The population of Detroit Lakes City is very diverse, with many ethnic groups living in the area. The city has a large Mexican-American population, who arrived in the early 20th century to work in the automotive and agricultural industries. Many of them had to return to Mexico due to the Great Depression, but stayed in the area. Their descendants formed a thriving community. In the 1940s, Mexicans migrated to the city, where they settled in Mexicantown. Later, Appalachians came to the Detroit area. They established communities and acquired southern accents. The city's population was also made up of Lithuanians, who settled in West Vernor. The Lithuanian Hall was reopened in 2006.
Detroit Lakes City Center real estate consists of small and medium-sized single-family homes and apartment complexes. Most of these properties are occupied by a mix of renters and owners. Several of these buildings were constructed in the 1940s or 1970s. The vacancy rate for these homes is 7.5%, which is lower than the national average of 53.9%, but still in the middle of the range.
The average household income for the city is about $62,000. This is lower than the national average, but the city is expected to see a rise in income by 2021. The orange circles in the map are census tracts where households make below average incomes. The darker orange circles indicate areas where households are near the poverty line.