Population Increasing on South Coast, Dec. 7

According to the Oregon Employment Dept. South Coast Labor Trends newsletter for Dec. 2015, Portland State University’s Population Research Center recently released their preliminary population estimates for July 1, 2015. These newly calculated figures show that the South Coast population has been increasing for three years in Coos and four years in Curry County. While the rise has been modest, it is another positive sign regarding the South Coast’s overall economic conditions. Coos County total population fell from 63,035 in 2010 to a post-recession low of 62,860 in 2013. As the economy has made some recent improvements along the South Coast, population grew to reach 62,990 as of July 1, 2015. Over the year, the county gained 90 residents, for a growth rate of 0.1 percent. City-level population estimates show that Coos Bay’s population grew by 1.0 percent, adding 155 residents between July 1, 2014 and July 1, 2015 to reach 16,470. North Bend added 25 new residents during that time, totaling 9,755 on July 1, 2015. Looking at a little longer view over the past 15 years, Coos County population increased by only about 110 people. Curry County’s population slipped from 22,355 in 2010 to 22,295 in 2012. In the three years since, the county gained 175 new residents. From July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2015 Curry’s population rose by 0.5 percent, gaining 115 additional residents during the most recent year. Brookings City’s growth rate mirrored the county’s over the year, up by 0.5 percent, and adding 30 new residents. Since year 2000, Curry County added about 1,330 new residents.