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 | 48,511 | 49,466 | 48,205 | 48,915 | 49,081 |
| Change Since 2000 | 955 | -306 | 404 | 570 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 2.0% | -0.6% | 0.8% | 1.2% | |
| Components of Population Change 2023 to 2024 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 260 | |
| International Migration | 6 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -175 | |
| Births | 457 | |
| Deaths | 632 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2024 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 2,366 | 4.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 7,435 | 15.1% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 3,888 | 7.9% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 12,481 | 25.4% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 13,005 | 26.5% |
| Older (65 plus) | 9,906 | 20.2% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2024 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 125 | 0.3% |
| Asian Alone | 255 | 0.5% |
| Black Alone | 1,469 | 3.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 17 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 46,309 | 94.4% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 906 | 1.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 47,846 | 97.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,235 | 2.5% |
| Households in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 18,460 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 11,613 | 62.9% |
| Married with Children | 2,726 | 14.8% |
| Married without Children | 5,945 | 32.2% |
| Single Parents | 1,555 | 8.4% |
| Other | 1,387 | 7.5% |
| Non-family Households | 6,847 | 37.1% |
| Living Alone | 5,955 | 32.3% |
| Average Household Size | 2.65 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 4.22 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 45,505 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 48,899 | 3,394 | 7.5% |
| 1970 | 52,603 | 3,704 | 7.6% |
| 1980 | 53,336 | 733 | 1.4% |
| 1990 | 48,139 | -5,197 | -9.7% |
| 2000 | 48,511 | 372 | 0.8% |
| 2010 | 49,466 | 955 | 2.0% |
| 2020 | 48,915 | -551 | -1.1% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 48,903 | 48,822 | 48,431 | 47,725 | 46,971 |
| Change Since 2020 | -81 | -472 | -1,178 | -1,932 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | -0.2% | -1.0% | -2.4% | -4.0% | |