After most members of the indigenous tribes were pushed out of the area, ethnic European-American pioneers from New England and New York settled here.

The borders of Livonia Township were defined by the Legislature of the Territory of Michigan on March 17, 1835.

An incentive was that this status would allow the residents to gain tax revenues from the Detroit Race Course (DRC).

From 1985, it ran only harness racing for Standardbred, and the track closed in 1998, when the large property was sold for redevelopment.

Among the immigrants attracted to Detroit for its industrial jobs in the 20th century have been Palestinian and Lebanese Christians, as well as Muslims.

By 1985, Palestinian Christians had settled in Livonia, as well as the western suburbs of Farmington and Westland.

[15] The city has many creeks and rivers, but most notably majority portions of both Newburgh and Nankin Lake in the south and south-west.

16.3% were of Polish, 15.9% German, 11.2% Irish, 8.6% Italian and 8.5% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

Livonia has a substantial Middle Eastern population, mostly Arab, and trace their ancestry to the Levant region, mainly from Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon, and are of the Christian faith.

[23] In addition to its schools, colleges, churches, parks, recreation center, libraries and the St. Mary Mercy Hospital, Livonia also has commercial and industrial sectors, restaurants and retail stores.

It also closed in 2008 and was redeveloped as Livonia Marketplace, featuring a second Walmart, along with Sears and Kohl's.

The city is located in Michigan's 12th congressional district, represented by Rashida Tlaib (Democrat).

Livonia is in Michigan's 7th State Senate District, and is represented by Dayna Polehanki (Democrat).

Most of Livonia makes up Michigan's 19th State House District, which elected Laurie Pohutsky (Democrat) in 2018.

A part of southeast Livonia is in the 11th district, which is represented by, Jewell Jones (Democrat).

Stevenson High School is the home of the school of Global Education, an alternative education model which combines students' English and social studies classes with a focus on the student's role in the world.

Churchill houses the MSC (Math/Science/Computer) and CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts) programs.

[33] Livonia has limited access to public bus service through the Detroit Department of Transportation.

In 2012, the National Motorists Association released the results of a public poll on the "Worst Speed Trap Cities" in North America.