. Memorial Park is a popular spot for families with children. The park also has swings, picnic tables and open space areas for picnic or play.

Manitoba Park

A two-acre park which contains a play structure, sand volleyball courts, a paved play area and open space for activities.

Riverside Park

Located adjacent to downtown Auburn Hills and along the Clinton River, Riverside Park is a popular spot during the warmer months. A canoe launch is open during the warm season.

River Woods Park

Located near downtown Auburn Hills, this park has picnic areas, both open and sheltered, standing barbecue grills and heated restrooms which remain open year-round. Visitors can navigate through the park on a paved pathway system, which includes a bridge over the Clinton River. The park also contains four basketball courts and play structures.

## See also

[edit]

* Walter P. Chrysler Museum

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "City of Auburn Hills, Michigan". City of Auburn Hills, Michigan. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
2. ^ a b "Auburn Hills Web Site". Auburnhills.org. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
3. ^ Auburn Hills Web Site[usurped]
4. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
5. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. ^ "Auburn Hills". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
7. ^ "Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File (QT-PL), Auburn Hills city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
8. ^ Crumm, Charles (February 15, 2019). "Bloomfield Hills is Oakland County's wealthiest community but others are catching up". The Oakland Press. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
9. ^ Randall, Natalie Kilmer (1983). Pontiac Township 1827-1983. p. 7.
10. ^ "Vintage View Winter 2021" (PDF). opccenter.org.
11. ^ "Meadow Brook Hall - American Aristocracy".
12. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
13. ^ a b "Meadow Brook Hall History | Rochester, MI". August 12, 2024.
14. ^ Randall, Natalie Kilmer (1983). Pontiac Township 1827-1983. p. 60.
15. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
16. ^ Hendrickson, Clara (November 5, 2024). "US Rep. Haley Stevens reelected to another 2-year term in Congress, defeating Nick Somberg". Detroit Free Press.
17. ^ "2022 Michigan State Senate Districts (Linden)". Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
18. ^ "Senators". Michigan Senate. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
19. ^ "2022 Michigan State House Districts (Hickory)". Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
20. ^ "2024 MI State House General Election Results". Detroit Free Press. November 7, 2024.
21. ^ "Commissioner Districts". Oakland County – via ArcGIS.
22. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
23. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
24. ^ Snavely, Brent (April 12, 2017). "Maserati is headed to Auburn Hills offices". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved April 21, 2017. Version posted at USA Today
25. ^ a b "District Map" ( Archived 2015-06-20 at WebCite). Avondale School District. Retrieved on June 20, 2015.
26. ^ Murray, Diana Dillaber. "Law being proposed could dissolve Pontiac schools, other struggling districts." Oakland Press. June 12, 2013. Retrieved on May 7, 2014. "Pontiac school district spreads from Pontiac into portions of seven surrounding communities including Auburn Hills, Sylvan Lake, Lake Angeles and townships of Bloomfield, Orion, Waterford and West Bloomfield."
27. ^ "Rogers Elementary Archived 2012-11-21 at the Wayback Machine." Pontiac School District. Retrieved on November 28, 2012.
28. ^ "School History". Holy Family Regional School. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Auburn Hills, Michigan.

* City of Auburn Hills
* Auburn Hills Public Library Archived 2013-03-17 at the Wayback Machine

Places adjacent to Auburn Hills, Michigan

| Independence Township | Orion Township | Oakland Township

|
|

|  |
Pontiac
Lake Angelus
Waterford |

Auburn Hills

| Rochester Hills
|  |
Pontiac | Bloomfield Township
Pontiac | Troy

* v
* t
* e

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Education|

| Primary and secondary schools|

* Avondale SD
* Avondale HS
* SD of Pontiac
* Oakland Christian School

|

Other education|

* Oakland University
* Oakland Community College
* Western Michigan University Cooley Law School
* Baker College

Landmarks|

* Great Lakes Crossing Outlets
* The Palace of Auburn Hills
* Chrysler Headquarters and Technology Center
* Walter P. Chrysler Museum

Transportation|

* SMART

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Oakland County, Michigan, United States

County seat: Pontiac

Cities|

* Auburn Hills
* Berkley
* Birmingham
* Bloomfield Hills
* Clarkston
* Clawson
* Farmington
* Farmington Hills
* Fenton‡
* Ferndale
* Hazel Park
* Huntington Woods
* Keego Harbor
* Lake Angelus
* Lathrup Village
* Madison Heights
* Northville‡
* Novi
* Oak Park
* Orchard Lake Village
* Pleasant Ridge
* Pontiac
* Rochester
* Rochester Hills
* Royal Oak
* South Lyon
* Southfield
* Sylvan Lake
* Troy
* Walled Lake
* Wixom

Map of Michigan highlighting Oakland County

Villages|

* Beverly Hills
* Bingham Farms
* Franklin
* Holly
* Lake Orion
* Leonard
* Milford
* Ortonville
* Oxford
* Wolverine Lake

Charter
townships|

* Bloomfield
* Brandon
* Commerce
* Highland
* Independence
* Lyon
* Milford
* Oakland
* Orion
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* Pontiac (defunct)
* Royal Oak
* Springfield
* Waterford
* West Bloomfield
* White Lake

Civil townships|

* Addison
* Groveland
* Holly
* Novi
* Rose
* Southfield

Unincorporated
communities|

* Andersonville
* Austin Corners
* Brandon Gardens
* Campbells Corner
* Charing Cross
* Clintonville
* Clyde
* Commerce
* Davisburg
* Drayton Plains
* East Highland
* Elizabeth Lake
* Five Points
* Four Towns
* Gingellville
* Glengary
* Goodison
* Groveland Corners
* Hickory Ridge
* Highland
* Huron Heights
* Jossman Acres
* Kensington
* Lake Orion Heights
* Lakeville
* New Hudson
* Newark
* Oak Grove
* Oakley Park
* Oakwood
* Oxbow
* Perry Lake Heights
* Rose Center
* Rose Corners
* Rudds Mill
* Seven Harbors
* Springfield
* Thomas
* Union Lake
* Walters
* Waterford
* Waterstone
* West Highland
* Westacres
* White Lake

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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Municipalities
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Municipalities
40,000 to 80,000|

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Counties in MSA|

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