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 | 2024 | |
| Total Population | 16,790 | 16,210 | 15,508 | 15,434 | 15,516 |
| Change Since 2000 | -580 | -1,282 | -1,356 | -1,274 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | -3.5% | -7.6% | -8.1% | -7.6% | |
| Components of Population Change 2023 to 2024 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 206 | |
| International Migration | 5 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -54 | |
| Births | 144 | |
| Deaths | 198 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 852 | 5.5% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,470 | 16.1% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,204 | 7.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 3,633 | 23.6% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 4,113 | 26.8% |
| Older (65 plus) | 3,145 | 20.5% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 67 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 48 | 0.3% |
| Black Alone | 122 | 0.8% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 9 | 0.1% |
| White Alone | 14,927 | 97.2% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 244 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 15,162 | 98.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 255 | 1.7% |
| Households in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 6,560 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 4,363 | 66.5% |
| Married with Children | 1,261 | 19.2% |
| Married without Children | 2,153 | 32.8% |
| Single Parents | 527 | 8.0% |
| Other | 422 | 6.4% |
| Non-family Households | 2,197 | 33.5% |
| Living Alone | 1,783 | 27.2% |
| Average Household Size | 2.34 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.52 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 19,723 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 17,683 | -2,040 | -10.3% |
| 1970 | 16,793 | -890 | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 18,229 | 1,436 | 8.6% |
| 1990 | 16,773 | -1,456 | -8.0% |
| 2000 | 16,790 | 17 | 0.1% |
| 2010 | 16,210 | -580 | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 15,434 | -776 | -4.8% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 15,409 | 15,395 | 15,143 | 14,770 | 14,459 |
| Change Since 2020 | -14 | -266 | -639 | -950 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | -0.1% | -1.7% | -4.1% | -6.2% | |