Farmington Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. A northwestern suburb of Detroit, Farmington Hills is located roughly 22 miles (35.4 km) from downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 83,986, making it the second-largest community in Oakland County.
Farmington Hills, Michigan | |
|---|---|
| City of Farmington Hills | |
 Farmington Hills City Hall in 2012 | |
 Flag  Logo | |
 Location within Oakland County | |
  Farmington Hills Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Coordinates: 42°29′07″N 83°22′37″W / 42.48528°N 83.37694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Oakland |
| Settled | 1824 |
| Organized | 1827 (township) |
| Incorporated | 1973 (city) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Theresa Rich |
| • Manager | Gary Mekjian |
| Area | |
• City | 33.30 sq mi (86.24 km2) |
| • Land | 33.27 sq mi (86.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2) |
| Elevation | 860 ft (262 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 83,986 |
| • Density | 2,524.53/sq mi (974.72/km2) |
| • Metro | 4,285,832 (Metro Detroit) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) | 48331, 48334–48336 |
| Area code(s) | 248 |
| FIPS code | 26-27440 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1616988 |
| Website | fhgov |
Farmington Hills consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States, as well as in the state of Michigan. The area ranked as the 30th safest city in the U.S. in 2010 and as the 2nd safest city in Michigan in 2020. Farmington Hills also ranks as the 36th highest-income place in the United States with a population of 50,000 or more and ranked as 14th America's best cities to live by 24/7 Wall St. in 2016.
Although the two cities have separate services and addresses, Farmington and Farmington Hills are often thought of as the same community. These two cities combined were part of Farmington Township in the time of the Northwest Territory. Features of the community include a recently renovated downtown, boutiques, a vintage cinema, numerous restaurants, exotic car dealerships, art galleries, and public parks including Heritage Park. There are several historical sites including the Longacre House and the Governor Warner Mansion. Both cities are served by Farmington Public Schools and the Farmington Community Library.
Farmington Hills is the home of the Holocaust Memorial Center, the only Holocaust memorial in the State of Michigan. The center's mission is to educate the public about the tragedy and evils of the Holocaust. The Holocaust Memorial Center was originally located in neighboring West Bloomfield Township, but has since expanded and moved to its current facility.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.31 square miles (86.27 km2), of which 33.28 square miles (86.19 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water. Farmington Hills is bordered by West Bloomfield to the north, Franklin and Southfield to the east, Livonia to the south, and Novi to the west.
History
The first white settler in what became Farmington Township was a Quaker from Farmington, New York, named Arthur Power. He purchased land in 1823 and returned in 1824 with a group of families and associates to clear the land. The settlement became known as Quakertown. A post office was established in February 1826 with the name of Farmington. The original post office is still standing today, and is a designated historical site. The township of Farmington was organized in 1827, and the settlement was incorporated as the village of Farmington in the winter of 1866–67. A fire on October 9, 1872, destroyed many buildings in the village center. Farmington was incorporated as a city in 1926.
A small settlement was also developed in Clarenceville, in the extreme southeast corner of the township on the boundary with Livonia in Wayne County. Stephen Jennings built a tavern and a general store to accommodate travelers on the plank road between Detroit and Howell. The name remains in the Clarenceville School District. Even though the school buildings for Clarenceville are in Livonia in Wayne County, the school district serves a portion of Farmington Hills.
In 1839, a post office named East Farmington was opened, but it closed in 1842.
In 1847, a post office named North Farmington was established a mile south of the township line as Wolcott's Corners. After the death of postmaster Chauncey D. Walcott in 1865, the office moved to the township line in the northeast quarter of section 4 (near the intersection of 14 Mile Road and Farmington Road). The post office functioned until September 1902.
Before the remainder of Farmington Township was incorporated as the city of Farmington Hills, there were two other incorporated entities within its boundaries. The first began as a subdivision named Quaker Valley Farms that was incorporated as the village of Quakertown in 1959. The other was Wood Creek Farms, developed in 1937 as a subdivision by George Wellington of Franklin, who named it after a New England estate. It was incorporated as a village in 1957. The villages, together with the remainder of Farmington Township, were incorporated into the City of Farmington Hills in 1973. The City grew rapidly throughout the mid-20th century.
Economy
Farmington Hills is home to the headquarters of numerous major companies, including Gale, Mango Languages, 5-Hour Energy, and The Sharper Image, as well as the United States headquarters of Bosch,Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, and TD Auto Finance. The city was also previously home to the headquarters of Compuware,White Motor Company,A&W Restaurants, and Michigan National Bank.
Nissan's North American technical center is located in Farmington Hills. The Nissan technical center handled project engineering of vehicle bodies used in North America and Latin America. It also has a small laboratory, where as of 2012, research is being conducted with hydrogen fuel cells. The company planned to add electrical battery and recharging of electrical vehicle research to the laboratory. As of January 2012 the technical center had 800 full-time employees. At that time Nissan planned to hire 150 more engineers to work in the technical center. The technical center opened in November 1991 at a cost of $80 million. In 2005, Nissan added a $14 million design studio at their Farmington Hills campus, and the Nissan AZEAL was the first car to be designed there.
Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. maintains an office in Farmington Hills, as does Panasonic Automotive Systems.Lordstown Motors operates a research and development center in Farmington Hills.
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top local employers are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaumont Hospital | 2,500 |
| 2 | Robert Bosch Corporation | 1,400 |
| 3 | Nissan Technical Center North America | 1,200 |
| 4 | Hitachi | 1,200 |
| 5 | Farmington Public Schools | 1,100 |
| 6 | TRW Automotive Electronics | 650 |
| 7 | Mercedes-Benz Financial Services | 650 |
| 8 | Concentrix | 550 |
| 9 | Gale | 500 |
| 10 | Mahle | 500 |
Government and politics
Farmington Hills operates under the council-manager form of government. It is governed by a 7-member city council, consisting of a mayor elected to two-year terms, and six councilmembers elected to staggered four-year terms. Councilmembers serve at-large, and are elected in a nonpartisan capacity in odd-numbered years. Mayors are limited to two consecutive terms, while other councilmembers are not subject to term limits. The council elects one of its members to serve as mayor pro tempore.
| Councilmember | Since | Term expires |
|---|---|---|
| Theresa Rich (mayor) | 2023 | 2025 |
| Jon Aldred | 2023 | 2027 |
| Jackie Boleware | 2019 | 2027 |
| Michael Bridges | 2008 | 2025 |
| Randy Bruce | 2021 | 2025 |
| Bill Dwyer | 2023 | 2027 |
| Valerie Knol | 2015 | 2025 |
The city council appoints a city manager, who manages the day-to-day operations of the city; a clerk who oversees elections and maintains city codes, ordinances, resolutions and other legal documents; and a city attorney who acts as a legal advisor and representative for all City matters.
Federal, state, and county legislators
| District | Representative | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11th | Haley Stevens | Democratic | 2023 |
| District | Senator | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | Mary Cavanagh | Democratic | 2023 |
| 13th | Rosemary Bayer | Democratic | 2023 |
| District | Representative | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18th | Jason Hoskins | Democratic | 2023 |
| 19th | Samantha Steckloff | Democratic | 2021 |
| 21st | Kelly Breen | Democratic | 2023 |
| District | Commissioner | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Gwen Markham | Democratic | 2019 |
| 16 | William Miller | Democratic | 2019 |
Councils and commissions
The Mayor's Youth Council is an active teen committee/council who work under the city to help address teen problems and issues. This council helped to build the Riley Skate Park (the largest skate park in the Midwest), and sends delegates to the National League of Cities (NLC) conferences, has articles published in the local newspaper, helps run citywide events, organizes battle of the bands, and hosts their own talk show.
The Commission for Children, Youth and Families - operated in partnership with neighboring Farmington - is dedicated to creating a welcoming community for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. With a special emphasis on volunteerism, community service and education, the Commission partners with the Multi-Racial Multi-Cultural Commission (MRMC), the Commission on Aging, Farmington Public School District and the Farmington Public Library to inform residents on a variety of quality-of-life issues designed to promote wellness, access and knowledge.
Proposed merger with Farmington
In 2006, a public meeting was held in Farmington Hills to discuss the possible merger of the two cities as a money saving venture, and also as a way to keep the two communities vibrant. Farmington and Farmington Hills already share several services, such as a school district, a library system and a district court, however, both cities utilize their own fire departments, and Farmington has a public safety department rather than a police department.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 58,056 | — | |
| 1990 | 74,611 | 28.5% | |
| 2000 | 82,111 | 10.1% | |
| 2010 | 79,740 | −2.9% | |
| 2020 | 83,986 | 5.3% | |
| 2018 Estimate | |||
According to a 2015 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $93,274, and the median income for a family was $198,136. Males had a median income of $61,757 versus $39,540 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,134. Farmington Hills is well known for its luxury estates, its rolling hills, and is also listed on Forbes as one of the most prosperous suburbs in the US, with a household net worth of $725,120.[citation needed] About 2.4% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 83,986 people residing in the city, and 33,972 households. The population density was 2,396.0 inhabitants per square mile (925.1/km2). The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial categories) of the city was 62.7% White, 19.9% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 14.1% Asian, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 67,250 | 54,466 | 49,603 | 81.90% | 68.30% | 59.06% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5,681 | 13,768 | 15,268 | 6.92% | 17.27% | 18.18% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 132 | 139 | 110 | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.13% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 6,184 | 8,063 | 12,867 | 7.53% | 10.11% | 15.32% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 14 | 12 | 20 | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 145 | 144 | 374 | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.45% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 1,494 | 1,604 | 3,104 | 1.82% | 2.01% | 3.70% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,211 | 1,544 | 2,640 | 1.47% | 1.94% | 3.14% |
| Total | 82,111 | 79,740 | 83,986 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 79,740 people, 33,559 households, and 21,412 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,396.0 inhabitants per square mile (925.1/km2). There were 36,178 housing units at an average density of 1,087.1 per square mile (419.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 69.7% White, 17.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 10.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.9% of the population.
There were 33,559 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.00.
The median age in the city was 42.1 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.2% were from 25 to 44; 30.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.
In April 2013, Farmington Hills had the fourth largest Japanese national population in the state of Michigan, at 589.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 82,111 people, 33,559 households, and 21,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,466.4 inhabitants per square mile (952.3/km2). There were 34,858 housing units at an average density of 1,047.0 per square mile (404.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.95% White, 6.94% African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.54% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population. 12.6% were of German, 9.1% Polish, 8.3% Irish, 7.1% English and 5.5% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 33,559 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Almost all of Farmington Hills is located in the Farmington Public Schools district. The district includes eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and one K-8 lottery school, of which all but one are located in Farmington Hills. North Farmington High School, a large traditional high school, and Farmington Central High School, a smaller alternative high school, are located in Farmington Hills, and Farmington High School in neighboring Farmington also serves portions of Farmington Hills. Harrison High School also operated in the city from 1970 until its closure in 2019, after which it was repurposed as a community center, named The Hawk.
Small portions of the city are within the Clarenceville and Walled Lake Consolidated school districts. The city is also home to Oakland Early College, an early college high school administered by the West Bloomfield School District.
The area includes several private schools, including two parochial Catholic schools, Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Fabian, run by the Archdiocese of Detroit. St. Fabian is in Farmington Hills, and Our Lady of Sorrows School is in Farmington. Farmington Hills also includes an all-girls Catholic high school, Mercy High School, one Lutheran school, Concordia Lutheran School/St. Paul's Lutheran Preschool, and Hillel Day School, a non-denominational Jewish day school.
Colleges and universities
The Orchard Ridge campus of Oakland Community College is located in Farmington Hills, as is the Michigan School of Psychology.
Farmington Hills was also the location for the ficticious University of Farmington, created by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) as part of a sting operation.
Transportation
The major thoroughfares in the city are M-5, Orchard Lake Road, 12 Mile Road, 8 Mile Road, Northwestern Highway, I-696, and I-275. The city contains several freeway interchanges connecting local roads to the two interstates. Public transit services are provided by SMART.
Notable people
Notable current and former residents include:
- Jena Irene Asciutto, singer, American Idol runner-up
- Steve Ballmer, businessman, former CEO of Microsoft, owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers
- Elizabeth Berkley, actress
- Manoj Bhargava, founder and CEO, 5-hour Energy
- Pam Dawber, actress
- Alex DeBrincat, NHL hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings
- Colin Egglesfield, actor
- Sean Forbes Award Winning Deaf Musician
- Donald Foss (born 1945), billionaire founder of subprime car finance company Credit Acceptance
- Cam Fowler, NHL hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks
- Devin Funchess, wide receiver for the NFL's Detroit Lions
- Tatiana Gutsu, two-time Olympic champion gymnast
- Kirsten Haglund, winner of Miss Michigan (2007) and Miss America (2008)
- Arthur Hanlon, Latin musician
- Al Jean, writer/producer, The Simpsons
- Bill Joy, co-founder of Sun Microsystems
- Meg Mallon, professional golfer in Hall of Fame
- Emily Morse, sex therapist
- Jason Miller, rabbi and entrepreneur
- Larry Nassar, osteopathic physician and convicted child molester
- Jaime Ray Newman, actress
- Eren Ozker, puppeteer, Muppeteer
- Austin Price (born 1995), basketball player in the Israeli Premier Basketball League
- Cayden Primeau, NHL hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens
- Neal Rubin, columnist for The Detroit News
- Barry Sanders, Hall of Fame running back for the Detroit Lions; resident
- Martha Smith, model and actress, Miss July 1973 Playboy centerfold
- Drew Stanton, retired NFL quarterback who played for the Michigan State Spartans football team
- Tally Hall, indie rock band based in Ann Arbor
- Fred Toucher, Boston radio DJ for 98.5 The Sports Hub
- James Wolk, actor
- Brian S. Eifler, 11th Airborne Division commanding general
- Cory DeVante Williams, YouTuber
- Megan Keller, current forward with PWHL Boston with two Olympic Appearances.
See also
- Farmington Community Library
- Farmington
- Metropolitan Detroit
Notes
- Stevens has represented the 11th district since 2019, but the district has only included Farmington Hills since 2023.
- Steckloff has represented all or part of Farmington Hills since 2021, but has only represented the 19th district since 2023.
References
- "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
- "Farmington Hills". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- "QuickFacts: Farmington Hills city, Michigan". U.S. Census Bureau.
- Profile, muniweb.fhgov.com; accessed June 26, 2015.
- Ashford, Kate; Bartz, Andrea; Cox, Jeff; Fitch, Asa; Gandel, Stephen; Hyatt, Josh; Kelley, Rob; Knight, Kathleen; et al. "55. Farmington, Mich". CNN.
