Livonia, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Livonia, Michigan
City
City of Livonia
Livonia City Hall
Logo
Location within Wayne County
Livonia, Michigan Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Livonia, Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Wayne
Organized	1835 (Livonia Township)
Incorporated	1950
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• City	35.85 sq mi (92.86 km2)
• Land	35.70 sq mi (92.45 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Elevation	640 ft (206 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	95,535
• Density	2,624.04/sq mi (1,013.15/km2)
• Metro	4,285,832 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Zip code(s)	48150–48154
Area code(s)	248 and 734
FIPS code	26-49000
GNIS feature ID	0630841

Livonia is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 95,535 at the 2020 census, which ranked it as Michigan's ninth most-populated municipality.

Livonia is a part of Metro Detroit and is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the city limits of Detroit, separated only by Redford Township. Originally organized as Livonia Township in 1835, it incorporated as a city in 1950.

History

First settled by pioneers from New England and New York, an act by the Legislature of the Territory of Michigan established the borders of Livonia Township on March 17, 1835. The settlers brought with them the name "Livonia", a name that had already been given to Livonia, New York, Livonia, Pennsylvania and a region of the Baltic Sea named Livonia in present-day Estonia and Latvia, from which many early settlers came.

During the days of the city being a township, many small communities have existed. One of these was Elmwood, initially known as McKinley's Station. It was a stop on the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad. It had a post office from 1858 until 1906. There was a post office in the township named Giltedge from 1899 until 1902.

Livonia was incorporated into a city on May 23, 1950, by vote of the citizens of the township. A significant motivation was to gain tax revenues from the DRC (Detroit Race Course), which was Michigan's only thoroughbred horse race track; it closed in 1998.

Six U.S. presidents have visited the city: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.86 square miles (92.88 km²), of which 35.70 square miles (92.46 km²) is land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km²) is water.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Livonia has limited access to public bus service through the Detroit Department of Transportation.

In 2012, the National Motorists Association released the results of a public poll on the "Worst Speed Trap Cities" in North America. Livonia was listed at #2.

Demographics

According to a 2010 American Community Survey, the median income for a household in the city was $65,391, and the median income for a family was $77,119. Males had a median income of $62,071 versus $42,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,536. About 5.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 96,942 people, 38,714 households, and 26,856 families living in the city. The population density was 2,715.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,048.5/km²). There were 40,401 housing units at an average density of 1,131.7 per square mile (437.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.0% White, 3.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.5% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 38,714 households, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. Of all households 26.7% were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the city was 44.5 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.2% were from 25 to 44; 31.5% were from 45 to 64; and 17.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

Economy

Laurel Park Place, east entrance

In addition to its schools, colleges, churches, parks, recreation center, libraries and the St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia also has commercial and industrial sectors, restaurants and retail stores. Laurel Park Place, an upscale fashion mall with 74 stores, was built in 1989 at 6 Mile Road and Newburgh Road. Carson's and Von Maur department stores serve as anchors.

The city previously featured two other malls which have since been dismantled. Wonderland Mall was the first, opening in 1959 and closing in 2003; it was replaced with a development called Wonderland Village, anchored by Walmart and Target. Livonia Mall was built to the north in 1964. It also closed in 2008 and was redeveloped as Livonia Marketplace, featuring a second Walmart, along with Sears and Kohl's. Other big-box stores are located near Laurel Park Place.

Livonia is home to the Livonia Hockey Association, the largest amateur hockey association in Michigan, as well as two-time state champions the Livonia Knights. The city also boasts the Livonia City Soccer Club, one of the largest soccer programs in the state, with 1,300 participants.

Leading employers

1. Ford Motor Company
2. Trinity Health
3. Livonia Public Schools
4. St. Mary Mercy Hospital
5. NYX, Inc
6. ZF Automotive
7. Schoolcraft College
8. Roush Performance
9. United Parcel Service
10. Mastronardi Produce

Education

Colleges and universities

Madonna University

Various private and public colleges and universities are located in Livonia, including Madonna University, Schoolcraft College, and a small University of Phoenix campus. The most recent university to open in Livonia is a Davenport University campus, which opened in 2008.

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Livonia Public Schools administration

Most of Livonia is served by the Livonia Public Schools district, consisting of two early childhood centers, thirteen elementary schools, four upper elementary Schools, three middle schools and three high schools. The district also serves students in portions of Westland. A portion of northeast Livonia is served by the Clarenceville School District.

