State Overview -- Population Change Among Missouri’s 946 Towns and Cities from 2000-2004
Change in Total Population from 2000-2004
Table 1 shows that Missouri’s total population increased by 2.8 percent to 5,754, 618 in 2004 – an increase of 157,935. Table 1 shows that the total increase in towns and cities from 2000 – 2004 was 109,926 which accounted for 70 percent of total population gain. However, total town and city population had a 3.0 percent gain while open country population increased by 2.5 percent.
| Table 1 click table for larger version 
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Missouri’s estimated 2004 population of 5,754,618 ranks 17th among the states according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s July 1, 2004 estimates. However, in 2004 Missouri, with its 946 towns, ranked 5th nationally in number of incorporated towns and cities. Of those 946 towns, 879 (93 percent) have a population of less than 10,000.
It is interesting, however, that town and city populations did not grow or change population uniformly. For example, as indicated in Table 2, the 68 towns and cities with a population of greater than 10,000 had an increase of 2.7 from 2000-2004 while the towns and cities with a population of less than 10,000 had an increase of 3.8 percent.
| Table 2 click table for larger version 
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The aggregate population of the 879 Missouri towns smaller than 10,000 accounts for 30 percent of the total Missouri town and city population. It is interesting that 60 percent of the towns with a population of less than 10,000 gained population from 2000-2004 almost exactly the same as the 59 percent of the 68 towns with a population of greater than 10,000 that gained population.
Table 1 shows there were 607 Missouri towns having a population of less than 1,000 in 2004. The average size of those towns was 329. The aggregated population of these small towns increased from 197,325 in 2000 to 199,647 in 2004. However, 378 (63 percent) of the 607 towns gained population from 2000-2004. The total population of these towns is a little over 5 percent of the 3.7 million Missourians who live in towns and cities. Maps 1 - 4 locate each town with a dot – a blue dot for those that gained population and a red dot for those that lost.
| Map 1 click map for larger version 
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Map 2 click map for larger version 
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| Map 3 click map for larger version 
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Map 4 click map for larger version 
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There were 217 Missouri towns having a population of between 1,000 and 4,999 in 2004. Their aggregate population increased from 498,030 in 2000 to 510,128 in 2004 – an increase of 2.4 percent. But the table shows that half the towns in this size group gained population while half lost during the past four years. The 510,000 living in this size group of small towns account for 13.6 percent of the total Missouri population living in towns and cities.
There are 55 Missouri towns having a population of between 5,000 and 9,999. Their aggregate population increased from 374,015 in 2000 to 400,483 in 2004 – a 7.1 percent increase which is nearly three times greater than the 2.8 percent increase for the state of Missouri. It is significant that nearly 70 percent of the towns in this size group gained population from 2000-2004. The population living in this size group accounts for 10.6 percent of Missouri’s total town and city population.
The aggregate population of the towns and cities having a population of greater than 10,000 increased from 2,584,346 million in 2000 to 2,653,384 in 2004 – an increase of more than 69,000 (2.7 percent). Of the 68 towns and cities in the largest size group 40 (59 percent) gained population.
This file last modified Friday May 08, 2009, 14:28:21
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