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HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 02 - PopulationChapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 1 CHAPTER 2: POPULATION TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................2 2.2 HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH ........................................................................................................2 HISTORICAL TRENDS .................................................................................................................................................2 GROWTH: 1990 TO 2003............................................................................................................................................3 COMPONENTS OF GROWTH: STATEWIDE ...................................................................................................................4 COMPONENTS OF GROWTH: BUTTE COUNTY.............................................................................................................6 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION - CITY SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AND URBAN AREA ........................................................7 2.3 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS.............................................................................................................11 AGE DISTRIBUTION..................................................................................................................................................11 RACE AND ETHNICITY .............................................................................................................................................12 HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY COMPOSITION ................................................................................................................13 LENGTH OF TENURE ................................................................................................................................................14 2.4 POPULATION PROJECTIONS.......................................................................................................................15 LIST OF TABLES TABLE 2-1 HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1860-2000.....................................3 TABLE 2-2 POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 1990 BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA ........................................................4 TABLE 2-3 COMPONENTS OF POPULATION GROWTH: 1990-2000 BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA ............................6 TABLE 2-4 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION INCORPORATED CITIES AND THEIR SPHERES OF INFLUENCE BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1990-2000..............................................................................................................................10 TABLE 2-5 POPULATION GROWTH INCORPORATED CITIES AND CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACES (CDPS) BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1990-2000..............................................................................................................................11 TABLE 2-6 AGE DISTRIBUTION BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 .....................................................................12 TABLE 2-7 RACE AND ETHNICITY BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000.................................................................13 TABLE 2-8 HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000.........................................................14 TABLE 2-9 RESIDENCE IN 1995 FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 .15 TABLE 2-10 DOF POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2000-2020 ..................................................16 TABLE 2-11 SHORT-TERM DOF POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS COMPARED TO 2003 POPULATION BUTTE COUNTY..............................................................................................................................................................17 TABLE 2-12A BCAG POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2003-2030.............................................18 TABLE 2-12B RATES OF GROWTH FOR BCAG POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2003-2030.......19 Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 2 2.1 INTRODUCTION In order to effectively guide land use and development in the county and establish policies relating to housing and public services and facilities, it is important to understand who lives in the county, how the population has grown over time, and how it is projected to grow in the future. This chapter reviews historical population trends, demographics as of 2003, and population projections for Butte County. In addition to the countywide overview, population data for the county’s five incorporated communities and the unincorporated area of the county are included to provide insight into how demographics and growth characteristics vary within the county. The population statistics have been taken from the 2000 U.S. Census and 2003 California Department of Finance (DOF) estimates. 