GET ME REWRITE: Dane County continues to be the engine of Wisconsin's population growth

 

Population estimates:  U.S. Census Bureau

Headline:  Wisconsin State Journal, 3/19/2024

“It shows the economic strength of the region,” said Kurt Paulsen, a professor of urban planning at UW-Madison. “I think it also means we really have to go and update our long-term forecasts. They’ll probably be significantly higher.” 

[snip] 

The new census numbers might even be an undercount of the actual number of new county residents, said Sean Higgins, a senior community planner with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission. 

The state Department of Administration, which historically has conservative estimates, anticipated Dane County to have a population of 590,000 by the start of 2023. Those variations point to a need for officials and planners to reach closer numbers, but the bottom line is that Dane County continues to grow at a steady and rapid pace, Higgins said.

Since 2020, Wisconsin has added a total of 17,242 new residents, with Dane County accounting for 13,839 of this tally.   That's because 24 of the state's 72 counties lost population, with Milwaukee County leading the way with 23,266. 

Related posts:

One-third of Wisconsin's 72 counties have lost population since 2020.  (3/18/2024)
14 of Wisconsin's 72 counties have experienced population gain of at least 1% since 2020.  (3/18/2024)