Census Bureau estimates Toledo's population to be 295K

Past related Toledo Talk postings :

2007 Estimate

From the July 10, 2008 Blade story about Toledo's July 2007 estimated population :

Toledo was among some of the biggest population losers in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released today. The Census Bureau's numbers today officially list Toledo's 2007 population as 295,029 - down 0.9 percent from the previous year's estimate of 297,806. "As we all know, the census bureau does not count heads. They use a formula," Mr. Finkbeiner said. "We expect the 2010 census to validate the fact that the census estimates done yearly are not accurate counts."

Toledo, Cleveland, Dayton, and Akron all had population decreases in 2007 over 2006, according to the estimates. Toledo and Cleveland also were among the biggest losers in the nation of population over the last seven years, according to the census estimates. Toledo was the eighth biggest loser, declining by 6 percent from 313,782 in 2000 to 295,029 in 2007. Cleveland was the second biggest loser over the last seven years - shedding 8.3 percent of its population, or 39,430 people, to reach the 2007 estimate of 438,042.

Columbus continued its steady growth, and Cincinnati reversed years of decline, which it did through a challenge of the census estimate in 2005 - also with the help of Social Compact. Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory said yesterday that he, too, would challenge the 2007 census estimate. That city showed a small increase in 2007 of 826 people, bringing the total to 332,458.

Recent Census Estimates

Toledo's approximate, estimated population. These numbers vary, depending upon which news article you read. Strange.

Past Census Survey Counts

From Toledo's Wikipedia entry, population numbers based upon the census survey:

1920 : 243,164
1930 : 290,718
1940 : 282,349
1950 : 303,616
1960 : 318,003
1970 : 383,818
1980 : 354,635 -7.6%
1990 : 332,943 -6.1%
2000 : 313,619 -5.8%

If Toledo's population declines at the 5.8% rate for this decade, the 2010 census for Toledo will be 295,429, assuming my math is correct.

And according to Wikipedia:

The total U.S. population crossed the 100 million mark around 1915, the 200 million mark in 1967, and the 300 million mark in 2006.

So in the last 40 years or so, the U.S. population has increased 50% while Toledo's population has declined 22%.

Jack Ford

In July 2006, former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford expressed his thoughts about Toledo's population decline :

Current office holders say it is the loss of jobs and poor schools that drive folks away from Toledo. I disagree. I say the main culprit is H2O. These [water] agreements allowed areas to take virgin farmland, water it and transform it into retail and residential centers. Since someone working in downtown Toledo can opt to move to Bedford Township and still have only a 15-minute communte down Jackman Rd, why not? It's greener, it appears newer and we think it is safer. And, for those of us who really are honest, it's whiter!

2006-07 School Report Card

Frank Szollosi

In the June 2006 Toledo Blade story titled Toledo shrinks 13th-fastest of U.S. cities, census says; 1.1% population drop in '05 among worst in Ohio, Toledo City councilman Frank Szollosi was quoted as saying : "It's an indication that taxes are too high in Toledo."

Fred Folger

From the August 2006 Toledo Blade story titled Population of Toledo dips below 300,000 :

But the economic prosperity that might have attracted people into the city at its population peak 35 years ago is nothing but a memory, said Fred Folger, a Toledo historian who has studied the city's economic and population trends.

"It seems to me to be fairly obvious. We have lost a number of our major companies in Toledo in the last few decades, and the people went with them," he said. "We lost many of the manufacturers that were the base of good, solid jobs for many people."

Mr. Folger said the growth of suburbs and the recent phenomenon of "exurbs" expanding beyond suburbs into rural areas "happened at the expense of the core city and it is happening in other cities in Ohio and across the country."

Carty

In the June 2007 Toledo Blade story titled Population keeps falling in Toledo, Carty Finkbeiner was quoted as saying :

I'm not surprised and I'm not upset. I would think eventually we would wind up around, oh, I would say around 240,000 to 275,000, would be my guess. I don't think it's the number. I think it's the quality that you offer in a city - a combination of things from jobs, to neighborhoods, cultural activities, and sport activities, art activities.

Lucas County

From March 22, 2007 Toledo Blade story titled Lucas County is still shrinking as neighbors like Monroe County grow :

The population of Lucas County continues to decline and the bordering counties could be capturing the exodus, according to U.S. Census data. Lucas County lost more than 9,500 people between 2000 and last year [2006]. The biggest population jump in the region occurred in Monroe County, which gained 9,000 new residents. Experts say the Census numbers reflect a continuing trend in the state: people fleeing urban communities for places with new homes and open spaces.

According to the census estimates, Toledo lost around 15,000 people from the 2000 census survey to the July 2006 census estimate.

created by jr on Jul 10, 2008 at 06:20:29 am
updated by jr on Jul 10, 2008 at 07:41:14 am

© 2003-2007 Toledo Talk
Creative Commons License - Some Rights Reserved
current date: 03-Dec-2008 6:31 P.M.