Dearborn Heights

History

Dearborn Heights was incorporated from the two discontinuous sections of Dearborn Township and a quarter-mile connecting strip of land from the village of Inkster. Incorporation petitions were filed on Friday, March 4, 1960, while Inkster officials delivered their petitions for incorporation on Monday, March 7, 1960. The residents approved Dearborn Heights' incorporation on an election held June 20, 1960, which is the official date of incorporation. Inkster, a predominantly black community, filed a lawsuit, claiming that the shape of Dearborn Heights reflected a racial gerrymander. The Michigan Supreme Court held that Inkster had failed to demonstrate any legally cognizable harm and dismissed the lawsuit.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.09%) is water. The southern portion of the city is in the watershed of the north branch of the Ecorse Creek (also known as Ecorse River). The area surrounding the Ecorse is subject to flooding. The northern portion of the city is in the Rouge River watershed.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  26,985
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  26,313
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  26,081
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  25,630
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,079
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  18,803
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  18,468
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  17,850

Largest nearby schools

• Fordson High School
  High · DEARBORN · 2,339 students · 19.7:1 ratio
• Dearborn High School
  High · DEARBORN · 1,969 students · 20.7:1 ratio
• Star International Academy
  Other · DEARBORN HEIGHTS · 1,698 students · 20:1 ratio
• Edsel Ford High School
  High · DEARBORN · 1,639 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• Stevenson High School
  High · LIVONIA · 1,636 students · 22.7:1 ratio
• John Glenn High School
  High · WESTLAND · 1,542 students · 21.7:1 ratio
• Taylor High School
  High · TAYLOR · 1,394 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• Lincoln Park High School
  High · LINCOLN PARK · 1,367 students · 21.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2026-05-04
  8 km N of Maybee, Michigan
• M 3 — 2026-04-26
  7 km SSE of Amherstburg, Canada
• M 2.5 — 2024-03-18
  4 km WSW of Millbury, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2023-05-20
  3 km SSE of Walbridge, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2022-05-23
  2 km NNW of Corunna, Canada
• M 3.2 — 2020-08-21
  2 km SSE of Detroit Beach, Michigan