A region's economy thrives or dives because of the people who choose to live there. That choice may occur by being born there and desiring to stay, or a more deliberate one of choosing to relocate from somewhere else. Monitoring change in the size and movement of population is an important barometer of well-being.
| Population Over Time | |||||
| 2000 | 2010 | 2017 | 2020 | 2023 | |
| Total Population | 48,511 | 49,466 | 48,178 | 48,910 | 48,929 |
| Change Since 2000 | 955 | -333 | 399 | 418 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 2.0% | -0.7% | 0.8% | 0.9% | |
| Components of Population Change 2022 to 2023 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 374 | |
| International Migration | 1 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -259 | |
| Births | 420 | |
| Deaths | 679 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 2,536 | 5.2% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 7,338 | 15.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 4,102 | 8.4% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 12,131 | 24.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 13,113 | 26.9% |
| Older (65 plus) | 9,695 | 19.9% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 110 | 0.2% |
| Asian Alone | 234 | 0.5% |
| Black Alone | 1,372 | 2.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 17 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 46,384 | 95.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 798 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 47,805 | 97.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,110 | 2.3% |
| Households in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 18,549 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 12,100 | 65.2% |
| Married with Children | 3,022 | 16.3% |
| Married without Children | 6,079 | 32.8% |
| Single Parents | 1,432 | 7.7% |
| Other | 1,567 | 8.4% |
| Non-family Households | 6,449 | 34.8% |
| Living Alone | 5,565 | 30.0% |
| Average Household Size | 2.63 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 4.03 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 45,505 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 48,899 | 3,394 | 7.5% |
| 1970 | 52,603 | 3,704 | 7.6% |
| 1980 | 53,336 | 733 | 1.4% |
| 1990 | 48,139 | -5,197 | -9.7% |
| 2000 | 48,511 | 372 | 0.8% |
| 2010 | 49,466 | 955 | 2.0% |
| 2020 | 48,910 | -556 | -1.1% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | |
| Population Projections | 49,462 | 48,894 | 48,041 | 46,873 | 45,591 |
| Change Since 2010 | -568 | -1,421 | -2,589 | -3,871 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2010 | -1.1% | -2.9% | -5.2% | -7.8% | |