- "Munetrix Releases List of Safest Cities in Michigan". Munetrix. November 17, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- "America's 50 Best Cities to Live". 247wallst.com. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
- Farmington Hills Holocaust Memorial Center website, holocaustcenter.org; accessed June 26, 2015.
- "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
- Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 169
- Romig, Walter (1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. ISBN 0-8143-1838-X.
- "Contact and Support". Gale. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- "Corporate information". Bosch in the USA. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "Locations". Mercedes-Benz Financial Services. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "TD Auto Finance LLC – Company Profile and News". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "Contact Us". Compuware. Archived from the original on August 15, 2000. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "Daily Kent Stater 29 January 1980 — Kent State University". dks.library.kent.edu. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "Seafood Chain's Plan Approved". The New York Times. August 20, 1999. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- Eliasohn, Michael. "Michigan National Bank name to disappear in takeover by Standard Federal Bank owner". The Herald Palladium. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "Nissan in North America Archived 2012-11-16 at the Wayback Machine." Nissan. Retrieved on November 6, 2012. "Nissan Technical Center North America 39001 Sunrise Drive P.O. Box 9200 Farmington Hills, MI 48333-9200" and "Nissan Trading Corp., U.S.A. 38505 Country Club Drive, Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48331"
- Szczesny, Joseph. "Nissan to hire 150 engineers in Farmington Hills." The Oakland Press. Tuesday January 10, 2012. Retrieved on November 20, 2012.
- Cohen, Sharon. "Metamorphosis in Motown." Associated Press at The Ledger. Thursday December 26, 1991. p. 7C. Retrieved from Google News (95 of 121) on November 19, 2013.
- "Michigan studio to drive new Nissan look." The Detroit News. March 18, 2005. Retrieved on November 6, 2013. ID: det21098142. "The Azeal was the first model designed at Nissan's Farmington Hills studio,[...]"
- "Contact Us." Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. Retrieved on September 30, 2013. "Farmington Hills Office 34500 Grand River Avenue Farmington Hills, MI 48335"
- "About Automotive Solutions | Panasonic Automotive Solutions". na.panasonic.com. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- Hall, Kalea (November 17, 2020). "Lordstown Motors puts R&D center in Farmington Hills". The Detroit News. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
- "City of Farmington Hills - Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2019". Farmington Hills, MI. Archived from the original on July 31, 2020. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- "Mayor and City Council". City of Farmington Hills. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
- Tankersley, Shelby (October 7, 2021). "What you need to know about candidates before voting for Farmington Hills City Council". The Farmington Observer. Observer & Eccentric Newspapers.
- Hendrickson, Clara (November 5, 2024). "US Rep. Haley Stevens reelected to another 2-year term in Congress, defeating Nick Somberg". Detroit Free Press.
- "2022 Michigan State Senate Districts (Linden)". Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
- "Senators". Michigan Senate. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
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- "2024 MI State House General Election Results". Detroit Free Press. November 7, 2024.
- "Commissioner Districts". Oakland County – via ArcGIS.
- "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
- "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Farmington Hills city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Farmington Hills city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Farmington Hills city, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
- Stone, Cal. "State's Japanese employees increasing." (Archive) . Gannett Company. April 11, 2013. Retrieved on May 5, 2013.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Oakland County, MI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- Runkle, Anne. "Construction on new recreation center at Harrison High to begin in fall". The Oakland Press. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- "Maps: School Districts: West Bloomfield School District" (PDF). Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
- "Maps: School Districts: Walled Lake Consolidated School District" (PDF). Michigan Department of Technology, Management & Budget. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
- "Home". St. Fabian School. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- "About Us". Our Lady of Sorrows School. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
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Sources
- Wilkins, Korie (December 19, 2006). "Merging Cities Debated". The Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on March 26, 2007. Retrieved December 19, 2006.
