Slight decrease for Addison Township

By James Hanlon
Leader Staff Writer
The numbers are in. The 2020 U.S. Census released in August shows Oxford (including both the township and the village) grew by 9.2% from 2010. Meanwhile to the east, Addison Township (including Leonard Village) shrank by 1.5%.
Oxford Township Supervisor Jack Curtis was surprised by the figures, “but not positively surprised.” He thought Oxford grew more than that based on the number of home-starts, home sales and increasing apartments.
As of April 1, 2020, Oxford Township (not including Oxford Village) had a population of 18,927. That represents a 10.7% increase from 17,090 in 2010.
The township also has 7,166 housing units and 6,890 households (occupied housing units). By race, 87.6% of township residents are White, 1.1% Black, 1.4% Asian and 4.4% Hispanic.

Oxford Village’s population is 3,492. That represents a 1.6% increase from 3,436 in 2010. The village has 1,522 housing units and 1,447 households.
The downside to the lower-than-expected numbers is less tax revenue through county revenue sharing, Curtis said. It also means fewer potential liquor licenses. Precise figures are shared with the township later in the year.
On the other hand, Curtis is “delightfully surprised it’s only 9.2 percent” because slower growth gives the township a better chance to address infrastructure. “I’m trying to be positive in not growing too fast,” he said. “I’m trying to be positive in making sure that our infrastructure needs are met before we have exponential growth. I know that we’re preparing for it, but it’s a catch-22. We’d love to see it grow a little more to bring people to Oxford, for businesses, for our community. On the other hand, we’re not filling our roads and not over-filling our parks.”
Over in Addison Township, the population is 5,879. That’s 69 less than, or a 1.2% decrease from 5,948 in 2010. Addison has 2,336 housing units, and 2,187 households. By race, 91% of Addison residents are White, 0.8% Black, 0.8% Asian and 3% Hispanic.
Leonard Village’s population is 377. That represents a 6.5% decrease from 403 in 2010. Leonard has 158 housing units and 142 households.
Addison Township Supervisor Bruce Pearson was somewhat surprised by the decrease because Addison has been in a building boom. But it made sense after he thought about it, driving by these new houses. “They’re all big houses on large lots, but they’re all empty-nesters,” he said. “They’re building their dream house out here, but their kids are all grown and gone.”
Another factor is the lack of a job market in the township. “So, when our kids graduate high school, they move.”
He’s not concerned about lost revenue sharing though. “Not for a hundred people, no. I’m not too worried about that. I’m not disappointed, I just wish that with all the building we have going on it would have shown an increase.”
Even so, the new construction is ongoing. “We’re still building right now and those people are not included, because the census was last year. And we have an awful lot of houses going up in Addison this year. So if they had waited a year, maybe we would have increased, you never know.”
Since 2010, Oakland County grew by 72,030 people, a 6% increase overall. The county population is 1,274,395.