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 | 17,194 | 17,349 | 16,902 | 16,147 | 16,484 |
| Change Since 2000 | 155 | -292 | -1,047 | -710 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 0.9% | -1.7% | -6.1% | -4.1% | |
| Components of Population Change 2022 to 2023 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 101 | |
| International Migration | 1 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 17 | |
| Births | 209 | |
| Deaths | 192 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 982 | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,677 | 16.4% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,235 | 7.5% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 3,877 | 23.7% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 4,170 | 25.5% |
| Older (65 plus) | 3,428 | 20.9% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 86 | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 36 | 0.2% |
| Black Alone | 345 | 2.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 4 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 15,715 | 96.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 183 | 1.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 16,088 | 98.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 281 | 1.7% |
| Households in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 5,725 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 3,997 | 69.8% |
| Married with Children | 952 | 16.6% |
| Married without Children | 2,240 | 39.1% |
| Single Parents | 429 | 7.5% |
| Other | 376 | 6.6% |
| Non-family Households | 1,728 | 30.2% |
| Living Alone | 1,538 | 26.9% |
| Average Household Size | 2.86 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 4.09 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 15,674 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 14,804 | -870 | -5.6% |
| 1970 | 14,628 | -176 | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 16,372 | 1,744 | 11.9% |
| 1990 | 15,410 | -962 | -5.9% |
| 2000 | 17,194 | 1,784 | 11.6% |
| 2010 | 17,349 | 155 | 0.9% |
| 2020 | 16,147 | -1,202 | -6.9% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | |
| Population Projections | 17,339 | 16,878 | 16,565 | 16,286 | 15,920 |
| Change Since 2010 | -461 | -774 | -1,053 | -1,419 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2010 | -2.7% | -4.5% | -6.1% | -8.2% | |