Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. An inner-ring suburb of Detroit, Royal Oak is located roughly north of downtown Detroit. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 58,211.
Royal Oak is located along the Woodward Corridor, and is served by Interstate 75 and Interstate 696. The city has one of the largest downtowns in Detroit's suburbs, and is also home to much of the Detroit Zoo, with portions extending into neighboring Huntington Woods. Royal Oak describes itself as the "city of trees".
History Royal Oak was named in 1819, during one of the surveying expeditions led by Territorial Governor Lewis Cass. A large oak tree at this small settlement reminded Cass of the story of the Royal Oak, where King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland hid to escape capture by the Roundheads after the Battle of Worcester, so he chose that name for the settlement.
Royal Oak was not incorporated as a village until 1891. It was reincorporated a city in 1921.
20th century to present Royal Oak developed as a suburb of Detroit in the early 20th century, following Detroit's booming growth as a result of industrialization and its auto industry.
The Royal Oak Farmers Market opened as a truck market, at the corner of 4th and Troy streets, on October 14, 1925, as a cooperative venture between the then-new City of Royal Oak and Oakland County, Michigan. There were still numerous farmers in the county. The present structure, at the corner of 11 Mile Road and Troy Street, is adjacent to the 44th District Court. It was erected in the spring of 1927 and dedicated July 1 of that year.
In the 1920s, Father Charles Coughlin, a Canadian Catholic priest who relocated to Detroit, became the founding pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower, now a prominent landmark in the city. Through his ministry, he raised funds to build the present limestone church complex and tower. Initially he broadcast religious speeches from this site.
During the 1930s, his broadcasts became more political. He initially supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt, then opposed him and promoted the causes of the fascist leaders of Germany and Italy. The Roosevelt administration closed down his radio operation after the outbreak of World War II, with support from the Catholic hierarchy. Coughlin had developed national political influence and had an increasingly anti-semitic message, at a time when Jewish people were being severely persecuted in Germany.
In 1991, Thomas McIlvane, a postal worker, killed five people in Royal Oak's post office, after being fired from the Postal Service for "insubordination." This incident helped to popularize the term "going postal."
The downtown originally had a typical mixture of small-scale retail and trade to serve the city of Royal Oak. With the development of the highway system in the postwar period, it lost business to suburban malls. Since the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, Royal Oak's downtown has developed as an entertainment and nightlife destination. A number of large condominiums and lofts have been built in the area, increasing the density of the downtown population. In 2022, the Royal Oak City Commission approved the demolition of the historic Main Art Theater, once a symbol of movie goers in the area.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.08%) is water.
Royal Oak developed around a river, the Red Run. Vinsetta Boulevard was built skirting a source branch of the Red Run for its median. In the 1930s, Vinsetta's entire median, along with the river and all but the tops of the bridges for the crossing streets were filled in as part of a WPA project during the Great Depression. During 1967–68, the rest of the river in Oakland County was buried within a six-foot drain pipe.
Extensive tree-planting has taken place since the 1930s, leading to the town being nicknamed "The City of Trees", although recent increased developments have caused controversy about the maintenance of the city's urban forest.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Royal Oak had a population of 58,211. The median age was 36.7 years. 5.4% of residents were under the age of 5, 15.0% were under the age of 18, and 15.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.2 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 29,364 households in Royal Oak, of which 17.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.6% were married-couple households, 26.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 42.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 31,244 housing units, of which 6.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 49,954 85.8% Black or African American 2,137 3.7% American Indian and Alaska Native 127 0.2% Asian 1,893 3.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 14 0.0% Some other race 561 1.0% Two or more races 3,525 6.1% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2,140 3.7%
The median income for a household in the city was $95,182, and the median income for a family was $132,702. The employment rate was 72.5%. 62.6% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher. About 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 57,236 people, 28,063 households, and 13,394 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 30,207 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.7% White, 4.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% Asian American, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 2.3% of the population.
There were 28,063 households, of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.3% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age in the city was 37.8 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.9% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 60,062 people, 28,880 households, and 14,440 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 29,942 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.80% White, 1.54% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.30% of the population.
There were 28,880 households, out of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.0% were non-families. 40.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the city, 17.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.5% was from 18 to 24, 38.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,252, and the median income for a family was $68,109. Males had a median income of $50,562 versus $36,392 for females. The per capita income for the city was $30,990. About 2.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
Crime Royal Oak has a below-average crime rate, similar to that of nearby middle-class communities, such as Berkley and Madison Heights. Larceny-theft was the most common crime, making up 66.7% of all crimes in the city. Five known murders have been committed since 2000, one in 2004, one in 2005, one in 2010, and two in 2011.
Economy
Royal Oak developed initially as a suburb after Detroit boomed as a major industrial city. Residents of Detroit began to move to the suburbs for newer housing, and to separate themselves from the rising tensions and riots in Detroit, in a process referred to as white flight. It had a compact, traditional street-side shopping district, which runs along Main Street and Washington Avenue downtown. During the 2000s, this area was redeveloped with numerous new businesses, and is now considered a trendy, upscale, urban-chic district, featuring restaurants, shopping, and entertainment. A number of mixed-use high-rise developments have been constructed — mostly condo "lofts" with retail and office space on the lower levels.
Points of interest include the Detroit Zoo, a major regional tourist attraction, the Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, the Royal Oak Music Theatre, the Baldwin Theatre, Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a location of Emagine Entertainment, and shops, cafes, and restaurants.
The National Arbor Day Foundation has awarded Royal Oak the distinction of "Tree City USA" every year since 1976 as a result of the city's commitment to tree planting and preservation.
The Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Program is a foundation set up by Detroit-area native Gilda Radner, who is known for her work as a comedian of Saturday Night Live. In 1998 the Program created a free cancer support community for people with cancer, their families, and friends. Gilda's Club Metro Detroit operates a three-story non-residential house in Royal Oak. It has served more than 3,000 members for social and emotional support through a variety of activities.
Arts and culture
Downtown Royal Oak features a wide assortment of nightlife venues, including the Royal Oak Music Theatre and the Baldwin Theatre. Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle, a comedy club, was an early venue for performers such as Tim Allen and Dave Coulier. Allen's connections to Royal Oak would later in his career be alluded to in the sitcom Home Improvement as the protagonist's (played by Allen) place of residence.While the name Royal Oak is not mentioned in dialogue, a close-up of Brad Taylor's driver's license (Season 6, Episode 11) gives the address of the Taylor family as 510 Glenview Road, Royal Oak.
Royal Oak encompasses a major span of the Woodward Dream Cruise. The city sponsors ancillary events around the Cruise. It is the site of the Detroit Zoo, one of the region's leading tourist attractions.
Sports Royal Oak is home to the Royal Oak Leprechauns, a collegiate summer league baseball team that competes in the Northwoods League. The Leprechauns play their home games at Memorial Park. The 2026 Leprechauns, skippered by former MLB standout D.J. LeMahieu, were crowned champions of the 26-team league.
Arts, Beats & Eats