Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan | |
|---|---|
City | |
Downtown Flint Sloan Museum Applewood Estate Willson Park Capitol Theatre | |
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Flag Seal | |
Nicknames:
| |
| Motto(s): "Strong and Proud"[1] | |
Location of Flint, Michigan | |
Flint Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Coordinates: 43°01′28″N 83°41′31″W / 43.02442°N 83.691971°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Genesee |
| Settled | 1819 |
| Organized (Flint Township) | March 2, 1836 |
| Incorporated (city) | 1855 |
| Founded by | Jacob Smith |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| • Mayor | Sheldon Neeley (D) |
| • City Administrator’s Office | Clyde D. Edwards, MSA |
| • Councilmembers | 1. Leon El-Alamin (NP) 2. Ladel Lewis (D) 3. Vacant 4. Judy Priestley (R) 5. Jerri Winfrey-Carter (D) 6. Tonya Burns (D) 7. Candice Mushatt (D) 8. Dennis Pfeiffer (NP) 9. Jonathan Jarrett (NP) |
| Area | |
• City | 34.105 sq mi (88.332 km2) |
| • Land | 33.440 sq mi (86.610 km2) |
| • Water | 0.665 sq mi (1.722 km2) 1.95% |
| • Urban | 205.46 sq mi (532.10 km2) |
| • Metro | 637.07 sq mi (1,650.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 755 ft (230 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 81,252 |
• Estimate (2024)[6] | 79,735 |
| • Rank | US: 467th MI: 12th |
| • Density | 2,384.34/sq mi (920.59/km2) |
| • Urban | 298,964 (US: 134th) |
| • Urban density | 1,455.1/sq mi (561.8/km2) |
| • Metro | 402,279 (US: 138th) |
| • Metro density | 631.7/sq mi (243.9/km2) |
| Demonym | Flintstone[8] |
| Time zone | UTC–5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC–4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 48501–48507, 48509, 48519, 48529, 48531–48532, 48550–48557 |
| Area code | 810 |
| FIPS code | 26-29000 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0626170[4] |
| Website | cityofflint.com |
Flint is a city in and the county seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. The population was 81,252 at the 2020 census,[5] and was estimated to be 79,735 in 2024.[6] making it the largest city in Genesee County and the 12th-most populous city in Michigan.
Located along the Flint River 66 miles (106 km) northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the Mid Michigan region.[9][10]
The Flint metropolitan area is located entirely within Genesee County and is the fourth-largest metro area in Michigan, with a population of 406,892 in the 2020 census. The city was incorporated in 1855.
Flint was founded as a village by fur trader Jacob Smith in 1819 and became a major lumbering area on the historic Saginaw Trail during the 19th century. From the late 19th century to the mid-20th century, the city was a leading manufacturer of carriages and later automobiles, earning it the nickname "Vehicle City". General Motors (GM) was founded in Flint in 1908, and the city grew into an automobile manufacturing powerhouse for GM's Buick and Chevrolet divisions, especially after World War II up until the early 1980s recession. Flint was also the home of a sit-down strike in 1936–37 that played a vital role in the formation of the United Auto Workers.
Since the late 1960s, Flint has faced several crises. The city experienced an economic downturn after GM significantly downsized its workforce in the area from a high of 80,000 in 1978 to under 8,000 by 2010. From 1960 to 2010, the population of the city nearly halved, from 196,940 to 102,434. In the mid-2000s, Flint became known for its comparatively high crime rates and has repeatedly been ranked among the most dangerous cities in the United States according to crime statistics.[11] The city was under a state of financial emergency from 2002 to 2004 and again from 2011 to 2015.[12][13]
From 2014 to 2019, Flint faced a public health emergency due to lead contamination in parts of the local water supply as well as an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease.[14][15] The acute lead crisis has been addressed as the city has secured a new source of clean water, installed modern copper pipes to nearly every home, and distributed filters to all residents who want them. However, a legacy of distrust in public authorities remains.[16]
- ^ "City of Flint, Michigan". City of Flint, Michigan. Archived from the original on September 1, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "City Council Members". City of Flint, Michigan. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ "2024 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Flint, Michigan
- ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
USCensusEst2024was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register. December 29, 2022. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ Moore, Kristin (December 1, 2015). "Mayor Karen Weaver Unveils 100 Day Plan" (Press release). City of Flint, Michigan. Archived from the original on April 13, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
'With our legendary Flintstone spirit we will prevail.'
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ "Genesee County, Michigan (official website)". Genesee County. Retrieved July 12, 2025.
- ^ Growing up in America's most dangerous city, Flint Al Jazeera, October 24, 2013
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
budget2013was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Flint's finances in better shape; no more emergency managers". Associated Press. April 29, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
- ^ Governor declares state of emergency over lead in Flint water The Flint Journal, January 5, 2016
- ^ Al Hajal, Khalil (January 13, 2016). "87 cases, 10 fatal, of Legionella bacteria found in Flint area; connection to water crisis unclear". The Flint Journal. Michigan Live. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ Robertson, Derek (December 23, 2020). "Flint Has Clean Water Now. Why Won't People Drink It?". POLITICO. Retrieved December 23, 2020.