Athens County literally ‘no-growth’
July 28, 2008
If Athens County really is home, as some have alleged, to a “no-growth” faction, then that contingent should be cheered by the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Population growth in the towns and villages of Athens County has been well-nigh undetectable for the last five years, according to the data.
The county overall, in fact, appears to have actually lost a few people over the previous half-decade, though the change has been so tiny, it could be drowned in the margin of error.
Mid-year population estimates by the Census Bureau indicate that as of July 1 of last year, Athens County was home to 63,275 people. That’s up slightly – by 63 souls, to be exact – from July 1, 2006, but down from the July 2003 estimate of 63,338.
Thus between July 2003 and July of last year, if the Census numbers are accurate, the county lost a little less than 0.1 percent of its population.
This doesn’t really make it stand out in the state of Ohio, which has seen almost non-existent population growth during the same period. Between 2003 and last year, the Census estimates, the state saw only about a 0.2 percent increase in its population of more than 11 million people.
Within Athens County, population in the county’s incorporated areas has been essentially flat-line since 2003.
The most robust population growth – if you want to call it that – came in the village of Albany, where an increase of a whopping 10 residents since 2003 translates into a little more than 1 percent growth.
All other towns and villages in the county had growth rates of a half percent or less, with the city of Athens showing less than 0.2 percent.
(Given the increase in Ohio University enrollment, however, it would seem possible that at least some of these new students are being missed in the Census calculations.)
The picture in the county’s 14 townships is much the same. Eight of them – Alexander, Athens, Carthage Dover, Lodi, Rome, Troy and Waterloo – saw miniscule drops in their estimated populations, while five – Ames, Canaan, Lee, Trimble and York – saw miniscule increases, and one, Bern, saw no change.
According to the Census Web site, to get its mid-year estimates, which it continually revises, the bureau starts with the most recent 10-year Census numbers – in this case, from 2000.
It then uses administrative records – including registered births and deaths, federal income tax returns, Medicare enrollment, and military movement — to estimate changes in population. It also incorporates data from the American Community Survey into the estimates.
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