The release of the 2020 Census confirmed what many living in New Hanover County already knew: The area is growing.
In the past 10 years, the county's population grew by roughly 23,000 people from 202,698 in 2010 to 225,702. That's a population increase of just above 11%, which is higher than North Carolina's statewide9.5% growth in the same period.
However, the census data shows New Hanover County "grew at a slower pace than expected," accordingto Julia Olson-Boseman, the chair of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, compared to previous census counts.
From 1990 to 2000, New Hanover's population grew by 40,000 people or 33.3%. Then between 2000 and 2010, the population increased again by more than 40,000 people or 26.4%.
2020 Census: Bucking national trends, Wilmington area records double-digit growth
Olson-Boseman noted in a statement to the StarNews that the new data droppedNew Hanover County's ranking in the list of North Carolina's most populous counties from 9th to 11th.
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Internally, officials and some county staff used 235,000 or 238,000 as a "ballpark" number when planning for the county's growth, Rob Zapple told the StarNews last week.
Zapple said there may be growth in the county that isn't necessarily reflected in the census count.
The rate of population growth inneighboring counties — including Brunswick and Pender counties — also dipped in the past 10 years. Pender County grew bymore than 15% between 2010 and 2020 while Brunswick County grew by roughly 27% — the second highestgrowth among North Carolina's 100 counties.
Who's comingto New Hanover and who's leaving?
Comparing the 2020 census to data collected in 2010 offers a look at who's moved to the area since 2010 and who's left.
The census data releasedlast week showspopulation counts broken down by race, ethnicity,people over 18 and housing status atthe census block level. States use this information to redraw or “redistrict” their legislative boundaries. More detailed information about the age of the county's population will become availablelaterthis year.
More:How many people live in New Hanover County after the 2020 Census count?
New Hanover County has become more diverse in the past 10 years with thecounty's diversity index increasing7 points from 39 to 46.
The diversity index is a scale from 0 to 100 developed by the USA Today Network to represent the chance that two people randomly chosen from an area will be different by race and ethnicity.A higher number means more diversity, while a lower number means less.
The county saw the biggest increase in the number of people identifying with two or more races. Since 2010, that group grew by roughly 260%.
The county also saw increases of morethan 60% in the populations of those identifying as Hispanic and as part of an "other race." New Hanover's whitepopulation increased by just more than 10,500 people.
The only racial category that saw a drop over the past 10 years is New Hanover's Black population. The number decreased by just more than 2,500, according to the data. That's a dropof8.4%.
For decades, Black residents have made up a shrinking percentage of New Hanover County's population, but the number of Black residents had previously increased at a slowing rate. This is the first time the overall number of Black residents living in New Hanover County has decreased outright, according to previous census data.
Much of that decrease has been seen within the city of Wilmington, which saw a decrease of 2,067 Black residents — a drop of 9.8%.
Related:Wilmington's Black population isn't growing as fast as others. Why?
Sonya Patrick, the head of New Hanover County's Black Lives Matter chapter, said members of the Black community are leaving Wilmington for other cities with more opportunities.The high cost of living in New Hanover County and economic disparitieshave also pushed Black people out of the community, she said.
"I'm not surprised," Patrick said about the census data. "The majority of people do leave for better opportunities."
Another sign of New Hanover's growth is a climbing number of housing units. In 2010, the county had 101,499 units, but in 2020 the census shows the county had 113,368 units of housing. That's an increase of 11.7%.
The census data also shows a 14%increase in the number of occupied housing units and a slight drop in the total number of vacant units.
The new census data will guide New Hanover officials as they make decisions about where to invest within the county, according to Olson-Boseman.
"We will use this new census data to help us plan for the future," Olson-Boseman wrote,"and for anticipated growth, and serve the citizens who live here today."
Reporter Emma Dill can be reached at 910-343-2096 or edill@gannett.com.
