Eastpointe, Michigan

Eastpointe (formerly East Detroit) is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Eastpointe borders Detroit to the south, roughly 11 miles (17.7 km) northeast of Downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 34,318.

The community was first settled by Irish and German immigrants in the 1830s. In October 1897, a post office was established there with the name of "Half-way", as it was near the halfway point of the stage run between downtown Detroit and the Macomb County seat at Mount Clemens. It incorporated as the village of Halfway in December 1924 and reincorporated as the city of East Detroit in January 1929. Prior to 1924, most of the community formed a part of Erin Township (which includes all or part of Eastpointe, Roseville, and St. Clair Shores. The city changed its name to "Eastpointe" after the change was approved by residents in a 1992 referendum; the name change had been proposed to remove any perceived association with the adjacent city of Detroit; the "pointe" suffix is intended to associate the city instead with the nearby affluent communities of the Grosse Pointes. The city also changed its name to give the community a sense that it was its own city with its own unique history, identity, and not an extension or branch of Detroit. Other names were also nominated for the referendum never balloted.

The city's school district was unaffected by the municipal name change, and was called East Detroit Public Schools until 2017, when it changed the district name to Eastpointe Community Schools to align with the community name. It has one high school (Eastpointe High School), one middle school (Eastpointe Middle School, formerly Kelly Middle School), and four elementary schools. The primary district boundaries of Eastpointe Community Schools encompass the City of Eastpointe, minus the northeastern portion (east of Kelly Rd. and north of Stephens) and the southeastern portion of the city of Warren.

Eastpointe is in southern Macomb County, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Downtown Detroit and 7 miles (11 km) north of Grosse Pointe. It is bordered to the west by the city of Warren, to the north by Roseville, and to the east by St. Clair Shores. It is bordered to the south by the cities of Detroit and Harper Woods in Wayne County. Roads that follow the city borders include Beechwood Avenue (up until it reaches Stephens Road, where it switches over to Hayes) on its western border (properties on both sides of these streets are within the city limits), 8 Mile/M-102 on its southern border, Beaconsfield/the southern and western bound section of the I-94 service drive on its eastern border, and 10 Mile Road on its northern border except for portions of the blocks of Macomb St. west to Hayes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.16 square miles (13.36 km²), of which 0.002 square miles (0.005 km²), or 0.04%, are water.

Eastpointe is generally considered to be a bedroom community.^{[citation needed]} It is a relatively short drive from many other points of interest in the Detroit area. It is served by Interstate 94 (I-94) and I-696, as well as M-3 (Gratiot Avenue), M-102 (8 Mile Road), and 9 Mile Road.

As of the 2020 census, there were 34,318 people, 13,126 households, and 8,523 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,653.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,568.9/km²). There were 13,798 housing units.

As of the 2010 census, there were 32,442 people, 12,557 households, and 8,220 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,307.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,435.3/km²). There were 13,796 housing units at an average density of 2,684.0 per square mile (1,036.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 65.6% White, 29.5% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 2.1% of the population.