JoCo cities lead state in population growth

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The county with the biggest population growth in the last decade also had the cities with the most population growth as well.

Of the 10 cities in Kansas with the most population growth since 2010, five were in Johnson County.

The other state’s big-growth cities – in terms of the number of people – included Wichita, Lawrence and Kansas City.

The census numbers – assembled by Wichita State political scientist Brian Amos – give a city-level look for the first time at how population changed in the last decade in the state’s municipalities.

Johnson County grew by about 65,000 people during the last decade, more than any place else in Kansas, and it showed in the growth in the county’s municipalities.

Overland Park recorded the largest population growth in Kansas last decade, increasing by about 24,000, or nearly 14%, to 197,238, according to census data.

It was followed by Olathe, which has grown by about 15,400 since 2010 and Wichita, which has seen its population grow by almost 15,200.

Fourth on the list in population growth was Kansas City, Kan. (10,821), followed by Lenexa (9,244), Lawrence (7,291), Shawnee (5,102), Gardner (4,164), Derby (3,467) and Andover (3,101).

On the other side of the ledger, Hutchinson registered the biggest population loss in the state during the decade.

Huthchinson has seen its population shrink by 2,074, or about 5%, since 2010, the biggest decline in the state in terms of people since 2010.

Coffeyville saw the next biggest drop of 1,469, or 14%, followed by Great Bend (1,262), Independence (935), Parsons (900), Topeka (886), Salina (818),  Emporia (777), Liberal (700) and Fort Scott (535).

Another analysis showing cities with the biggest percentage increases during the last decade yielded different results.

Here is a look at the Kansas cities that have seen the biggest percentage increases during the last decade along with their new population total from the census.

Maize, 67.7%, 5,735
St. George, 64.95%, 1,054
Basehor, 49.9%, 6,896
Spring Hill, 46.26%, 7,952
Andover, 26.3%, 14,892
Bel Aire, 22.06%, 8,262
Gardner 21.77%, 23,287
Lenexa, 19.18%, 57,434
Linn Valley, 18.91%, 956
Goddard, 17.03%, 5,084

Now a look at the cities with the biggest percentage declines since 2010 along with their new population totals in the 2020 census.

Peabody, -22.56%, 937
Ogden, -20.41%, 1,661
Caney, -18.84%, 1,788
Attica, -17.57%, 516
Chetopa, –17.42%, 929 
Cherokee, –
17.37%, 590
Enterprise: –
17.19%, 708
Weir, -17.06%, 569
Howard, -17.03%, 570
Coldwater, -17.03%, 687

Now a look at other areas of the state with their percentage population change followed by their current population estimate:

Abilene, down 5.61%, 6,460
Dodge City, up 1.64%, 27,788
Garden City,  up 5.6%, 28,151
Goodland, down 0.53%, 4,465
Junction City: down 1.8%, 23,353
Lansing: down 0.23%, 11,239
Leawood: up 6.39%, 33,092
Leavenworth, up 5.96%, 37,351
Liberal: down 3.4%, 19,825
Manhattan: up 3.48%, 54,100
McPherson, up 7.05%, 14,082
Pittsburg, up 2.04%, 20,646
Hays, up 2.95%, 21,116
El Dorado, down 1.16%, 12,870
Prairie Village, up 7%, 22,957