County population declines 9.2%
Depressing news recently came from the state regarding current census information.
Marion County was among 88 of the 105 counties in the state that had a declining population in 2007.
The 17 counties with a population increase were Crawford, Douglas, Franklin, Harvey, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Linn, Lyon, Miami, Pottawatomie, Riley, Saline, Sedgwick, Seward, and Shawnee.
Johnson County had the highest increase of 14.3 percent.
All cities in Marion County saw a decline in population from 2006 to 2007 and from 2000 to 2007.
Peabody had the sharpest decline in the past seven years with a 13.5 percent decrease or 165 fewer residents, falling from 1,384 residents in 2000 to 1,219 in 2007.
Next was Lost Springs with a 12.7 percent decrease, followed by Ramona, Durham, Lehigh, Marion, Florence, Tampa, Goessel, Burns, and Lincolnville. Hillsboro was the city with the lowest percentage of population decrease at 7.1 percent during the past seven years. The township with the largest decrease in population was Centre with an 11.5 decrease or a population change from 535 to 480 from 2000 to 2007.
The township with the least change in population was Doyle Township, losing only one net resident in the past seven years.
