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 | 16,790 | 16,210 | 15,507 | 15,443 | 15,417 |
| Change Since 2000 | -580 | -1,283 | -1,347 | -1,373 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | -3.5% | -7.6% | -8.0% | -8.2% | |
| Components of Population Change 2022 to 2023 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 35 | |
| International Migration | 4 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -56 | |
| Births | 171 | |
| Deaths | 227 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 816 | 5.3% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,522 | 16.3% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,248 | 8.1% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 3,571 | 23.1% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 4,120 | 26.7% |
| Older (65 plus) | 3,174 | 20.6% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 61 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 48 | 0.3% |
| Black Alone | 103 | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 10 | 0.1% |
| White Alone | 14,974 | 97.0% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 255 | 1.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 15,162 | 98.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 289 | 1.9% |
| Households in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 6,506 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 4,604 | 70.8% |
| Married with Children | 1,180 | 18.1% |
| Married without Children | 2,302 | 35.4% |
| Single Parents | 678 | 10.4% |
| Other | 444 | 6.8% |
| Non-family Households | 1,902 | 29.2% |
| Living Alone | 1,436 | 22.1% |
| Average Household Size | 2.37 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.35 | |
| 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 | 15,443 | -767 | -4.7% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | |
| Population Projections | 16,212 | 15,634 | 15,214 | 14,987 | 14,653 |
| Change Since 2010 | -578 | -998 | -1,225 | -1,559 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2010 | -3.6% | -6.2% | -7.6% | -9.6% | |