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 | |||||
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2021 | |
| Total Population | 48,139 | 48,511 | 49,466 | 48,349 | 48,935 |
| Change Since 1990 | 372 | 1,327 | 210 | 796 | |
| Pct. Change Since 1990 | 0.8% | 2.8% | 0.4% | 1.7% | |
| Components of Population Change 2020 to 2021 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 339 | |
| International Migration | 0 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -292 | |
| Births | 441 | |
| Deaths | 733 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2021 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 2,472 | 5.1% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 7,452 | 15.2% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 3,926 | 8.0% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 12,235 | 25.0% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 13,396 | 27.4% |
| Older (65 plus) | 9,454 | 19.3% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2021 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 105 | 0.2% |
| Asian Alone | 229 | 0.5% |
| Black Alone | 1,390 | 2.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 16 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 46,419 | 94.9% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 776 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 47,883 | 97.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,052 | 2.1% |
| Households in 2020 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 18,387 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 12,111 | 65.9% |
| Married with Children | 3,176 | 17.3% |
| Married without Children | 5,958 | 32.4% |
| Single Parents | 1,511 | 8.2% |
| Other | 1,466 | 8.0% |
| Non-family Households | 6,276 | 34.1% |
| Living Alone | 5,134 | 27.9% |
| Average Household Size | 2.66 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 4.04 | |
| 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% |
| April 2000 | 48,511 | 372 | 0.8% |
| April 2010 | 49,466 | 955 | 2.0% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | |
| Population Projections | 49,462 | 48,585 | 47,664 | 46,761 | 45,776 |
| Change Since 2010 | -877 | -1,798 | -2,701 | -3,686 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2010 | -1.8% | -3.6% | -5.5% | -7.5% | |