Detroit Has 90, 000 Jewish Residents, Survey Shows; 27, 000 Families

The Jewish population of Detroit consists of 27, 000 families numbering about 90, 000 persons, the Detroit Jewish News reports on the basis of a survey completed by Dr. Albert J. Mayer, of Wayne State University. In 1956, the Jewish population reached a peak of 93, 700 souls.

The Mayer survey is the first conducted here since 1935, when a total community of 75, 000 was reported. The increase in population during the years between surveys, the Mayer report states, was due, almost exclusively, to a rise in the birth rate, which boosted the average family size to 3. 30. A chart of age composition shows 28, 700 persons (31 percent) under the age of 15; 8, 400 (9 percent) between 15 and 24; 24, 700 (26 percent) between 25 and 44; 25, 400 (27 percent) between 45 and 64; and 6, 500 (7 percent) over the age of 65.

The report indicates that the breakdown of the community into age groups will be significant in community planning during the next decades, and adds that communal facilities during the next 30 years will be subject to varying degrees of use. Because of the small number of 15-to-24-year-olds, the report observes that, even with a higher fertility rate, their numbers are so small that fewer children will be born in the next decade. Another problem foreseen by the survey, which already is generally known, is the increasing numbers of the aged.

In compiling statistics for the report, Dr. Mayer used a complicated system of random sampling, which was later tested and verified as being an accurate estimate of the Jewish population figures. The study attempted interviews with 824 households in a specific area known to contain 93 percent of the total Jewish population. Of those contacted 225 were known to be Jewish, while 556 were non-Jewish. The total area covered contains some 92, 420 dwelling units.