Community Profile

Summary

Oakland County is located in southeastern Michigan and is approximately 25 miles northwest of Downtown Detroit. It is the second most populous county in Michigan and 33rd in the entire United States. Oakland County is comprised of 61 cities, townships and villages. The County is marked by extreme diversity in income, with some of the highest and lowest ranking incomes per capita in the country. The County is also diverse in land use and development, with both urban centers and rural townships. The rolling hills and flatlands are part of the Great Lakes ecosystem, featuring the headwaters of five major rivers, as well as over 1,400 lakes and many smaller wetlands and ponds. A recent natural features inventory identified 66 sites of high quality native vegetation. The County is also home to the first non-motorized Rail-to-Trail in the State of Michigan, and is dedicated to the development of a high quality trail system. Our Wildlife Habitats Oakland (WHO) team has a vision to create a contiguous network of backyard wildlife habitats in schools, private residences, businesses, and municipal lands. WHO is comprised of individuals representing a wide variety of organizations and interests. The team includes members from the consolidated school district, watershed council, land conservancy, nature center, the nationally recognized Detroit Zoo, and several County Government departments including Planning and Parks.