2.2 HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH Historical Trends The first available population statistics for the Butte County area date back to 1848, when gold was first discovered along the Feather River. At that time, the European, or non-native, population of the Butte County area was only about 100 people. No accurate estimates exist of the size of the native population at that point, but in 1850, when Butte County was formed as one of the 27 original counties of the new state of California, gold miners and other recent immigrants were still outnumbered by the Native American population. Since 1856, when the county’s current boundaries were established, population growth has generally been slow and somewhat irregular. As shown in Table 2-1, county population actually decreased during three different decades prior to 1900. Since the first Census count in 1850, the county growth rate has been slower than the state’s growth rate in all but four decades. Because county growth has tended to be slower than state growth, the county’s share of California population has been in fairly steady decline, although this share has remained at about the same level since 1930. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 3 TABLE 2-1 HISTORICAL POPULATION GROWTH BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1860-2000 Census Year Butte County Population Butte County Population Growth Butte County Population Growth % Butte County Annual Average Growth Rate (AAGR) Butte Population as % of State Population California California Population Growth % California AAGR 1850 3,574 ---3.86%92,597 -- 1860 12,106 8,532 238.7%13.0%3.19%379,994 310.4%15.2% 1870 11,403 -703 -5.8%-0.6%2.04%560,247 47.4%4.0% 1880 18,721 7,318 64.2%5.1%2.17%864,694 54.3%4.4% 1890 17,939 -782 -4.2%-0.4%1.48%1,213,398 40.3%3.4% 1900 17,117 -822 -4.6%-0.5%1.15%1,485,053 22.4%2.0% 1910 27,301 10,184 59.5%4.8%1.15%2,377,549 60.1%4.8% 1920 30,030 2,729 10.0%1.0%0.88%3,426,861 44.1%3.7% 1930 34,093 4,063 13.5%1.3%0.60%5,677,251 65.7%5.2% 1940 42,840 8,747 25.7%2.3%0.62%6,907,387 21.7%2.0% 1950 64,930 22,090 51.6%4.2%0.61%10,586,223 53.3%4.4% 1960 82,030 17,100 26.3%2.4%0.52%15,717,204 48.5%4.0% 1970 101,969 19,939 24.3%2.2%0.51%19,953,134 27.0%2.4% 1980 143,851 41,882 41.1%3.5%0.61%23,667,902 18.6%1.7% 1990 182,120 38,269 26.6%2.4%0.61%29,760,021 25.7%2.3% 2000 203,171 21,051 11.6%1.1%0.60%33,871,648 13.8%1.3% Source: U.S. Census Bureau from DOF (Table CALHIST2a.xls: Historical Census Populations of California State, Counties, Cities, Places, and Towns, 1850-2000). Growth: 1990 to 2003 Unlike the rapid growth experienced during the 1970s, when Butte County averaged 3.5 percent growth annually, the county’s population growth rate during the 1980s returned to the more moderate levels experienced during the 1950s and 1960s when the growth averaged less than 2.5 percent per year. However, the growth rates that Butte County and the state of California experienced in the 1980s did not continue into the 1990s and from 2000 to 2003. This is indicated by the county and state population growth trends shown in Table 2-2. Butte County’s growth rate between 1990 and 2000 averaged 1.1 percent per year. Between 1990 and 2000, California grew only marginally faster than Butte County with a 1.3 percent average growth per year. From 2000 to 2003, Butte County experienced a similar slow growth rate as the 1990s. Butte County’s annual average growth rate (AAGR) was 1.18 percent from 2000 to 2003. California saw a more substantial increase in its growth rate, with an AAGR of 1.78 percent from 2000 to 2003 compared to 1.3 percent from 1990 to 2000. Butte County’s population accounted for 0.61 percent of the total California population in 1990 and 0.59 percent of the total California population in 2003. Butte County grew at a slower rate than the state as a whole from 1990 to 2000 and also from 2000 to 2003. Butte County’s population growth accounted for only 0.51 percent of the state’s population growth from 1990 to 2000 and 0.40 percent of the state’s population growth from 2000 to 2003. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 4 TABLE 2-2 POPULATION GROWTH SINCE 1990 BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA Date of Estimate Butte County Population Butte County Population Growth California Population California Population Growth Butte County Population as a % of California Population Butte County Population Growth as a % of California Population Growth Apr. 1, 1990 (Census)182,120 -29,758,213 -0.61%- Jan. 1, 1991 185,400 1.80%30,143,000 1.29%0.62%0.85% Jan. 1, 1992 189,100 2.00%30,723,000 1.92%0.62%0.64% Jan. 1, 1993 191,800 1.43%31,150,000 1.39%0.62%0.63% Jan. 1, 1994 194,100 1.20%31,418,000 0.86%0.62%0.86% Jan. 1, 1995 196,400 1.18%31,617,000 0.63%0.62%1.16% Jan. 1, 1996 197,600 0.61%31,837,000 0.70%0.62%0.55% Jan. 1, 1997 198,700 0.56%32,207,000 1.16%0.62%0.30% Jan. 1, 1998 200,000 0.65%32,657,000 1.40%0.61%0.29% Jan. 1, 1999 201,000 0.50%33,140,000 1.48%0.61%0.21% Jan. 1, 2000 203,100 1.04%33,753,000 1.85%0.60%0.34% Apr. 1, 2000 (Census)203,171 -33,871,648 --- Jan. 1, 2001 204,900 0.89%34,367,000 1.82%0.60%0.29% Jan. 1, 2002 207,300 1.17%35,000,000 1.84%0.59%0.38% Jan. 1, 2003 210,400 1.50%35,591,000 1.69%0.59%0.52% Date of Estimate Butte County Population Butte County Population AAGR California Population California Population AAGR Butte County Population Growth as a % of California Population Growth Growth: Apr. 1990 - Apr. 2000 21,051 1.10%4,113,435 1.30%-0.51% Growth Jan. 2000 - Jan. 2003 7,267 1.18%1,838,000 1.78%0.40%0.40% Growth Apr. 1990 - Jan. 2003 28,247 1.14%5,832,787 1.41%0.48%0.48% Sources: California Department of Finance: Historical County and State Population Estimates, 1991-2000, with 1990 and 2000 Census Counts; and Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, 2001-2003, with 2000 DRU Benchmark Note: totals are rounded by DOF Components of Growth: Statewide Population growth can be divided into three basic components: domestic in-migration, legal foreign immigration and natural increase (births minus deaths). Statewide trends affect local growth and because of this, it is useful to examine these trends in order to forecast local population growth. Domestic in-migration is generally defined as the movement of people into California