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 | 146,806 | 164,288 | 169,647 | 173,224 | 175,860 |
| Change Since 2000 | 17,482 | 22,841 | 26,418 | 29,054 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 11.9% | 15.6% | 18.0% | 19.8% | |
| Components of Population Change 2023 to 2024 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | 549 | |
| International Migration | 206 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -183 | |
| Births | 1,635 | |
| Deaths | 1,818 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 8,804 | 5.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 28,227 | 16.1% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 15,196 | 8.7% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 44,780 | 25.5% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 45,227 | 25.8% |
| Older (65 plus) | 33,101 | 18.9% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 709 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 2,700 | 1.5% |
| Black Alone | 9,045 | 5.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 79 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 159,371 | 90.9% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 3,431 | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 154,331 | 88.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21,004 | 12.0% |
| Households in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 68,049 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 45,516 | 66.9% |
| Married with Children | 14,045 | 20.6% |
| Married without Children | 22,436 | 33.0% |
| Single Parents | 5,208 | 7.7% |
| Other | 3,827 | 5.6% |
| Non-family Households | 22,533 | 33.1% |
| Living Alone | 18,229 | 26.8% |
| Average Household Size | 2.58 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.85 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 40,076 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 60,279 | 20,203 | 50.4% |
| 1970 | 87,114 | 26,835 | 44.5% |
| 1980 | 119,816 | 32,702 | 37.5% |
| 1990 | 128,932 | 9,116 | 7.6% |
| 2000 | 146,806 | 17,874 | 13.9% |
| 2010 | 164,288 | 17,482 | 11.9% |
| 2020 | 173,224 | 8,936 | 5.4% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 173,295 | 176,155 | 178,658 | 180,058 | 181,357 |
| Change Since 2020 | 2,860 | 5,363 | 6,763 | 8,062 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | 1.7% | 3.1% | 3.9% | 4.7% | |