There are currently four high schools in Livonia, all of which are public: Franklin, Churchill and Stevenson high schools in the Livonia Public Schools district; and Clarenceville High School in the Clarenceville Public School District. Ladywood High School, a Catholic all-girls private school run by the Felician Sisters, closed in 2018. Bentley High School, the first high school built in the district, closed in 1985.

Each high school in the Livonia Public School District offers a different educational program. Stevenson High School is the home of the school of Global Education, an alternative education model which combines students' English and social studies classes with a focus on the student's role in the world. Churchill houses the MSC (Math/Science/Computer) and CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts) programs. Franklin currently offers an International Baccalaureate program for select students.

Frost Middle School houses the Middle School Alternative Classrooms for the Academically Talented (MACAT) program. The public K-6 Webster Elementary School is home to the Alternative Classrooms for the Academically Talented (ACAT) program, as well as many after-school programs. Webster also has classes for disabled children. In 2008, the original Webster school was burned down by an arsonist, and Webster was moved to a closed-down school, Tyler Elementary.

Alternative schools

• CAPA, a performance art program at Churchill high school
• MSC (Math, Science, Computers) a program for the academically gifted housed at Churchill High School.

Private schools

• Ladywood High School, a private, Roman Catholic, all-girls high school in Livonia
• St. Edith and St. Michael Catholic grade schools
  • St. Michael the Archangel School - The school began on September 21, 1942, and the building used for the school had a second story installed after the archdiocese granted permission for this on November 9, 1943. The addition was installed from January to May 1944. There were 345 students for the 1944–1945 school year. On September 24, 1997 construction began for a new addition with a cost of $3.4 million. Construction finished before September 8, 1998, with dedication on October 11 of that year. The addition included a cafeteria, a library, a gymnasium, a computer lab, and six classrooms.
• Peace Lutheran School (Pre-K-8) and St. Paul's Lutheran School (Pre-K-8) are affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

St. Genevieve Catholic School closed in 2016.

Notable people

• Janet M. Anderson, commercial artist who depicted Detroit
• Chuck Behler, musician, drummer for Megadeth 1987–1989
• Doug Brzezinski, former NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Carolina Panthers
• Bernie Carbo, Major League Baseball outfielder from 1969 to 1980 (Franklin High School Class of 1965)
• Charlie Collins, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fayetteville
• Chris Conner, professional hockey player for the Washington Capitals
• Mike Cox, former Attorney General of Michigan
• Nancy Jane Dean, teacher and Presbyterian missionary in Persia
• Warren Defever, musician and producer
• Mike Donnelly, professional hockey player for five NHL teams
• Judy Greer, actress
• Charlie Haeger, pitcher for three Major League Baseball teams
• Al Iafrate, professional hockey player for four NHL teams
• Ryan Kesler, professional hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks
• Jeff Lerg, professional hockey player for the New Jersey Devils
• Mike Modano, professional hockey player, inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame
• David Moss, hockey player for the Phoenix Coyotes
• Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
• Aaron Palushaj, professional hockey player for the Brynäs IF
• FP Santangelo, Major League Baseball player 1995–2001
• Dana Schutz, painter
• Tim Shaw, professional football player for four NFL teams
• Chris Tancill, professional hockey player for four NHL teams
• Sheila Taormina, athlete, 1996 Summer Olympics swimming gold medalist in 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay; four-time Olympian (1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics); first woman to qualify in three different Olympic sports events (freestyle swimming, triathlon and modern pentathlon)
• Ken Westerfield, disc sport (Frisbee) pioneer, athlete
• Jonathan B. Wright, stage and film actor

Images for kids

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  Chapel (1961) of the Felician Sisters in Livonia, Michigan – architectural sculpture by Corrado Parducci

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  Saint Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

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  St. Mary Mercy Hospital

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  Entrance to neighborhood at Berwick and Plymouth in Rosedale Gardens Historic District

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  Street scene on Auburndale in Rosedale Gardens Historic District

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  Street scene on Auburndale in Rosedale Gardens Historic District

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  Rosedale Gardens Historic District

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  Orson Everitt House historic site

See also

In Spanish: Livonia (Míchigan) para niños