Published: July 12, 2008 08:01 pm         

Census numbers not good for PV, county

Pauls Valley’s population has steadily declined since the 2000 census was taken, according figures released last Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to the Bureau’s population estimates, Pauls Valley’s population has dropped from 6,261 in 2000 to 6,115 at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2008.

Since the 2000 Census Pauls Valley’s population has persistently declined.

In 2001 PV’s population dropped to 6,187 and fell in 2002 to 6,168. From there PV’s population declined to 6,148 in 2003 and dropped to 6,103 in 2004.

There was very little growth in the following years, according to the Census figures, as PV’s population grew only by three in 2005 to 6,106 and remained at that level in 2006.

Garvin County also took a small hit in population, dropping from 27,258 in 2000 to 27,141 in 2007.

Neighboring counties fared better, according to the Bureau’s estimates. McClain County rose from 27,848 to 31,849 while Murray County rose to 12, 695 after recording a population of 12,594 in the 2000 Census.

Pontotoc County also fared well, rising from 35,165 in 2000 to 36,571 in 2007.

Grady County had the largest growth of those surrounding counties, jumping from 45,573 to 50,615.

Oklahoma's two largest cities posted modest gains in population from 2006 to 2007, but only one of the two — Oklahoma City — managed to keep that growth in the black between 2000 and 2007, according to estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Statewide, Oklahoma's population had an almost 5 percent growth rate between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2007, from 3,450,654 to 3,617,316.

     

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