U.S. Census shows Holmes population growth
Figures released in March by the U.S. Census Bureau show the county’s population in 2010 at 42,366, up from 38,943 in 2000. The growth occurred almost exclusively outside urban areas, with townships in the east showing the largest overall population gain.
The census ranked Holmes County as the eleventh-fastest growing county, clocking in a at .85 percent. The fastest growing county, Delaware, grew at 4.71 percent. Among rural counties outside statistical metropolitan areas, Holmes’ growth was the fourth highest.
Overall, Ohio gained population, up 11,536,504 in 2010 from 11,353,140.
The total population of the United States stands at a little more than 311 million.
The growth locally shows an economically vibrant county with a young population, Holmes County Economic Development Council director Shawn Starlin said.
“I think the growth is a consolation between industrial growth and, especially in the east, population growth,” Starlin said. “We have had several major business expansions over the past 10 years.”
With an increase in population, agencies who operate with federal, state, and local funds will see their portion of available appropriations increase. Job and Family Services director Dan Jackson said that’s good news for those who receive assistance.
“Federal, state and local, all three are getting cut at the same time,” Jackson said. “There’s less, but we’re getting a bigger share of less (than we would have otherwise). The fact that we’re growing is a sign of vitality to Holmes County. On the flip side, one of the reasons we’re seeing an increasing case load is not just because of the recession, but because we have more population growth.”
Jackson and Holmes County Health Commissioner Dr. D.J. McFadden both said the increase in need for services from their respective agencies is coming from the younger spectrum of the population.
“We see the full spectrum for sure,” McFadden said. “Our public health seems to focus on the very young and the elderly. But it’s very accurate to say that we see more of the younger.”
With a growing population, the health district’s environmental services arm must be more vigilant, McFadden said. Clean water and waste disposal are problems endemic to a growing rural population; what one person does with a limited amount of resources affects everyone else those resources are shared with.
“It has more impact on more people if an individual does not take care of their septic system or dispense their solid waste improperly,” McFadden said. “We need to use our technology, our understanding of the environment and the regulatory process wisely.”
Population numbers show an increasing amount of people fleeing town life for the country. Glenmont, Holmesville, Killbuck, Loudonville and Millersburg all saw population losses; Millersburg saw a 9 percent drop, the same amount it grew from 1990 to 2000, according to census figures. Baltic and Nashville showed growth, of 26.3 percent and 14.5 percent, respectively.
In all, 37,485 county residents live outside municipalities.
Townships leading in population growth were Mechanic Township, which grew by 17.9 percent, Paint Township at 16.5 percent, Prairie Township at 12.5 percent, Salt Creek Township at 12.5 percent, and Monroe Township at 12.3 percent. Hardy Township saw the smallest increase at .1 percent.
Holmes County Planning Commission director Arnold Oliver said continued rural growth will have its own issues. Farmland will continue to be cut up into subdivisions. As available land becomes more scarce, “land values will rise with the subsequent impacts.”
As with McFadden, Oliver said more attention will have to be directed toward individual impacts on the environment.
“As population continues to rise, it also calls into question the need for zoning,” Oliver said.
On the employment side, Jackson and Oliver said things are looking up.
“A younger population is a plus for prospective employers, spurring more economic development,” Jackson said.
Even in the recession, Holmes County has traded the number one/number two spot for lowest state unemployment with Delaware County since 2002.
Oliver said he believes the census figures overall show the county “is in a good position for continued growth.”
For more information, visit the U.S. Census Bureau website, http://www.census.gov/ or Ohio Department of Development website, http://www.development.ohio.gov/.
Published: April 7, 2011