External links
- City of Farmington Hills official website
Farmington Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U S state of Michigan A northwestern suburb of Detroit Farmington Hills is located roughly 22 miles 35 4 km from downtown Detroit As of the 2020 census the city s population was 83 986 making it the second largest community in Oakland County Farmington Hills MichiganCityCity of Farmington HillsFarmington Hills City Hall in 2012FlagLogoLocation within Oakland CountyFarmington HillsLocation within the state of MichiganCoordinates 42 29 07 N 83 22 37 W 42 48528 N 83 37694 W 42 48528 83 37694CountryUnited StatesStateMichiganCountyOaklandSettled1824Organized1827 township Incorporated1973 city Government TypeCouncil manager MayorTheresa Rich ManagerGary MekjianArea City33 30 sq mi 86 24 km2 Land33 27 sq mi 86 16 km2 Water0 03 sq mi 0 07 km2 Elevation860 ft 262 m Population 2020 City83 986 Density2 524 53 sq mi 974 72 km2 Metro4 285 832 Metro Detroit Time zoneUTC 5 EST Summer DST UTC 4 EDT ZIP code s 48331 48334 48336Area code s 248FIPS code26 27440GNIS feature ID1616988Websitefhgov wbr com Farmington Hills consistently ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States as well as in the state of Michigan The area ranked as the 30th safest city in the U S in 2010 and as the 2nd safest city in Michigan in 2020 Farmington Hills also ranks as the 36th highest income place in the United States with a population of 50 000 or more and ranked as 14th America s best cities to live by 24 7 Wall St in 2016 Although the two cities have separate services and addresses Farmington and Farmington Hills are often thought of as the same community These two cities combined were part of Farmington Township in the time of the Northwest Territory Features of the community include a recently renovated downtown boutiques a vintage cinema numerous restaurants exotic car dealerships art galleries and public parks including Heritage Park There are several historical sites including the Longacre House and the Governor Warner Mansion Both cities are served by Farmington Public Schools and the Farmington Community Library Farmington Hills is the home of the Holocaust Memorial Center the only Holocaust memorial in the State of Michigan The center s mission is to educate the public about the tragedy and evils of the Holocaust The Holocaust Memorial Center was originally located in neighboring West Bloomfield Township but has since expanded and moved to its current facility GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 33 31 square miles 86 27 km2 of which 33 28 square miles 86 19 km2 is land and 0 03 square miles 0 08 km2 is water Farmington Hills is bordered by West Bloomfield to the north Franklin and Southfield to the east Livonia to the south and Novi to the west HistoryThe first white settler in what became Farmington Township was a Quaker from Farmington New York named Arthur Power He purchased land in 1823 and returned in 1824 with a group of families and associates to clear the land The settlement became known as Quakertown A post office was established in February 1826 with the name of Farmington The original post office is still standing today and is a designated historical site The township of Farmington was organized in 1827 and the settlement was incorporated as the village of Farmington in the winter of 1866 67 A fire on October 9 1872 destroyed many buildings in the village center Farmington was incorporated as a city in 1926 A small settlement was also developed in Clarenceville in the extreme southeast corner of the township on the boundary with Livonia in Wayne County Stephen Jennings built a tavern and a general store to accommodate travelers on the plank road between Detroit and Howell The name remains in the Clarenceville School District Even though the school buildings for Clarenceville are in Livonia in Wayne County the school district serves a portion of Farmington Hills In 1839 a post office named East Farmington was opened but it closed in 1842 In 1847 a post office named North Farmington was established a mile south of the township line as Wolcott s Corners After the death of postmaster Chauncey D Walcott in 1865 the office moved to the township line in the northeast quarter of section 4 near the intersection of 14 Mile Road and Farmington Road The post office functioned until September 1902 Before the remainder of Farmington Township was incorporated as the city of Farmington Hills there were two other incorporated entities within its boundaries The first began as a subdivision named Quaker Valley Farms that was incorporated as the village of Quakertown in 1959 The other was Wood Creek Farms developed in 1937 as a subdivision by George Wellington of Franklin who named it after a New England estate It was incorporated as a village in 1957 The villages together with the remainder of Farmington Township were incorporated into the City of Farmington Hills in 1973 The City grew rapidly throughout the mid 20th century EconomyFarmington Hills is home to the headquarters of numerous major companies including Gale Mango Languages 5 Hour Energy and The Sharper Image as well as the United States headquarters of Bosch Mercedes Benz Financial Services and TD Auto Finance The city was also previously home to the headquarters of Compuware White Motor Company A amp W Restaurants and Michigan National Bank Nissan s North American technical center is located in Farmington Hills The Nissan technical center handled project engineering of vehicle bodies used in North America and Latin America It also has a small laboratory where as of 2012 research is being conducted with hydrogen fuel cells The company planned to add electrical battery and recharging of electrical vehicle research to the laboratory As of January 2012 the technical center had 800 full time employees At that time Nissan planned to hire 150 more engineers to work in the technical center The technical center opened in November 1991 at a cost of 80 million In 2005 Nissan added a 14 million design studio at their Farmington Hills campus and the Nissan AZEAL was the first