Early 2010 Census Snapshot: St. Croix is Wisconsin’s Fastest-Growing County

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On March 10, 2011, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2010 population totals for Wisconsin. St. Croix County is Wisconsin’s fastest growing county with a 33.6 percent increase from 2000 to 2010. St. Croix added 21,190 new residents over the 10-year period. Its 2010 population is estimated at 84,345 compared to 63,155 in 2000.

St. Croix County’s neighbors also enjoyed steady gains since the 2000 Census. Polk County’s population increased 18.8 percent while Pierce County’s growth was estimated at 11.5 percent. The 2010 population estimates for Polk County is 44,205 and Pierce County’s is 41,019. Two of the three counties, St. Croix and Pierce, are included in the federal definition of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

“These are impressive numbers even with the housing slowdown over the past few years,” said William Rubin, executive director of St. Croix Economic Development Corp. “St. Croix’s population increased over 25 percent from 1990 to 2000 which makes the population gains over the last 10 years even more impressive. However, the stark realities of double-digit increases include growing needs with infrastructure, public safety, education and municipal services.”

Wisconsin experienced a 6 percent increase over the last 10 years and the state’s population is estimated at 5,686,986 people.

By numeric increase, Dane County added 61,547 residents from 2000 to 2010 (+14.4 percent), making it the state’s top gainer by numeric increase. St. Croix’s additional 21,190 residents will likely make it a Top 5 gainer, according to Rubin. He says the county’s population currently ranks it as the state’s 19th largest of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

Milwaukee remains the state’s most populous city with 594,833 residents but reported a 10-year decline of just less than 1 percent.

The estimates from the Census Bureau serve many purposes. They help state and local leaders determine congressional, legislative, and local district and precinct boundaries. Additionally, they identify housing characteristics, commuting trends, income and poverty levels.

The Census Bureau also released an interactive map with its March 10 announcement. It can be viewed at http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data. For information on St. Croix County select Wisconsin on the Redistricting Data Map. This links to an interactive map of Wisconsin. Select a county to observe the 2010 population and growth trends for each county from 1960 to 2010.

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