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 | 18,258 | 17,391 | 16,635 | 16,752 | 16,759 |
| Change Since 2000 | -867 | -1,623 | -1,506 | -1,499 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | -4.7% | -8.9% | -8.2% | -8.2% | |
| Components of Population Change 2023 to 2024 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | -34 | |
| International Migration | 21 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | -41 | |
| Births | 162 | |
| Deaths | 203 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 1,000 | 5.9% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 2,780 | 16.5% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 1,273 | 7.6% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 4,019 | 23.9% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 4,445 | 26.4% |
| Older (65 plus) | 3,330 | 19.8% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 66 | 0.4% |
| Asian Alone | 72 | 0.4% |
| Black Alone | 186 | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 7 | 0.0% |
| White Alone | 16,270 | 96.8% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 246 | 1.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 16,515 | 98.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 332 | 2.0% |
| Households in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 6,650 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 4,422 | 66.5% |
| Married with Children | 1,332 | 20.0% |
| Married without Children | 2,176 | 32.7% |
| Single Parents | 418 | 6.3% |
| Other | 496 | 7.5% |
| Non-family Households | 2,228 | 33.5% |
| Living Alone | 1,681 | 25.3% |
| Average Household Size | 2.53 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 3.80 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 19,799 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 20,393 | 594 | 3.0% |
| 1970 | 20,352 | -41 | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 19,604 | -748 | -3.7% |
| 1990 | 18,129 | -1,475 | -7.5% |
| 2000 | 18,258 | 129 | 0.7% |
| 2010 | 17,391 | -867 | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 16,752 | -639 | -3.7% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 16,767 | 17,010 | 16,820 | 16,581 | 16,345 |
| Change Since 2020 | 243 | 53 | -186 | -422 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | 1.4% | 0.3% | -1.1% | -2.5% | |