car to be designed there Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc maintains an office in Farmington Hills as does Panasonic Automotive Systems Lordstown Motors operates a research and development center in Farmington Hills According to the city s 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report the top local employers are Employer of Employees1 Beaumont Hospital 2 5002 Robert Bosch Corporation 1 4003 Nissan Technical Center North America 1 2004 Hitachi 1 2005 Farmington Public Schools 1 1006 TRW Automotive Electronics 6507 Mercedes Benz Financial Services 6508 Concentrix 5509 Gale 50010 Mahle 500Government and politicsFarmington Hills operates under the council manager form of government It is governed by a 7 member city council consisting of a mayor elected to two year terms and six councilmembers elected to staggered four year terms Councilmembers serve at large and are elected in a nonpartisan capacity in odd numbered years Mayors are limited to two consecutive terms while other councilmembers are not subject to term limits The council elects one of its members to serve as mayor pro tempore Current councilmembers Councilmember Since Term expiresTheresa Rich mayor 2023 2025Jon Aldred 2023 2027Jackie Boleware 2019 2027Michael Bridges 2008 2025Randy Bruce 2021 2025Bill Dwyer 2023 2027Valerie Knol 2015 2025 The city council appoints a city manager who manages the day to day operations of the city a clerk who oversees elections and maintains city codes ordinances resolutions and other legal documents and a city attorney who acts as a legal advisor and representative for all City matters Federal state and county legislators United States House of Representatives District Representative Party Since11th Haley Stevens Democratic 2023Michigan Senate District Senator Party Since6th Mary Cavanagh Democratic 202313th Rosemary Bayer Democratic 2023Michigan House of Representatives District Representative Party Since18th Jason Hoskins Democratic 202319th Samantha Steckloff Democratic 202121st Kelly Breen Democratic 2023Oakland County Board of Commissioners District Commissioner Party Since15 Gwen Markham Democratic 201916 William Miller Democratic 2019Councils and commissions The Mayor s Youth Council is an active teen committee council who work under the city to help address teen problems and issues This council helped to build the Riley Skate Park the largest skate park in the Midwest and sends delegates to the National League of Cities NLC conferences has articles published in the local newspaper helps run citywide events organizes battle of the bands and hosts their own talk show The Commission for Children Youth and Families operated in partnership with neighboring Farmington is dedicated to creating a welcoming community for individuals of all ages and backgrounds With a special emphasis on volunteerism community service and education the Commission partners with the Multi Racial Multi Cultural Commission MRMC the Commission on Aging Farmington Public School District and the Farmington Public Library to inform residents on a variety of quality of life issues designed to promote wellness access and knowledge Proposed merger with Farmington In 2006 a public meeting was held in Farmington Hills to discuss the possible merger of the two cities as a money saving venture and also as a way to keep the two communities vibrant Farmington and Farmington Hills already share several services such as a school district a library system and a district court however both cities utilize their own fire departments and Farmington has a public safety department rather than a police department DemographicsHistorical population CensusPop Note 198058 056 199074 61128 5 200082 11110 1 201079 740 2 9 202083 9865 3 2018 Estimate According to a 2015 estimate the median income for a household in the city was 93 274 and the median income for a family was 198 136 Males had a median income of 61 757 versus 39 540 for females The per capita income for the city was 36 134 Farmington Hills is well known for its luxury estates its rolling hills and is also listed on Forbes as one of the most prosperous suburbs in the US with a household net worth of 725 120 citation needed About 2 4 of families and 4 1 of the population were below the poverty line including 3 2 of those under age 18 and 7 6 of those age 65 or over 2020 census As of the census of 2020 there were 83 986 people residing in the city and 33 972 households The population density was 2 396 0 inhabitants per square mile 925 1 km2 The racial makeup including Hispanics in the racial categories of the city was 62 7 White 19 9 Black or African American 0 4 Native American 14 1 Asian and 2 4 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2 3 of the population Farmington Hills Michigan Racial and ethnic composition Note the US Census treats Hispanic Latino as an ethnic category This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category Hispanics Latinos may be of any race Race Ethnicity NH Non Hispanic Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 2000 2010 2020White alone NH 67 250 54 466 49 603 81 90 68 30 59 06 Black or African American alone NH 5 681 13 768 15 268 6 92 17 27 18 18 Native American or Alaska Native alone NH 132 139 110 0 16 0 17 0 13 Asian alone NH 6 184 8 063 12 867 7 53 10 11 15 32 Pacific Islander alone NH 14 12 20 0 02 0 02 0 02 Other race alone NH 145 144 374 0 18 0 18 0 45 Mixed race or Multiracial NH 1 494 1 604 3 104 1 82 2 01 3 70 Hispanic or Latino any race 1 211 1 544 2 640 1 47 1 94 3 14 Total 82 111 79 740 83 986 100 00 100 00 100 00 2010 census As of the census of 2010 there were 79 740 people 33 559 households and 21 412 families residing in the city The population density was 2 396 0 inhabitants per square mile 925 1 km2 There were 36 178 housing units at an average density of 1 087 1 per square mile 419 7 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 69 7 White 17 4 African American 0 2 Native American 10 1 Asian 0 4 from other races and 2 2 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1 9 of the population There were 33 559 households