from other parts of the U.S. Much of California’s population growth has historically resulted from domestic in-migration. A good example of this was during the era of the Forty-niner gold rush when most newcomers to California were domestic migrants from Eastern cities. However, while certain special ethnic groups and population minorities have been tracked, migration into California from other parts of the U.S. has not been studied comprehensively. In 1995, the Research Bureau of the State Library and DOF conducted a study (Migration Between California and Other States: 1985-1994 (November 1995)) that found that the annual average number of domestic in- migrants entering the state was about two percent of the state’s population. The annual average Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 5 number of people leaving California for other states also represented only about two percent of the state’s population. The net change in the state’s population due to domestic migration has not amounted to more than one percent of the state’s population for any single year between 1985 and 1994. According to the study, between 1985 and 1994, most of the domestic in-migration consisted of people from the Northeast and Midwest. California had a net out-migration of people to other Western states. Due to the economic recession that began in 1991, domestic in- migration decreased between 1992 and 1995. California lost a record 257,000 people between 1993 and 1994 through domestic out-migration. However, beginning in the mid-1990s, California, because of its strengthening economy, had a net domestic migration gain. California’s population also grew substantially as a result of legal foreign immigration. California had 1,969,198 legal immigrants from other countries from 1990 through 1999, according to DOF in its report entitled Legal Immigration to California by County: Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1984-2001 (February 2003). This immigration represented 47.9 percent of the total population increase during this period. According to a study done by DOF entitled Legal Immigration to California in 2001 (March 2003), California was home to the largest number (282,794 or 27 percent) of the total immigrants to the U.S. in 2001. For the past 30 years, California has been one of the top six destinations for legal immigrants. In 2001, these six states (California, New York, Florida, Texas, New Jersey, and Illinois) received about two-thirds of all immigrants to the U.S. Seventy-two percent of the immigrants to California in 2001 came from ten countries. Thirty- four percent were born in Mexico. The next most prominent countries of origin contributed another 38 percent of the total immigrants in 2001 (Philippines, China, India, Vietnam, El Salvador, Korea, Taiwan, Guatemala, and Nicaragua). The most significant component of state population growth is natural increase (deaths subtracted from births). From 1990 to 2000, 82.8 percent of the population growth in California has come from the natural increase. The population segment with the highest natural increase has been persons of Hispanic origin. From 1990 to 2000, 55.8 percent of the population growth in California has come from the natural increase among people of Hispanic ethnicity. Table 2-3 below shows the components of population growth in California and Butte County from 1990 to 2000 broken down by ethnicity and race. This table does not have migration information broken down into its domestic and foreign components. During the 1990s, the race/ethnic distribution in California shifted, with the White Non-Hispanic population’s share of the total decreasing, and the Hispanic and Asian & Pacific Islander Non- Hispanic populations’ shares increasing. White Non-Hispanics were 57 percent of the population in 1990 but only 47 percent of the population by 2000. The Hispanic population increased from 26 percent in 1990 to 32 percent of the population in 2000. The Asian & Pacific Islander Non- Hispanic population grew from 9 to 12 percent of the total over the same period. The shares of both the Black or African American Non-Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native Non-Hispanic populations remained constant, at seven percent and one percent, respectively. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 6 TABLE 2-3 COMPONENTS OF POPULATION GROWTH: 1990-2000 BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA Butte County Population Net Change from 1990 Births Deaths Natural Increase Net Migration(1) Hispanic Total 21,297 7,691 3,680 387 3,293 4,398 White, Non-Hispanic 163,848 5,489 18,114 19,646 -1,532 7,021 Black or African American, Non-Hispanic 3,667 1,423 449 202 247 1,176 American Indian & Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic 5,989 3,042 462 116 346 2,696 Asian & Pacific Islander, Non- Hispanic 8,370 3,406 1,888 174 1,714 1,692 Total 203,171 21,051 24,593 20,525 4,068 16,983 California Hispanic Total 10,956,899 3,268,949 2,547,576 253,918 2,293,658 975,291 White, Non-Hispanic 16,069,467 -995,250 2,060,394 1,654,767 405,627 -1,400,877 Black or African American, Non-Hispanic 2,331,614 228,369 404,107 177,955 226,152 2,217 American Indian & Alaska Native, Non-Hispanic 386,650 202,108 26,288 6,908 19,380 182,728 Asian & Pacific Islander, Non- Hispanic 4,127,018 1,407,451 571,917 118,749 453,168 954,283 Total 33,871,648 4,111,627 5,610,282 2,212,297 3,397,985 713,642 Source: DOF: Race/Ethnic Population Estimates: Components of Change for California Counties, April 1990 to April 2000 (March 2003). Raw birth and death data are provided by the Vital Statistics Section, Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services. In this report those who marked more than one race on their 2000 Census forms have been allocated to a single race. Allocations