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 | 265,567 | 266,914 | 270,961 | 272,908 | 273,744 |
| Change Since 2000 | 1,347 | 5,394 | 7,341 | 8,177 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2000 | 0.5% | 2.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | |
| Components of Population Change 2023 to 2024 | ||
| Number | ||
| Net Domestic Migration | -1,797 | |
| International Migration | 1,558 | |
| Natural Increase (births minus deaths) | 327 | |
| Births | 3,172 | |
| Deaths | 2,845 | |
| Population Estimates by Age in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Preschool (0 to 4) | 16,532 | 6.0% |
| School Age (5 to 17) | 46,587 | 17.0% |
| College Age (18 to 24) | 31,045 | 11.3% |
| Young Adult (25 to 44) | 69,805 | 25.5% |
| Older Adult (45 to 64) | 61,852 | 22.6% |
| Older (65 plus) | 47,027 | 17.2% |
| Population Estimates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| American Ind. or Alaskan Native Alone | 1,657 | 0.6% |
| Asian Alone | 7,739 | 2.8% |
| Black Alone | 38,144 | 13.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pac. Isl. Alone | 248 | 0.1% |
| White Alone | 215,077 | 78.6% |
| Two or More Race Groups | 9,983 | 3.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | ||
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 243,241 | 88.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 29,607 | 10.8% |
| Households in 2023 | ||
| Number | Pct. Dist | |
| Total Households | 107,005 | 100.0% |
| Family Households | 63,641 | 59.5% |
| Married with Children | 17,032 | 15.9% |
| Married without Children | 28,373 | 26.5% |
| Single Parents | 9,991 | 9.3% |
| Other | 8,245 | 7.7% |
| Non-family Households | 43,364 | 40.5% |
| Living Alone | 35,972 | 33.6% |
| Average Household Size | 2.56 | |
| Average Family Household Size | 4.30 | |
| Population Counts by Decade | |||
| Population | Numerical Chg. | Pct. Chg. | |
| 1950 | 205,058 | NA | NA |
| 1960 | 238,614 | 33,556 | 16.4% |
| 1970 | 244,827 | 6,213 | 2.6% |
| 1980 | 241,617 | -3,210 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 247,052 | 5,435 | 2.2% |
| 2000 | 265,567 | 18,515 | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 266,914 | 1,347 | 0.5% |
| 2020 | 272,908 | 5,994 | 2.2% |
| Population Projections | |||||
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | |
| Population Projections | 272,672 | 273,415 | 274,650 | 274,754 | 274,059 |
| Change Since 2020 | 743 | 1,978 | 2,082 | 1,387 | |
| Pct. Change Since 2020 | 0.3% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.5% | |