of which 29 1 had children under the age of 18 living with them 50 7 were married couples living together 9 9 had a female householder with no husband present 3 2 had a male householder with no wife present and 36 2 were non families 31 5 of all households were made up of individuals and 12 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 36 and the average family size was 3 00 The median age in the city was 42 1 years 21 5 of residents were under the age of 18 7 1 were between the ages of 18 and 24 25 2 were from 25 to 44 30 2 were from 45 to 64 and 15 9 were 65 years of age or older The gender makeup of the city was 47 1 male and 52 9 female In April 2013 Farmington Hills had the fourth largest Japanese national population in the state of Michigan at 589 Road in Residential area Farmington Hills MI2000 census As of the census of 2000 there were 82 111 people 33 559 households and 21 813 families residing in the city The population density was 2 466 4 inhabitants per square mile 952 3 km2 There were 34 858 housing units at an average density of 1 047 0 per square mile 404 2 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 82 95 White 6 94 African American 0 17 Native American 7 54 Asian 0 02 Pacific Islander 0 46 from other races and 1 93 from two or more races Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1 47 of the population 12 6 were of German 9 1 Polish 8 3 Irish 7 1 English and 5 5 Italian ancestry according to Census 2000 There were 33 559 households out of which 29 5 had children under the age of 18 living with them 56 0 were married couples living together 6 6 had a female householder with no husband present and 35 0 were non families 29 6 of all households were made up of individuals and 10 2 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 41 and the average family size was 3 04 In the city the population was spread out with 23 1 under the age of 18 6 7 from 18 to 24 31 3 from 25 to 44 24 6 from 45 to 64 and 14 4 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 39 years For every 100 females there were 93 8 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90 2 males EducationPrimary and secondary schools Almost all of Farmington Hills is located in the Farmington Public Schools district The district includes eight elementary schools three middle schools and one K 8 lottery school of which all but one are located in Farmington Hills North Farmington High School a large traditional high school and Farmington Central High School a smaller alternative high school are located in Farmington Hills and Farmington High School in neighboring Farmington also serves portions of Farmington Hills Harrison High School also operated in the city from 1970 until its closure in 2019 after which it was repurposed as a community center named The Hawk Small portions of the city are within the Clarenceville and Walled Lake Consolidated school districts The city is also home to Oakland Early College an early college high school administered by the West Bloomfield School District Mercy High School The area includes several private schools including two parochial Catholic schools Our Lady of Sorrows and St Fabian run by the Archdiocese of Detroit St Fabian is in Farmington Hills and Our Lady of Sorrows School is in Farmington Farmington Hills also includes an all girls Catholic high school Mercy High School one Lutheran school Concordia Lutheran School St Paul s Lutheran Preschool and Hillel Day School a non denominational Jewish day school Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge CampusColleges and universities The Orchard Ridge campus of Oakland Community College is located in Farmington Hills as is the Michigan School of Psychology Farmington Hills was also the location for the ficticious University of Farmington created by the U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement s Homeland Security Investigations HSI as part of a sting operation TransportationThe major thoroughfares in the city are M 5 Orchard Lake Road 12 Mile Road 8 Mile Road Northwestern Highway I 696 and I 275 The city contains several freeway interchanges connecting local roads to the two interstates Public transit services are provided by SMART Notable peopleNotable current and former residents include Jena Irene Asciutto singer American Idol runner up Steve Ballmer businessman former CEO of Microsoft owner of the NBA s Los Angeles Clippers Elizabeth Berkley actress Manoj Bhargava founder and CEO 5 hour Energy Pam Dawber actress Alex DeBrincat NHL hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings Colin Egglesfield actor Sean Forbes Award Winning Deaf Musician Donald Foss born 1945 billionaire founder of subprime car finance company Credit Acceptance Cam Fowler NHL hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks Devin Funchess wide receiver for the NFL s Detroit Lions Tatiana Gutsu two time Olympic champion gymnast Kirsten Haglund winner of Miss Michigan 2007 and Miss America 2008 Arthur Hanlon Latin musician Al Jean writer producer The Simpsons Bill Joy co founder of Sun Microsystems Meg Mallon professional golfer in Hall of Fame Emily Morse sex therapist Jason Miller rabbi and entrepreneur Larry Nassar osteopathic physician and convicted child molester Jaime Ray Newman actress Eren Ozker puppeteer Muppeteer Austin Price born 1995 basketball player in the Israeli Premier Basketball League Cayden Primeau NHL hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens Neal Rubin columnist for The Detroit News Barry Sanders Hall of Fame running back for the Detroit Lions resident Martha Smith model and actress Miss July 1973 Playboy centerfold Drew Stanton retired NFL quarterback who played for the Michigan State Spartans football team Tally Hall indie rock band based in Ann Arbor Fred Toucher Boston radio DJ for 98 5 The Sports Hub James Wolk actor Brian S Eifler 11th Airborne Division commanding general Cory DeVante Williams YouTuber Megan Keller current forward with PWHL Boston with two Olympic Appearances See alsoMichigan portalFarmington Community Library Farmington Metropolitan DetroitNotesStevens has