are to the smallest race group identified for their county. (1) includes domestic and foreign migration Components of Growth: Butte County As with the state, population increases in Butte County are also attributed to three basic components: legal immigration, natural increase, and domestic in-migration. The following examines the population growth over the 10 year period between 1990 and 2000. According to the 2000 Census, the net population increase during this period was 21,051. From 1990 through 1999, 4,449 people legally immigrated to Butte County from other countries, according to DOF. This immigration represents 21.1 percent of the total population increase in Butte County from 1990 to 2000. By comparison, as stated above, legal immigrants to California as a whole represented 47.9 percent of the total state population increase during this period. During the 1990s, the race/ethnic distribution in Butte County shifted similarly to that of the state as a whole, although not as dramatically, with the White Non-Hispanic population’s share of the total decreasing, and all of other populations’ shares increasing. White Non-Hispanics were 87 percent of the population in 1990 but only 81 percent of the population by 2000. The Hispanic population increased from 7 percent in 1990 to 10 percent of the population in 2000. The Asian & Pacific Islander Non-Hispanic population grew from 2.7 to 4.1 percent of the total over the same period. The Black or African American Non-Hispanic population grew from 1.2 to 1.8 Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 7 percent and the American Indian and Alaskan Native Non-Hispanic population grew from 1.6 percent to 2.9 percent. Natural increase is a much smaller component of population growth in Butte County compared to the state as a whole. According to DOF, from 1990 to 2000, natural increase accounted for 4,068 new Butte County residents, which is approximately 19 percent of the total population increase. The Hispanic natural increase accounted for 80.9 percent of the total county natural increase. As stated above, from 1990 to 2000, 82.8 percent of the population growth in California has come from the natural increase. In Butte County, 80.7 percent of the population increase from 1990 to 2000 was due to net migration (both foreign and domestic). In California, net migration only accounted for 17.3 percent of the population increase. While Butte County accounted for just 0.6 percent of the total state population in 2000, it accounted for 2.4 percent of the net migration to California in the 1990s. Table 2-1 shows that population growth in Butte County and California is cyclical. Domestic in- migration is tied to the state’s economic prosperity as individuals and families move to California for employment opportunities. The same can be said for Butte County as well. For example, the 1970s and 1980s were the two highest growth decades in the history of Butte County in terms of overall population increase. This was also an era of great economic opportunities. In-migration fluctuated again during the 1990s, slumping during the economic recession of the early 1990s, then rising in the late 1990s as the economy strengthened. Butte County will continue to be an attractive place for new migrants. The reasons for population migration are as diverse as the population itself. Economic opportunities, housing affordability, flight from urban problems, retirement amenities, environmental quality, and lifestyle choices are among the motives most often associated with migration to the region. Much of the intrastate migration has been from the urban, metropolitan areas to rural, less urbanized areas, particularly the Sierra Foothills. In this regard, Butte County is not unique, and may experience significant population increases in the future due to this phenomenon. Much of this growth will be stimulated by retirees and others seeking a slower-paced, “rural lifestyle.” Also, higher housing costs in the metropolitan areas of the state, combined with expanding employment opportunities in the Central Valley, will contribute to increased in-migration. Butte County’s population has three distinct, although often interrelated, groups of in-migrants: those attracted by employment or other economic opportunities; retirees; and college students attending California State University-Chico. Population Distribution - City Sphere of Influence and Urban Area Table 2-4 below shows the relationship of the population distribution between incorporated cities and the unincorporated areas of Butte County. The table shows the population within the incorporated area of each city based on Census counts, and the population within the Sphere of Influence (SOI) for each city based on aggregating Census data at the block level in a GIS system to correspond with SOI boundaries as of 2002. The Census data for the cities is based on the jurisdictional boundaries at the time of the count. This means that an increase in the Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 8 population of an incorporated area could be due to annexation of populated areas, annexation of areas that were subsequently developed, actual population increases in already incorporated areas, or a combination of all three. Table 2-4 shows that since 1990, population has significantly declined in the unincorporated area of the county. The population in the unincorporated county fell from 98,461 in 1990 to 96,068 in 2000. This decrease is due to annexation of unincorporated land containing existing housing units. Building permit activity records indicate that a substantial amount of housing was permitted and built in unincorporated Butte County during this period. Given the magnitude of the decrease in total housing units from 1990 to 2000, and the fact that most new