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.