More Deaths Than Births in Michigan in 2020, First Time in More Than 100 Years

Michigan recorded more deaths than births in Michigan in 2020, the first time that benchmark has been passed in the history of the state's records, which began in 1900, according to newly released state health department data.

The provisional data shows just over 117,000 deaths in 2020 for the state, while The Detroit Free Press reported that just over 104,000 children were born in 2020.

The onset of the COVID pandemic was a significant contributing factor, as the virus became the third most common cause of death in the state as 11,362 people had COVID listed as their cause of death, state health department data shows. Heart disease and cancer were the two causes of death that still surpassed COVID in Michigan in 2020.

The gap has been narrowing for years and it was likely that deaths would surpass births in at least one year if the state did not change things, demographer Kurt Metzger told the Free Press.

Metzger said an aging population, declining birth rates and a lack of people moving into the state made for a prime example of a state where a pandemic like COVID could significantly harm a state that was headed in the direction of declining population, according to the Free Press.

The number of births peaked at over 208,000 in 1957, and the trend has been declining since, according to The Detroit News, which also reported that Census data from last month estimated about 17,000 fewer people live in Michigan in July 2021 than July 2020.

The Census has also previously reported that births in the U.S. have decreased every year since 2008, except in 2014. Nationwide, births were down about 7 percent in December 2020 than December 2019, a total of 23,664 fewer births.

The Detroit News also reported that the dip in population could have significant economic impacts in the state as declining populations make it less likely that companies will choose to invest their business in a state.

The decreases have also led to Michigan losing a U.S. House seat every Census since 1970, of which the state now has 13, The Free Press reported.

The trend of more deaths than births has been reported in other states, likely attributable in part to the pandemic, as Ohio reported 143,000 deaths and only 129,000 births, according to WDTN-TV.

As of October, WDTN also reported that the Ohio Department of Health recorded over 107,000 deaths and about 100,000 births.