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 | 2018 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Total Population | 26,567 | 26,896 | 26,215 | 26,459 | 26,410 |
| Change Since 2000 | 329 | -352 | -108 | -157 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 1.2% | -1.3% | -0.4% | -0.6% | |
| Components of Population Change 2024 to 2025 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 140 | |
| International Migration | -4 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -78 | |
| Births | 291 | |
| Deaths | 369 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2025 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,398 | 5.3% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 4,447 | 16.8% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,930 | 7.3% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 6,290 | 23.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,587 | 24.9% |
| Older (65 plus) | 5,758 | 21.8% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2025 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 103 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 98 | 0.4% |
| Black Alone | 252 | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 3 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 25,095 | 95.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 859 | 3.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 25,818 | 97.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 592 | 2.2% |
| Households in 2024 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 10,549 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 7,445 | 70.6% |
| Married with Children | 1,921 | 18.2% |
| Married without Children | 3,611 | 34.2% |
| Single Parents | 860 | 8.2% |
| Other | 1,053 | 10.0% |
| Non-family Households | 3,104 | 29.4% |
| Living Alone | 2,705 | 25.6% |
| Average Household Size | 2.50 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.54 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 23,918 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 24,207 | 289 | 1.2% |
| 1970 | 23,933 | -274 | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 24,862 | 929 | 3.9% |
| 1990 | 24,705 | -157 | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 26,567 | 1,862 | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 26,896 | 329 | 1.2% |
| 2020 | 26,459 | -437 | -1.6% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 26,419 | 26,533 | 26,257 | 25,742 | 25,071 |
| Change Since 2020 | 114 | -162 | -677 | -1,348 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | 0.4% | -0.6% | -2.6% | -5.1% | |