Source: Getty
After a couple of years where more people moved into Indianapolis/Marion County than left, 2014 Population Estimates released Today (March 26th) by the Census Bureau show that Indianapolis continues to lose population to other parts of the state and the nation. BUT, that decline has been offset by continued growth from international residents and minorities which has fueled the continued strong population growth for both the city and county. Growth exceeding that of the previous decade. The 2014 Census population estimates, as of July 2014 reports Indianapolis/Marion County’s population at a record 934,243; up 3.4% or 30,850 since the 2010 Census. The growth in Indiana’s largest city and county was fueled not just by more births than deaths, but by continued strong growth from people moving to Indianapolis from overseas. Some 11,748 moved to Indy since 2010 from outside this country. Indy lost some 9,669 persons to other locations in the country since 2010.There had been a small net positive increase in more people moving to Indianapolis/Marion County from other parts of the country and were leaving. But that changed according to the 2014 Census estimates – which documented that between July, 2013 and July, 2014 – 3,746 more people left the city/county for other US locations and moved here. The 2014 population estimates continue to confirm that the bulk of Indiana’s population growth is in the Indianapolis metro, even though three metro counties – Brown, Madison and Putnam – lost population since 2010. The 2014 Census estimates confirm that the Indianapolis Metro is the population driver for the state. A stunning 73.8% of Indiana’s total population growth of 113,053 since 2010 is in the Indianapolis metro area. Of the eleven counties in the Indianapolis/Anderson/Carmel Metro Area, Marion County continues to lead in overall population growth of any Indiana county, followed by Hamilton, Hendricks, Allen and Tippecanoe. Here’s the lineup of the Indy metro’s other ten counties: BOONE – 61,915, up 5,725, 3.4%; BROWN – 14,962, down 280 or 1.8%; HAMILTON – 302,623 up 28,054 or 10.2%; HANCOCK – 71,978 up 1,976 or 2.8%; HENDRICKS – 156,056 up 10,608 or 7.3%; JOHNSON – 147,538 up 7,884 or 5.6%; MADISON – 130,069 down 1,567 or 1.2%; MORGAN – 69,693 up 799 or 1.2%; PUTNAM – 37,618 down 345 or 0.9% – SHELBY – 44,579 up 143 or 0.3%. Three Indy metro counties are among Indiana’s ten most populous counties. The Top Ten are: MARION – 934,243; LAKE – 490,228; ALLEN – 365,918; HAMILTON 302,623; ST. JOSEPH – 267,618; ELKHART – 201,971; TIPPECANOE – 183,074; VANDERBURGH – 182,006; PORTER – 167,076 AND HENDRICKS – 156,056.
Source: US Census Bureau
Statewide, Indiana’s population growth this decade is slowing down markedly. Between 2000 and 2010, Indiana grew by 403,317; 6.6% in percentage terms. But so far this decade, Indiana’s population has grown to 6,596,855, up just 113,053; a 1.7% growth rate. Indiana is on a pace to grow by only 283,000 people this decade, far below the growth of the past two decades. A disturbing trend while the nation’s overall population continues growing. Contributing to Indiana’s anemic population growth are continued and seemingly chronic population losses throughout the state. Of Indiana’s 92 counties, 54 or 58.7% have lost population this decade. More stunning is this statistic from the 2014 Census population estimates. Eight Indiana counties – Allen, Boone, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Marion, Monroe, and Tippecanoe – accounts for 96.2% of Indiana’s 113,053 population growth since 2010. All but one of those counties are in Central Indiana; five are in the Indianapolis metro. Hamilton County crossed the milestone 300,000 mark to 302,623. The fast-growing county, now fourth most populous in Indiana, while growing is not continues to not see the explosion growth of the last two decades. Hamilton County’s population has grown by just 28,054 or 10.2% in the four years since the last census. At that rate, Hamilton County’s growth will be far less than the stunning 50% growth rate between 2000 and 2010. In terms of Indianapolis metropolitan area growth, only Marion and Boone counties are on a growth track to exceed their population growth of the 2000 to 2010 decade. All the other Indy metro suburban metro counties are on pace to be below their previous decade’s growth.
Slowing population growth in Indy’s metro suburban counties is why the Indianapolis Metro’s explosive percentage growth, best in the Midwest during the 1990’s and the 21st Century’s first decade, is off markedly. While the metro area has grown 4.4% (4.42%) since 2010, Columbus Ohio’s metro grew at since 2010 by 4.87% and Minneapolis’ nearly tied Indianapolis at 4.37% In total metro population growth among Midwest metro areas, Minneapolis still leads the pack, followed by Chicago, Columbus and then Indianapolis. The eleven largest Midwest Metro areas are: Chicago 9.5 million; Detroit 4.3 million, Minneapolis 3.5 million, St. Louis 2.8 million, Cincinnati 2.1 million, Kansas City 2.07 million, Cleveland 2.06 million, Columbus 1.99 million, Indianapolis 1.971 million, Milwaukee 1.5 million and Louisville 1.3 million. Click the Link For a Chart of Indianapolis/Anderson/Carmel Metro and County Growth since Area and Midwest Metro Area Growth Since 2000. 2014 CENSUS POPULATION ESTIMATES CHARTS
