Interesting Metro Population Chart

[edsas]

I found this chart giving population data for metro Omaha over the last 30 years. I think it's fascinating to read and the trends bode well for hitting the 1 million mark soon. But not before 2010. Sorry, Aaron.


Omaha, NE-IA Population and Components of Change

The first two colums are self-explanatory (date and total population).
The next column is % change.
Next is "Total Population Change"
The next two columns are "Births" & "Deaths"
The next two colums are "International Immigration" & "Net Domestic Migration"

1970 574,032 - - - - - -
1971 587,600 2.4 13,568 - - - -
1972 596,600 1.5 9,000 - - - -
1973 601,600 0.8 5,000 - - - -
1974 605,700 0.7 4,100 - - - -
1975 602,000 -0.6 -3,700 - - - -
1976 608,900 1.1 6,900 - - - -
1977 606,900 -0.3 -2,000 - - - -
1978 610,200 0.5 3,300 - - - -
1979 609,400 -0.1 -800 - - - -
1980 605,419 -0.7 -3,981 - - - -
1981 609,210 0.6 3,791 13,761 5,939 - -
1982 612,758 0.6 3,548 10,908 4,776 - -
1983 615,829 0.5 3,071 10,779 4,717 - -
1984 621,212 0.9 5,383 10,781 4,777 - -
1985 624,073 0.5 2,861 10,845 4,938 - -
1986 625,469 0.2 1,396 10,679 4,893 - -
1987 625,884 0.1 415 10,533 4,866 - -
1988 630,342 0.7 4,458 10,585 4,971 - -
1989 634,658 0.7 4,316 10,790 4,879 - -
1990 639,580 0.8 4,922 8,201 3,600 - -
1991 650,119 1.6 10,539 13,938 6,001 361 777
1992 657,674 1.2 7,555 10,860 4,996 367 -969
1993 661,082 0.5 3,408 10,369 4,964 449 -4,295
1994 667,740 1.0 6,658 10,389 5,092 444 -721
1995 676,666 1.3 8,926 10,558 5,051 603 1,484
1996 688,267 1.7 11,601 10,559 5,240 775 4,414
1997 697,107 1.3 8,840 10,699 5,249 758 1,004
1998 704,314 1.0 7,207 10,903 5,294 766 -645
1999 711,864 1.1 7,550 10,810 5,261 818 -335
2000 716,998 0.7 5,134 - - - -
2001 726,360 1.3 9,362 14,257 6,443 3,173 -1,570
2002 734,270 1.1 7,910 11,642 5,225 2,452 -833

[edsas]

I tried to space the columns better, but it looks as though my extra spaces were taken out when the text was posted.

Anyway, I find the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 particularly fascinating. It was a 3-year stretch in which Omaha had a net domestic gain of nearly 7,000 people, spiking in '96 with a net gain of well over 4,000 in that year alone. The years preceding and following saw net domestic losses. What happened in '95 to '97? Does anybody remember?

Also very interesting is the dramatic increase in international migration in 2001 and 2002. Could this be related to the influx of Sudanese immigrants?

With the addition of Union Pacific as well as several other large job additions in the metro, could we see another large domestic gain over the next few years? And will the trend of larger quantaties of international immigration into Omaha continue? If so, we could be looking at some of metro Omaha's largest population jumps ever over the next couple of years. Factor in the new counties that were added to the metro last year and we've got a metro that's speeding toward one million.

[eomaha]

Yeah, I don't know if the chamber has some inside knowledge on something or what (somewhat surprised they made it one of their goals) ... but it would required one of the highest rates of growth in the nation to get us up to 1 million by 2010. On the other hand... 1 million by 2020 (CSA) is well within reach at ~12% growth per decade.

No doubt, 2004 will be a big net gainer for migration... anchored by the UP move and other new jobs.

[edsas]

Jeff,

Do you know what might have happened in 1996 that made the net domestic migration spike?

Also, look at 1993. It's almost the same number as a net loss, whereas no other years came close to that much of a net loss. Did Omaha lose a major job provider in '93?

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Oh, you guys can all mark my words!! Omaha will be over 1 million by 2010

[edsas]

I hope you're right, streets.

My money is on 1,000,000 by 2014, though.

Of course, you'll be pushing 30 by then, working for the city. So all bets are off, really.