represented the 11th district since 2019 but the district has only included Farmington Hills since 2023 Steckloff has represented all or part of Farmington Hills since 2021 but has only represented the 19th district since 2023 References 2020 U S Gazetteer Files United States Census Bureau Retrieved May 21 2022 Farmington Hills Geographic Names Information System United States Geological Survey United States Department of the Interior QuickFacts Farmington Hills city Michigan U S Census Bureau Profile muniweb fhgov com accessed June 26 2015 Ashford Kate Bartz Andrea Cox Jeff Fitch Asa Gandel Stephen Hyatt Josh Kelley Rob Knight Kathleen et al 55 Farmington Mich CNN Munetrix Releases List of Safest Cities in Michigan Munetrix November 17 2020 Retrieved April 5 2021 America s 50 Best Cities to Live 247wallst com Retrieved January 6 2016 Farmington Hills Holocaust Memorial Center website holocaustcenter org accessed June 26 2015 US Gazetteer files 2010 United States Census Bureau Archived from the original on January 25 2012 Retrieved November 25 2012 Romig Michigan Place Names p 169 Romig Walter 1986 1973 Michigan Place Names Detroit Michigan Wayne State University Press ISBN 0 8143 1838 X Contact and Support Gale Retrieved February 28 2020 Corporate information Bosch in the USA Retrieved April 13 2022 Locations Mercedes Benz Financial Services Retrieved April 13 2022 TD Auto Finance LLC Company Profile and News Bloomberg com Retrieved April 13 2022 Contact Us Compuware Archived from the original on August 15 2000 Retrieved April 13 2022 Daily Kent Stater 29 January 1980 Kent State University dks library kent edu Retrieved April 13 2022 Seafood Chain s Plan Approved The New York Times August 20 1999 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved April 13 2022 Eliasohn Michael Michigan National Bank name to disappear in takeover by Standard Federal Bank owner The Herald Palladium Retrieved April 13 2022 Nissan in North America Archived 2012 11 16 at the Wayback Machine Nissan Retrieved on November 6 2012 Nissan Technical Center North America 39001 Sunrise Drive P O Box 9200 Farmington Hills MI 48333 9200 and Nissan Trading Corp U S A 38505 Country Club Drive Suite 200 Farmington Hills MI 48331 Szczesny Joseph Nissan to hire 150 engineers in Farmington Hills The Oakland Press Tuesday January 10 2012 Retrieved on November 20 2012 Cohen Sharon Metamorphosis in Motown Associated Press at The Ledger Thursday December 26 1991 p 7C Retrieved from Google News 95 of 121 on November 19 2013 Michigan studio to drive new Nissan look The Detroit News March 18 2005 Retrieved on November 6 2013 ID det21098142 The Azeal was the first model designed at Nissan s Farmington Hills studio Contact Us Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc Retrieved on September 30 2013 Farmington Hills Office 34500 Grand River Avenue Farmington Hills MI 48335 About Automotive Solutions Panasonic Automotive Solutions na panasonic com Retrieved April 13 2022 Hall Kalea November 17 2020 Lordstown Motors puts R amp D center in Farmington Hills The Detroit News Retrieved April 13 2022 City of Farmington Hills Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Year Ended June 30 2019 Farmington Hills MI Archived from the original on July 31 2020 Retrieved May 5 2020 Mayor and City Council City of Farmington Hills Retrieved November 7 2024 Tankersley Shelby October 7 2021 What you need to know about candidates before voting for Farmington Hills City Council The Farmington Observer Observer amp Eccentric Newspapers Hendrickson Clara November 5 2024 US Rep Haley Stevens reelected to another 2 year term in Congress defeating Nick Somberg Detroit Free Press 2022 Michigan State Senate Districts Linden Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Senators Michigan Senate Retrieved November 7 2024 2022 Michigan State House Districts Hickory Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission 2024 MI State House General Election Results Detroit Free Press November 7 2024 Commissioner Districts Oakland County via ArcGIS Population Estimates United States Census Bureau Retrieved June 8 2018 P004 Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race 2000 DEC Summary File 1 Farmington Hills city Michigan United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 26 2024 P2 Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race 2010 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Farmington Hills city Michigan United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 26 2024 P2 Hispanic or Latino and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race 2020 DEC Redistricting Data PL 94 171 Farmington Hills city Michigan United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 26 2024 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved November 25 2012 Stone Cal State s Japanese employees increasing Archive Gannett Company April 11 2013 Retrieved on May 5 2013 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 2020 CENSUS SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP Oakland County MI PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved September 25 2024 Runkle Anne Construction on new recreation center at Harrison High to begin in fall The Oakland Press Retrieved April 29 2020 Maps School Districts West Bloomfield School District PDF Michigan Department of Technology Management amp Budget Retrieved July 15 2024 Maps School Districts Walled Lake Consolidated School District PDF Michigan Department of Technology Management amp Budget Retrieved July 15 2024 Home St Fabian School Retrieved May 1 2020 About Us Our Lady of Sorrows School Retrieved May 1 2020 Forbes profile Donald Foss Forbes Retrieved November 19 2019 Pierre Meaghan St August 11 2016 Olympic gymnast opens studio dreams of winning gold again as coach WDIV Retrieved December 2 2016 SourcesWilkins Korie December 19 2006 Merging Cities Debated The Detroit Free Press Archived from the original on March 26 2007 Retrieved December 19 2006 External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Farmington Hills Michigan City of Farmington Hills official website
