Flint is located 66 miles northwest of Detroit. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 112,900 compared to its population of almost 200,000 in the 1960’s. As a major population center, Flint was significant politically, as well as for its importance to the automotive industry.
Since the late 1960s, Flint has suffered from disinvestment, deindustrialization, and depopulation. Initially, this took the form of the "white flight" that afflicted many American towns and cities, but the decline was exacerbated by the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent collapse of the U.S. auto industry. In the 1980s, the rate of deindustrialization accelerated with local GM employment falling from a 1978 high of 80,000 to under 8,000 by 2010. Only 10% of the manufacturing work force is still left in Flint.
Flint's redevelopment will rely heavily on its institution of higher learning. The University of Michigan-Flint, Kettering University, and Mott Community College are all located within the City of Flint and are expected to be major parts of the city's continued rebirth.
There has also been an increased effort in renovating old buildings into lofts and apartments for downtown living. With this, has come restaurants and increased night life downtown. Flint’s visitors and convention bureau has also helped bring several large events to Flint during the summer.
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