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 | 171,941 | 179,701 | 181,165 | 180,132 | 181,995 |
| Change Since 2000 | 7,760 | 9,224 | 8,191 | 10,054 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 4.5% | 5.4% | 4.8% | 5.8% | |
| Components of Population Change 2024 to 2025 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 575 | |
| International Migration | 222 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 49 | |
| Births | 2,197 | |
| Deaths | 2,148 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2025 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 10,859 | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 28,019 | 15.4% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 17,805 | 9.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 48,797 | 26.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 40,626 | 22.3% |
| Older (65 plus) | 35,889 | 19.7% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2025 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 795 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 2,708 | 1.5% |
| Black Alone | 19,918 | 10.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 935 | 0.5% |
| White Alone | 148,047 | 81.3% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 9,592 | 5.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 173,244 | 95.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8,751 | 4.8% |
| Households in 2024 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 78,270 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 45,673 | 58.4% |
| Married with Children | 11,133 | 14.2% |
| Married without Children | 20,712 | 26.5% |
| Single Parents | 7,608 | 9.7% |
| Other | 6,220 | 7.9% |
| Non-family Households | 32,597 | 41.6% |
| Living Alone | 26,487 | 33.8% |
| Average Household Size | 2.31 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.97 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 160,422 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 165,794 | 5,372 | 3.3% |
| 1970 | 168,772 | 2,978 | 1.8% |
| 1980 | 167,515 | -1,257 | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 165,058 | -2,457 | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 171,941 | 6,883 | 4.2% |
| 2010 | 179,701 | 7,760 | 4.5% |
| 2020 | 180,132 | 431 | 0.2% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 180,331 | 179,620 | 179,689 | 178,654 | 176,696 |
| Change Since 2020 | -711 | -642 | -1,677 | -3,635 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | -0.4% | -0.4% | -0.9% | -2.0% | |