Iowa gains population for 20th consecutive year
Woodbury County also shows small gains
Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2008
Iowa is in its longest period of sustained population growth since 1900, according to estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The state's population has increased every year since 1988. The 2007 population estimate for Iowa is 2,988,046, up 2.1 percent (61,664) since the 2000 census.
However growth is not spread evenly across the state, according to Beth Henning, coordinator of the State Data Center program at the State Library of Iowa. "The new estimates indicate almost all of Iowa's growth is occurring in counties located in or near metropolitan areas," says Henning. "As a result, Iowa's population is becoming more concentrated. Nearly half of the state's residents live in just 10 counties."
Twenty-three Iowa counties gained population between 2000 and 2007. Of these only Davis, Dickinson and Sioux counties are not in, or adjacent to, a metropolitan area.
Woodbury County showed small statistical gains for the second consecutive year, following six years of declines, from 2000 through 2005. The 2007 estimate shows the county's population at 102,287, up 192 residents, or 0.2 percent from the previous year's estimate. That's still 1,590 fewer people, or -1.5 percent, than were counted in the 2000 census.
"While the change is very small, this modest population growth is positive and hopefully indicative of early signs of continued growth in Woodbury County," said Chris McGowan, executive vice president of the Siouxland Initiative.
Dallas County is the fastest-growing county in Iowa, ranking 31st in the nation in growth among counties larger than 10,000 people. Dallas County grew by 40.5 percent since the 2000 census and added 16,515 residents for a total population of 57,288.
In the Nebraska Census, counties in the greater Omaha and Lincoln areas posted bigger gains in new residents, while more Nebraskans left rural areas.
Nebraska's population has grown 3.7 percent, to an estimated 1,711,265, since the 2000 Census.
Census estimates released today show more people moved into 20 of Nebraska's 93 counties and out of the remaining 73 from 2000 to July 1, 2007.
Nine Nebraska metropolitan counties gained a total of 86,163 people since 2000, as nonmetropolitan counties lost 22,857 residents.
Sarpy County has grown the fastest: 19.7 percent since 2000, the bureau said.
The latest Census Bureau release also includes information about births, deaths and migration in Iowa and its counties. Between 2000 and 2007, Iowa gained 36,217 residents from other nations and lost 50,248 residents to other states for a net outmigration of 14,031. Births outnumbered deaths by 81,489. Among counties, 19 counties experienced more people moving in than moving out and 55 counties recorded more births than deaths since the 2000 census.
The new county population estimates, rankings and maps are on the State Library's State Data Center Web site at http://www.iowadatacenter.org.
(Sioux City Journal staff reporter Michele Linck contributed to this report.)
The state's population has increased every year since 1988. The 2007 population estimate for Iowa is 2,988,046, up 2.1 percent (61,664) since the 2000 census.
However growth is not spread evenly across the state, according to Beth Henning, coordinator of the State Data Center program at the State Library of Iowa. "The new estimates indicate almost all of Iowa's growth is occurring in counties located in or near metropolitan areas," says Henning. "As a result, Iowa's population is becoming more concentrated. Nearly half of the state's residents live in just 10 counties."
Twenty-three Iowa counties gained population between 2000 and 2007. Of these only Davis, Dickinson and Sioux counties are not in, or adjacent to, a metropolitan area.
Woodbury County showed small statistical gains for the second consecutive year, following six years of declines, from 2000 through 2005. The 2007 estimate shows the county's population at 102,287, up 192 residents, or 0.2 percent from the previous year's estimate. That's still 1,590 fewer people, or -1.5 percent, than were counted in the 2000 census.
"While the change is very small, this modest population growth is positive and hopefully indicative of early signs of continued growth in Woodbury County," said Chris McGowan, executive vice president of the Siouxland Initiative.
Dallas County is the fastest-growing county in Iowa, ranking 31st in the nation in growth among counties larger than 10,000 people. Dallas County grew by 40.5 percent since the 2000 census and added 16,515 residents for a total population of 57,288.
In the Nebraska Census, counties in the greater Omaha and Lincoln areas posted bigger gains in new residents, while more Nebraskans left rural areas.
Nebraska's population has grown 3.7 percent, to an estimated 1,711,265, since the 2000 Census.
Census estimates released today show more people moved into 20 of Nebraska's 93 counties and out of the remaining 73 from 2000 to July 1, 2007.
Nine Nebraska metropolitan counties gained a total of 86,163 people since 2000, as nonmetropolitan counties lost 22,857 residents.
Sarpy County has grown the fastest: 19.7 percent since 2000, the bureau said.
The latest Census Bureau release also includes information about births, deaths and migration in Iowa and its counties. Between 2000 and 2007, Iowa gained 36,217 residents from other nations and lost 50,248 residents to other states for a net outmigration of 14,031. Births outnumbered deaths by 81,489. Among counties, 19 counties experienced more people moving in than moving out and 55 counties recorded more births than deaths since the 2000 census.
The new county population estimates, rankings and maps are on the State Library's State Data Center Web site at http://www.iowadatacenter.org.
(Sioux City Journal staff reporter Michele Linck contributed to this report.)
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Dick wrote on Mar 21, 2008 12:48 AM: