Census shows overall population decline in region
Tim Leeds
The government has released initial results of the 2010 Census, with a continuation of a long-term trend in north-central Montana — a gradual decline in population.
“I’m very pleased that the (loss) numbers aren’t higher than they are, but dismayed that we saw another decrease in population, ” Paul Tuss, executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., said this morning. “Hopefully, that population decline is a trend we can reverse in the next decade. ”
The Census Bureau released the population of Montana from the last count, 989,415, an increase from the 2000 Census count of 902,190.
But the increase is primarily in the western and southern part of the state, with most of eastern and northern Montana seeing a decline.
In the Havre area, Hill County had a 2010 count of 16,096, a 3.46-percent drop from its 2000 count of 16,673.
Blaine County dropped from 7,009 to 6,491, a 7.39-percent decline, while Chouteau County dropped 2.63 percent, from 5,970 to 5,813.
Liberty County saw an 8.39-percent increase, 181 people. The count rose from 2,158 people in the county in 2000 to 2,339 in the 2010 Census.
“I’m a little surprised, ” Tuss said about the decrease in most counties. “I’m not shocked, but I’m a little surprised. ”
Tuss added that until more information about the data is available, it will be impossible to make any conclusions.
He said he expected growth on Rocky Boy’s and the Fort Belknap Indian reservations to offset declines in Hill and Blaine counties, and until information is available on the reservations he can’t say what has happened there.
Tuss also said he expected the number of families that have moved into the area with the expansion of the presence of the U. S. Border Patrol also to give higher numbers than the Census is showing.
“They’re not dramatic numbers, but I am a little surprised we didn’t stay equal to 10 years ago, ” he said.
He said he also cannot make any comments on the increase in Liberty County until more data is available.
The decline does appear to be a gradual movement over the decade, amounting to about 14 families a year in Hill County, he said.
The economy in the region has been fairly stable in the last 10 years, he said, indicating the loss in population has not severely impacted the area.
“I’m not sure a 500-person decrease is a huge deal, but we don’t want to see it continue decade after decade …, ” Tuss said. “It points to all the more reason why we should focus on those areas where we can have an impact on job creation and business growth. ”
The government has released initial results of the 2010 Census, with a continuation of a long-term trend in north-central Montana — a gradual decline in population.
“I’m very pleased that the (loss) numbers aren’t higher than they are, but dismayed that we saw another decrease in population, ” Paul Tuss, executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., said this morning. “Hopefully, that population decline is a trend we can reverse in the next decade. ”
The Census Bureau released the population of Montana from the last count, 989,415, an increase from the 2000 Census count of 902,190.
But the increase is primarily in the western and southern part of the state, with most of eastern and northern Montana seeing a decline.
In the Havre area, Hill County had a 2010 count of 16,096, a 3.46-percent drop from its 2000 count of 16,673.
Blaine County dropped from 7,009 to 6,491, a 7.39-percent decline, while Chouteau County dropped 2.63 percent, from 5,970 to 5,813.
Liberty County saw an 8.39-percent increase, 181 people. The count rose from 2,158 people in the county in 2000 to 2,339 in the 2010 Census.
“I’m a little surprised, ” Tuss said about the decrease in most counties. “I’m not shocked, but I’m a little surprised. ”
Tuss added that until more information about the data is available, it will be impossible to make any conclusions.
He said he expected growth on Rocky Boy’s and the Fort Belknap Indian reservations to offset declines in Hill and Blaine counties, and until information is available on the reservations he can’t say what has happened there.
Tuss also said he expected the number of families that have moved into the area with the expansion of the presence of the U. S. Border Patrol also to give higher numbers than the Census is showing.
“They’re not dramatic numbers, but I am a little surprised we didn’t stay equal to 10 years ago, ” he said.
He said he also cannot make any comments on the increase in Liberty County until more data is available.
The decline does appear to be a gradual movement over the decade, amounting to about 14 families a year in Hill County, he said.
The economy in the region has been fairly stable in the last 10 years, he said, indicating the loss in population has not severely impacted the area.
“I’m not sure a 500-person decrease is a huge deal, but we don’t want to see it continue decade after decade …, ” Tuss said. “It points to all the more reason why we should focus on those areas where we can have an impact on job creation and business growth. ”
