Census 2020: Fort Calhoun among fastest growing towns

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Fort Calhoun ranks as one of the fastest growing communities in the state, according to data released from the 2020 Census.

Data was highlighted Thursday during the 2021 Nebraska Data Users Conference Series by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Centers for Public Affairs Research.

David Drozd, research coordinator, presented portions of the data during a video teleconference.

The fastest growing communities are suburbs or bedroom communities with new housing construction.

Fort Calhoun was ranked 12th in the state with a 22% increase in the last decade. The city's population grew from 908 in 2010 to 1,108 in 2020. Valley ranked No. 1 with a 62% increase, while Bennington was fourth with a 39% gain.

Washington County, which saw a 3.1% increase — 20,234 in 2010 to 20,865 — ranked 14th among the top counties in population change rate. The county was second in self-response with 78.5%. Sarpy County was first with 79.9%.

Nebraska's population grew 7.4% in the 2010s — from 1,826,341 in April 2010 to 1,961,504 in April 2020. Except for the 1990s, this was the highest growth rate the state in a century, Drozd said.

The state only lost population in the 1930 census, which included the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

Drozd said population growth was seen along Interstate 80 and U.S. Highway 30.

In addition to those fastest growing communities, Drozd noted two that lost population due to circumstances — Blair with its loss of Dana College and Sidney with the loss of Cabela's.

Blair saw a decrease of 200 in population or 2.5%.