units in County-approved subdivisions remained under County jurisdiction after being built, many more units were located in areas annexed by cities than were built in the unincorporated county area. All of these annexed units would have been located within the SOIs of the cities. The relatively high growth rates of cities within Butte County and low growth or negative growth within the unincorporated county can be attributable, in part, to annexations of populated unincorporated county areas to Butte County cities. For example, the total population in the unincorporated portion of Butte County declined by approximately 2 percent between 1990 and 2000, while the overall county population grew by 12 percent during the same period. This difference in growth rates is explained by the annexation of developed unincorporated areas by Butte County cities during this time. Examining growth rates for the cities from 1990 and 2000 can be deceiving since a considerable amount of annexation occurred during this decade. For example, the population of Chico grew at a 4.2 percent annual rate from 1990 to 2000, but since much of this growth was due to annexations (or new development on annexed land), the annual average growth rate (AAGR) within the entire Chico SOI (using the 2002 boundary) was 1.6 percent. Still, Chico had the highest growth rate of any jurisdiction in the county. As shown in the table, the population within the Chico SOI only (outside of city limits) declined from by over 7,000 persons from 1990 to 2000 because of annexation. In 2000, 28.9 percent of residents of the entire Chico SOI area (including the incorporated areas) lived in the unincorporated portion of the SOI. In Oroville, the entire SOI (including the incorporated areas) had an estimated population of 35,223 in 2000, of which almost two-thirds (63.1%) resided in the unincorporated portion of the SOI. Together, the unincorporated areas within the SOIs of Chico, Oroville and Paradise had an estimated population of 58,004 in 2000, compared to a total population of 99,928 in the incorporated areas of the three cities. The total population of these three cities and their SOIs (157,932) represented 77.7 percent of the total countywide population in 2000. Individually, the Chico area (including its SOI) represented 41.9 percent of the county’s population in 2000; the Paradise area (including its SOI) represented 18.5 percent; and the Oroville area (including its SOI) represented 17.3 percent. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 9 As shown in Table 2-4, the areas of Gridley and Biggs (including their SOIs) had estimated populations of 6,220 and 1,795, respectively, in 2000. The combined population of the two cities represented approximately four percent of the countywide population in 2000. Less than half (47.3%) of the population in Butte County resided outside of the incorporated boundaries of cities in 2000. Almost two-thirds (61.3%) of these people live within the unincorporated SOIs of the cities. Altogether, 81.7 percent of the county population lives within the SOI (included incorporated land) of the incorporated cities in 2000. A vast majority of all housing and affordable housing built within unincorporated Butte County will occur within the SOIs of the cities within Butte County. In addition, development of multifamily housing is unlikely to take place without first being annexed by a city or special district for the extension of appropriate urban services. This will have a future influence on the population distribution and growth rates of Butte County and its cities. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 10 TABLE 2-4 POPULATION DISTRIBUTION INCORPORATED CITIES AND THEIR SPHERES OF INFLUENCE BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1990-2000 1990 2000 Growth: 1990-2000 Population Population Population Change #% of County Total #% of County Total #% of County total AAGR % Biggs Total - SOI and Incorporated 1,595 0.88%1,795 0.88%200 0.95%1.19% incorporated 1,581 0.87%1,793 0.88%212 1.01%1.27% SOI only 14 0.01%2 0.00%-12 -0.06%-17.68% Chico - SOI and Incorporated 72,647 39.89%85,134 41.90%12,487 59.32%1.60% Incorporated (1)40,079 22.01%60,516 29.79%19,875 94.41%4.21% SOI only 32,568 17.88%24,618 12.12%-7,388 -35.10%-2.76% Gridley - SOI and Incorporated 5,448 2.99%6,220 3.06%772 3.67%1.33% incorporated 4,631 2.54%5,382 2.65%751 3.57%1.51% SOI only 817 0.45%838 0.41%21 0.10%0.25% Oroville - SOI and Incorporated 33,095 18.17%35,223 17.34%2,128 10.11%0.63% incorporated 11,960 6.57%13,004 6.40%1,044 4.96%0.84% SOI only 21,135 11.60%22,219 10.94%1,084 5.15%0.50% Paradise - SOI and Incorporated 34,590 18.99%37,575 18.49%2,985 14.18%0.83% incorporated 25,408 13.95%26,408 13.00%1,000 4.75%0.39% SOI only 9,182 5.04%11,167 5.50%1,985 9.43%1.98% Unincorporated County outside of SOIs only 34,745 19.08%37,224 18.32%2,479 11.78%0.69% Unincorporated County total (1)98,461 54.06%96,068 47.28%-1,831 -8.70%-0.25% Unincorporated County inside SOIs 63,716 34.99%58,844 28.96%-4,310 -20.47%-0.79% Total Butte County 182,120 100.00%203,171 100.00%21,051 100.00%1.10% Total SOIs and Incorporated 147,375 80.92%165,947 81.68%18,572 88.22%1.19% Total Incorporated 83,659 45.94%107,103 52.72%22,882 108.70%2.50% Total SOIs only 63,716 34.99%58,844 28.96%-4,310 -20.47%-0.79% Sources: 1990 & 2000 U.S. Census; Mintier & Associates estimates. (1) The City of Chico’s population was revised upward to 60,516 from the original Census count of 59,954 as a result of the Census Count Question Resolution (CQR) Program. The original count had mis-allocated 562 students residing in dormitories (group quarters) at CSU-Chico to the unincorporated county. The total population estimate for the unincorporated county was correspondingly reduced from 96,630 to 96,068. Table 2-5 below shows 1990 and 2000 Census counts and growth rates from 1990 to 2000 for all of the incorporated cities in the county, along with Census Designated Places (CDPs). Again, it should be emphasized that growth rates for these areas can be deceiving since boundary definitions changed from 1990 to 2000 in response to annexations (in the case of the cities), and other factors (in the case of the CDPs). Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 11 TABLE 2-5 POPULATION GROWTH INCORPORATED CITIES AND CENSUS DESIGNATED PLACES (CDPS) BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 1990-2000 1990 2000 Population Growth: 1990-2000 Total Population Total Population #AAGR % Biggs city 1,581 1,793 212 1.27% Chico city 40,079 60,516 20,437 4.21% Concow CDP 1,392 1,095 -297 -2.37% Durham CDP 4,784 5,220 436 0.88% Gridley city 4,631 5,382 751 1.51% Magalia CDP 8,987 10,569 1,582 1.63% Oroville city 11,960 13,004 1,044 0.84% Oroville East CDP 8,462 8,680 218 0.25% Palermo CDP 5,260 5,720 460 0.84% Paradise town 25,408 26,408 1,000 0.39% South Oroville CDP 7,463 7,695 232 0.31% Thermalito CDP 5,646 6,045 399 0.69% remainder of county 56,467 51,044 -5,423 -1.00% Butte County Total 182,120 203,171 21,051 1.10% Source: 1990 & 2000 U.S. Census 2.3 POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Age Distribution Age structure is a particularly important planning consideration because people of different ages require different kinds of services. For instance, a younger population is more likely to demand more active recreational facilities and schools, whereas an older population is likely to be more interested in passive recreational opportunities and adult-oriented community facilities. Housing demand is also directly related to the age composition of the population. A proportionally younger population will typically generate a demand for more start-up housing for first-time buyers and larger units to accommodate families with children. Table 2-6 shows the age profiles of Butte County and its cities in 2000. Table 2-6 indicates that the county is well-balanced in terms of age distribution. However, the table also reveals differences in the age composition of the five cities. The most distinctive differences occur in the Chico and Paradise communities. Chico, because of the presence of the university, has over half of its population in the 0-19 and 20-34 age groups. On the other hand, Paradise, with its large retirement community, has a quarter of its population over the age of 65 and almost two-thirds of its population over 35. The unincorporated county has a higher share of 35 to 64-year olds and a lower share of 20 to 34-year olds compared to the county as a whole. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 12 TABLE 2-6 AGE DISTRIBUTION BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 0-19 20-34 35-64 65+Total #%#%#%#%# Biggs 676 37.7%333 18.6%596 33.2%188 10.5%1,793 Chico 16,663 27.8%21,222 35.4%16,137 26.9%5,932 9.9%59,954 Gridley 1,804 33.5%1,011 18.8%1,710 31.8%857 15.9%5,382 Oroville 4,309 33.1%2,544 19.6%4,243 32.6%1,908 14.7%13,004 Paradise 5,955 22.5%3,066 11.6%10,212 38.7%7,175 27.2%26,408 Unincorp- orated County 27,444 28.4%14,559 15.1%38,631 40.0%15,996 16.6%96,630 Total 56,851 28.0%42,735 21.0%71,529 35.2%32,056 15.8%203,171 California 10,234,571 30.2%7,610,350 22.5%12,431,069 36.7%3,595,658 10.6%33,871,648 Source: 2000 U.S. Census Compared to age distribution statewide, Butte County has a greater proportion of the population in the 65 year-and-above category (15.8 percent compared to 10.6 percent for the state). The unprecedented mobility of today’s retirement age population has contributed to this trend. The economic growth of the last three decades, combined with modern pension plans, Social Security, and substantial gains in housing equity, have allowed retirees to relocate more easily and live in locations of their choosing. Drawn by the generally uncrowded conditions, relatively inexpensive housing and environmental amenities, older citizens have been relocating to the Sierra Foothills, primarily in the snow-free belt below 3,000 feet. Paradise represents the largest concentration of retirement age population, but other communities such as Concow, Forest Ranch, Berry Creek, Bald Rock, Kelly Ridge and other areas around Oroville have also attracted many persons in this age group. The percentage of retirement age individuals has grown steadily. In 1970, individuals over 64 years of age comprised 14 percent of the county population. In 2000 the percentage has increased to 15.8 percent. Race and Ethnicity Table 2-7 shows the breakdown of race and ethnicity in Butte County and California. As the table shows, the county population is predominantly white, accounting for 84.5 percent of the countywide population. It is important to note that the Census does not include persons of Hispanic origin as a racial group in its analysis. Instead, people of Hispanic origin are counted as an ethnic group of diverse racial composition. The 2000 Census estimates that 10.5 percent of the Butte County population is comprised of people of Hispanic origin. This compares with 7.5 percent of the county population at the time of the 1990 Census. It is also important to note that 2000 was the first year that the Census began counting combined multiple racial categories. This makes it problematic to compare results from previous counts. Several of the communities within the county, particularly Biggs, Gridley and Oroville, vary somewhat from the ethnic composition of the county as a whole. Currently, 6.3 percent of Oroville’s population is identified as “Asian alone” This gives Oroville the largest concentration Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 13 of persons of Asian descent in the county. Hispanics form a major portion of the populations