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 | 73,410 | 70,063 | 66,373 | 66,680 | 66,200 |
| Change Since 2000 | -3,347 | -7,037 | -6,730 | -7,210 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | -4.6% | -9.6% | -9.2% | -9.8% | |
| Components of Population Change 2022 to 2023 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 386 | |
| International Migration | 114 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -293 | |
| Births | 745 | |
| Deaths | 1,038 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 3,731 | 5.6% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 10,527 | 15.9% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 8,452 | 12.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 14,447 | 21.8% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 16,100 | 24.3% |
| Older (65 plus) | 12,943 | 19.6% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 306 | 0.5% |
| Asian Alone | 634 | 1.0% |
| Black Alone | 5,267 | 8.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 54 | 0.1% |
| White Alone | 57,938 | 87.5% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 2,001 | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 62,402 | 94.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3,798 | 5.7% |
| Households in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 26,550 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 16,548 | 62.3% |
| Married with Children | 3,808 | 14.3% |
| Married without Children | 7,797 | 29.4% |
| Single Parents | 2,902 | 10.9% |
| Other | 2,041 | 7.7% |
| Non-family Households | 10,002 | 37.7% |
| Living Alone | 8,393 | 31.6% |
| Average Household Size | 2.49 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.99 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 62,156 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 75,741 | 13,585 | 21.9% |
| 1970 | 83,955 | 8,214 | 10.8% |
| 1980 | 80,934 | -3,021 | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 74,169 | -6,765 | -8.4% |
| 2000 | 73,410 | -759 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 70,063 | -3,347 | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 66,680 | -3,383 | -4.8% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 66,475 | 66,177 | 64,711 | 63,064 | 61,570 |
| Change Since 2020 | -298 | -1,764 | -3,411 | -4,905 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | -0.4% | -2.7% | -5.1% | -7.4% | |