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 | 27,078 | 25,912 | 25,563 | 25,218 | 25,040 |
| Change Since 2000 | -1,166 | -1,515 | -1,860 | -2,038 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | -4.3% | -5.6% | -6.9% | -7.5% | |
| Components of Population Change 2022 to 2023 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | -21 | |
| International Migration | 2 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -40 | |
| Births | 205 | |
| Deaths | 245 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,206 | 4.8% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 4,149 | 16.6% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,707 | 6.8% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 5,875 | 23.5% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 6,672 | 26.6% |
| Older (65 plus) | 5,431 | 21.7% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 78 | 0.3% |
| Asian Alone | 157 | 0.6% |
| Black Alone | 309 | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 6 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 24,136 | 96.4% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 354 | 1.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 24,643 | 98.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 397 | 1.6% |
| Households in 2022 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 10,179 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 7,357 | 72.3% |
| Married with Children | 2,146 | 21.1% |
| Married without Children | 4,028 | 39.6% |
| Single Parents | 632 | 6.2% |
| Other | 551 | 5.4% |
| Non-family Households | 2,822 | 27.7% |
| Living Alone | 2,343 | 23.0% |
| Average Household Size | 2.47 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.41 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 19,818 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 19,214 | -604 | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 21,740 | 2,526 | 13.1% |
| 1980 | 26,414 | 4,674 | 21.5% |
| 1990 | 25,968 | -446 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 27,078 | 1,110 | 4.3% |
| 2010 | 25,912 | -1,166 | -4.3% |
| 2020 | 25,218 | -694 | -2.7% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 25,173 | 24,920 | 24,436 | 23,689 | 22,825 |
| Change Since 2020 | -253 | -737 | -1,484 | -2,348 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | -1.0% | -2.9% | -5.9% | -9.3% | |