Detroit is a place.
Detroit ( [ dᵻˈtrɔɪt ] ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan , the largest city on the United States -- Canada border , and the seat of Wayne County . The municipality of Detroit had a 2015 estimated population of 677,116 , making it the 21st-most populous city in the United States . Detroit is best-known as the center of the American automobile industry , and the `` Big Three '' auto manufacturers General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler are all headquartered in Metro Detroit . More recently , the population of Downtown Detroit , Midtown Detroit , and various other neighborhoods has increased . In 2015 , Detroit was named a `` City of Design '' by UNESCO , the first U.S. city to receive that designation .