of the cities of Gridley and Biggs. In Gridley, the Hispanic population comprises nearly 40 percent of the population, and in Biggs the Hispanic population comprises 28 percent of the population. The unincorporated county’s racial/ethnic makeup is very close to that of t the county as a whole. TABLE 2-7 RACE AND ETHNICITY BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 Biggs Chico Gridley Oroville Paradise Unincorp- orated County County Total California #1,336 49,377 3,583 10,043 24,751 82,638 171,728 20,170,059White alone %74.5%82.4%66.6%77.2%93.7%85.5%84.5%59.5% #8 1,215 17 524 51 1,001 2,816 2,263,882Black or African American alone %0.4%2.0%0.3%4.0%0.2%1.0%1.4%6.7% #33 782 83 511 283 2,174 3,866 333,346American Indian and Alaska Native alone %1.8%1.3%1.5%3.9%1.1%2.2%1.9%1.0% #15 2,524 187 825 275 2,926 6,752 3,697,513Asian alone %0.8%4.2%3.5%6.3%1.0%3.0%3.3%10.9% #0 115 1 34 31 115 296 116,961Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone %0.0%0.2%0.0%0.3%0.1%0.1%0.1%0.3% #332 3,390 1,295 362 320 4,091 9,790 5,682,241Some other race alone %18.5%5.7%24.1%2.8%1.2%4.2%4.8%16.8% #69 2,551 216 705 697 3,685 7,923 1,607,646Two or more races %3.8%4.3%4.0%5.4%2.6%3.8%3.9%4.7% #1,793 59,954 5,382 13,004 26,408 96,630 203,171 33,871,648Total%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0% #494 7,351 2,079 1,073 1,127 9,215 21,339 10,966,556Hispanic%27.6%12.3%38.6%8.3%4.3%9.5%10.5%32.4% Source: 2000 US Census Household and Family Composition Table 2-8 shows the composition of households in Butte County and California according to figures from the 1990 Census. As shown in the table, Biggs and Gridley have the highest percentages of married families with children, with 33.6 percent and 24.2 percent respectively. As might be expected, given the presence of the state university, Chico has a low proportion of married families with children (16.9 percent) and the highest proportion of non-family households (21.1 percent) (. according to the Census, non-family households are those in which two or more unrelated individuals live together). Similarly, Paradise, with its high number of retirees, has the lowest proportion of married families with children (14.8 percent) and a high proportion of married families without children (33.9 percent). Oroville has the highest proportion of single-person households with 33.2 percent. The unincorporated county has the highest proportion of married families without children at 34.0 percent. Compared to statewide figures for household composition, Butte County has a lower proportion of married families with children (18.8 percent compared to 26 percent for the state), and higher proportions of married families without children (27.9 percent compared to 25.1 percent for the Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 14 state), non-family households (10.7 percent compared to 7.6 percent for the state), and one- person households (27.2 percent compared to 23.5 percent for the state). County figures relating to single-parent households are comparable with statewide statistics. TABLE 2-8 HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 Biggs Chico Gridley Oroville Paradise Unincorp -orated County County Total California #98 6,874 488 1,622 3,709 8,845 21,636 2,708,3081-Person Household:%17.2%29.3%26.5%33.2%32.0%23.8%27.2%23.5% #192 3,974 446 834 1,720 7,763 14,929 2,989,974Married Couple with Children %33.6%16.9%24.2%17.1%14.8%20.9%18.8%26.0% #154 4,105 437 944 3,924 12,637 22,201 2,887,110Married Couple without Children %27.0%17.5%23.7%19.3%33.9%34.0%27.9%25.1% #21 536 62 172 246 986 2,023 292,346Single Male with Children %3.7%2.3%3.4%3.5%2.1%2.7%2.5%2.5% #7 382 40 74 156 695 1,354 302,109Single Male without Children %1.2%1.6%2.2%1.5%1.3%1.9%1.7%2.6% #41 1,855 168 649 695 2,211 5,619 834,716Single Female with Children %7.2%7.9%9.1%13.3%6.0%5.9%7.1%7.3% #35 789 113 273 503 1,547 3,260 613,794Single Female without Children %6.1%3.4%6.1%5.6%4.3%4.2%4.1%5.3% #23 4,961 87 313 638 2,522 8,544 874,513Nonfamily Household %4.0%21.1%4.7%6.4%5.5%6.8%10.7%7.6% Total #571 23,476 1,841 4,881 11,591 37,206 79,566 11,502,870 Source: 2000 US Census Length of Tenure The length of people’s tenure within Butte County and their individual residences provides a picture of the stability of the population and its ties to the county. Table 2-9 below information shows that the Butte County population was similar in mobility to the populations statewide. About 48 percent of the county population had lived in the same house from 1995 to 2000, compared to just over half of the population in California as a whole. Another 27.9 percent of the population in 2000 lived in a different house in Butte County in 1995, for a total percentage of 75.8 of the population that lived in Butte County in 1995. An additional 17.9 percent of the population lived in another county in California in 1995, another 8,131 (4.2%) had lived in another state in 1995, and 3,687 (1.9%) had lived in another country in 1995. