After several years of slight population growth, projections from the U.S. Census Bureau call for Saline County to begin a slow slide as soon as next year.

The figures, which break population changes down to the city and township level across the state, were released earlier this week.

The next actual national head count is scheduled for 2010, and Salina already is working to ensure the most accurate count possible, said Andy Martin, executive director of the Salina Area United Way, who is leading Census efforts with the city of Salina and the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce.

City leaders hope an accurate count in 2010 will find at least 50,000 people living in Salina, a threshold which would qualify the city for numerous federal grant programs.

"We are continuing to get organized and planned," Martin said. "But it's hard to get people to think about it when it's still nine months away."

The numbers indicate that Saline County's population was 54,657 last year and since 2000 has grown by 1.9 percent -- just less than half of the state's 4.1 percent growth over that same period.

Salina's population was pegged at 46,483, up 74 from the previous year.

According to projections that look nearly two decades into the future, Saline County will peak in population this year, at 55,037.

After this year, the projections call for slight but accelerating declines, with the county losing nearly 1,000 people by 2027.

Predictions no surprise

Martin said those predictions aren't surprising and appear to rely on broad trends, such as population moves from north to south and from rural to urban areas.

But, he added, there can be exceptions to such trends.

"That doesn't mean a unique city like Salina can't change that," he said. "Our planning and prospects here are above and beyond what many cities have."

Still, he said, bucking demographics will require "preparation, perspiration and sheer dumb luck."

Not surprisingly, areas around Fort Riley have seen extensive growth in the past couple of years, with Riley County's population growing nearly 12 percent in the past eight years.

Neighboring Geary County's population increased nearly 20 percent last year, alone, and Junction City's population rose nearly 25 percent from 2007 to 2008.

Parts of Dickinson County also saw population growth, apparently because of the return of the First Infantry Division, with Chapman's population up 6.8 percent since 2000 and 3.6 percent just from 2007 to 2008.

Meanwhile, parts of western Kansas continued to see declines, most steeply in Wallace County, which has lost about one-quarter of its population since 2000 and is losing more than 3 percent a year. Republic County has lost about 20 percent of its people since 2000.

Declines of 10 percent or more in the past few years were also seen in Cheyenne, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Trego and Washington counties.

n Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by e-mail at mstrand@salina.com.

Join the Discussion:

Salina.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here. Read our full online terms of service policy.

says....
How can Salina be a "HUB" for healthcare when they send people to Hutchinson and Wichita Hospitals? The other day a guy with a gunshot was in the parking lot of a hopital and they air lifted him to Wichita.
7/6/2009

---

Media Man says....
I was stupid enough to move to Salina for a good paying job, but I will not live in Salina. I want to be safe where I live and I want my kids to have a good education, this is not possible in Salina. Salina needs to clean up its town, the police need to start doing its job, the teachers need to start teaching the kids, and the town needs to help its homeless out more. The other day I was pulling into the Dillons parking lot on 9th at about 6:45am, the sight a saw sent chills down my spine! A homeless man carring his bed catheter bag half full of bloody urine, needless to say I did not go into the Dillons store. It's things like this that make Salina unpleasing and gives Salina a dirty name.
7/6/2009

---

Homeless says....
I also agree. Salina needs a better white-collar and blue-collar job market and lets not forget PLACES TO LIVE!! I have a college degree but I just graduated a year ago. For a person just starting out buying a house is not an option. The other downfall is that the only nice places to live are income restricted so I am limited to run down rental properties because I make too much money?! Sounds a little backwords to me Salina.
7/5/2009

---

the Doctor says....
The fastest growing jobs in the USA are in the medical field, Saliia shoud become a "HUB" for healthcare in Kansas and the middle US.
7/5/2009

---

Gunnhild says....
I agree if Salina wants more people they need to have jobs that pay more.
7/4/2009

---

Average Joe Citizen says....
Salina needs to get it's head out of the sand and start recruiting more higher paying jobs to the area or it will continue to stagnate and will not grow. Salina can no longer count on the aircraft business that use to bring a considerable amount of money into the economy. Although there are several other company's actually paying a living wage they are far and few between. Good example of what Salina should be looking at are the type of jobs landing in Hutchinson with the wind energy. Come on Salina leaders get off you political high horses and get the people some better jobs and markets to work in!
7/4/2009

---

Whatever says....
Why on earth would residents want to leave Saline county. After all, in another year or so the Saline County seat (Salina) will have a great place to go swimming, beautiful artwork to gawk at, smoke free bars and pool halls, and............ What was the last major industry to settle in Salina or Saline county?
7/4/2009

---

Post a comment
Your best chance of getting your comment posted:

• No profanity
• Be civil
• Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

Comment:

Poster:

Enter text seen above:

Read our full use policy.