U.S. Census data shows upward trend for Rowan County

Published 12:01 am Saturday, April 20, 2019

The U.S. Census Bureau has released county population estimates for 2018, showing that numbers for Rowan County continue to creep upward.

Estimates have Rowan County population at 141,262, a 0.52% increase from the 2017 estimate of 140,537. Since the 2010 census, Rowan’s population has increased 2.09%.

That trails neighboring counties by as much as 16.38%: the population in Cabarrus has grown 18.38% since 2010; Davie, 2.3%; Davidson, 3.58%; Iredell, 11.68%, Mecklenburg, 18.48% and Stanly, 2.47%.

The 0.52% change from 2017 is the smallest change among surrounding counties that saw changes ranging from 0.79% to 2.23%. Cabarrus grew 2.23%; Davie, 0.79%; Davidson, 0.86%; Iredell, 1.6%; Mecklenburg, 1.54%; and Stanly, 1.02%.

But the overall change compensates for a 0.59% decrease seen in 2012, when the population dipped to 137,551 from 2010’s 138,368. Rowan has been on an upward trend since, with the highest percentage increase — 0.75% — in 2017.