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 | 2022 | |
| Total Population | 484,582 | 496,112 | 484,834 | 498,707 | 499,689 |
| Change Since 2000 | 11,530 | 252 | 14,125 | 15,107 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 2.4% | 0.1% | 2.9% | 3.1% | |
| Components of Population Change 2021 to 2022 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 632 | |
| International Migration | 645 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -644 | |
| Births | 5,567 | |
| Deaths | 6,211 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 28,768 | 5.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 86,340 | 17.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 43,153 | 8.6% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 125,653 | 25.1% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 126,433 | 25.3% |
| Older (65 plus) | 89,342 | 17.9% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 2,813 | 0.6% |
| Asian Alone | 8,614 | 1.7% |
| Black Alone | 122,399 | 24.5% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 335 | 0.1% |
| White Alone | 354,449 | 70.9% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 11,079 | 2.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 395,312 | 79.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 104,377 | 20.9% |
| Households in 2021 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 190,191 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 125,034 | 65.7% |
| Married with Children | 30,900 | 16.2% |
| Married without Children | 52,819 | 27.8% |
| Single Parents | 22,291 | 11.7% |
| Other | 19,024 | 10.0% |
| Non-family Households | 65,157 | 34.3% |
| Living Alone | 55,368 | 29.1% |
| Average Household Size | 2.63 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.99 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 368,152 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 513,269 | 145,117 | 39.4% |
| 1970 | 546,253 | 32,984 | 6.4% |
| 1980 | 522,917 | -23,336 | -4.3% |
| 1990 | 475,594 | -47,323 | -9.0% |
| 2000 | 484,582 | 8,988 | 1.9% |
| 2010 | 496,112 | 11,530 | 2.4% |
| 2020 | 498,707 | 2,595 | 0.5% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | |
| Population Projections | 496,005 | 487,649 | 479,815 | 481,583 | 482,321 |
| Change Since 2010 | -8,356 | -16,190 | -14,422 | -13,684 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2010 | -1.7% | -3.3% | -2.9% | -2.8% | |