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 15 TABLE 2-9 RESIDENCE IN 1995 FOR THE POPULATION 5 YEARS AND OVER BUTTE COUNTY AND CALIFORNIA 2000 Butte County California #%#% Same house in 1995 91,819 47.9%15,757,539 50.2% Different house in 1995:99,685 52.1%15,659,090 49.8% In United States in 1995 95,962 50.1%14,251,432 45.4% Same county 53,508 27.9%9,714,481 30.9% Different county 42,454 22.2%4,536,951 14.4% Same state 34,323 17.9%3,087,987 9.8% Different state:8,131 4.2%1,448,964 4.6% Elsewhere in 1995 3,687 1.9%1,402,696 4.5% Total 191,504 100.0%31,416,629 100.0% Source: 2000 US Census 2.4 POPULATION PROJECTIONS Population projections provide the basis for most planning, yet projecting future growth is far from an exact science given the complex set of variables that can affect the rate of growth. Typically, projections are developed by taking past patterns and combining them with assumptions regarding the future to obtain an estimate of future growth rates. In uncertain economic times, such as those evident in the early 1990s, growth projections are particularly difficult. Obviously, countywide planning can only be as effective as the ability of County and State officials to anticipate population growth. The California Department of Finance (DOF) provides both the official State population projections and the official State population estimates. The Demographic Research Unit (DRU) of the California Department of Finance is designated as the single official source of demographic data for State planning and budgeting. The DRU makes periodic projections of growth in the state on a county-by-county basis. The most recent long-term population projections were made by DOF in June 2001 and projected population for California by county from 2000 to 2020 in five-year increments. The June 2001 Interim County Projections was an update to DOF’s County Projections published in 1998. The June 2001 document adjusted the projections to account for 2000 Census data. However, DOF also adjusted the 2000 Census population figure to account for the estimated Census undercount, using figures based on the estimated national undercount, since more detailed undercount information was not available1. In the case of Butte County, the April 1, 2000 population was adjusted up to 205,118 from the April 1, 2000 Census count of 203,171, an increase of 1,947. DOF then brought the adjusted April 1, 2000 figure up to July 2000, and this figure of 205,400 was used as the base for the population projections for Butte County. It is problematic to compare these adjusted projections to DOF’s yearly estimates of population, because the 1 The nationwide net undercount for the 2000 Census was estimated by the Census Bureau at 1.18 percent for population. The net estimated undercount in California in 1990 was 2.7 percent compared to the national figure of 1.6%. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 16 estimates made since the 2000 Census use the 2000 Census as a baseline, but do not make an adjustment for the estimated Census undercount. Table 2-10 below shows the DOF population projections for Butte County for 2005, 2010, and 2020. It also shows the calculated average annual growth rates (AAGRs) for these projections using the adjusted 2000 population count as a base. As shown in the table, DOF projected a steadily declining growth rate for Butte County after 2005. The AAGR for 2000 to 2005 was projected at 2.73 percent, while the AAGR for the entire 2000 to 2020 period was projected at 2.06 percent. TABLE 2-10 DOF POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2000-2020 2000 total population (DOF - July 2000) July 2005 DOF Projection July 2010 DOF Projection July 2020 DOF Projection projected AAGR: July 2000 - July 2005 projected AAGR: July 2005 - July 2010 projected AAGR: July 2010 - July 2020 projected AAGR: July 2000 - July 2010 projected AAGR: July 2000 - July 2020 205,400 235,000 259,800 308,900 2.73%2.03%1.75%2.38%2.06% Source: DOF, Interim County Projections (June 2001) Compared to the historic growth rates in Butte County shown in Tables 2-1, the DOF-projected AAGR for 2000 to 2005 (2.73%) was higher than the AAGR in both the 1990s (1.1%) and the 1980s (2.4%). The DOF-projected annual growth rate for 2000 to 2010 (2.38%) is equivalent to the annual growth rate experienced by Butte County in the 1980s, but is more than twice the actual growth rate in the 1990s. Even though DOF’s projected annual growth rate declined to 1.75 percent for the 2010 to 2020 period, it is still significantly higher than Butte County’s growth rate in the 1990s. Based on Census figures, Butte County grew by 38,269 persons from 1980 to 1990 and 21,051 persons from 1990 to 2000, for a total population growth of 59,320 persons from 1980 to 2000. The DOF 2010 population projection represents a growth of 56,629 from the 2000 Census population, a number that is almost equivalent to the actual total population growth in the last twenty years. This projected growth of 56,629 is larger by 14,747 persons than the population growth in the largest growth decade in Butte County’s history – the 1970s– when the county grew by 41,882 persons. The previous round of projections for Butte County by DOF were similarly high. DOF’s Interim Population Projections (April 1991), projected the 1995 population of Butte County at 205,900 and the 2000 population at 226,700. Therefore, the actual 2000 population of Butte County was less than the DOF projection for 1995. Actual growth rates in Butte County for 1990 to 2000 were less than half of DOF’s projections. It should also be noted that overall housing vacancy rates increased from 1990 to 2000 (5.85% in 1990 compared to 6.97% in 2000), indicating excess housing capacity for the population growth that did occur. Table 2-11 below shows DOF’s population projections for Butte County for 2005 and 2010 compared to the DOF-estimated population in 2003. As noted above, the population estimate for Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 17 2003 uses the 2000 Census as a baseline, but does not make an adjustment for the estimated Census undercount, while the projections do make an adjustment for the Census undercount. The actual Census count for 2000 (203,171) is shown in the table for comparison purposes to DOF’s 2000 population base of 205,400 for the projections shown in Table 2-10 above. When comparing the July 2005 DOF projection to the January 2003 DOF-estimated population, the 2005 population projection of 235,000 represents an AAGR of 4.53 percent from the 2003 population of 210,367. This growth rate is almost four times the AAGR for the population in Butte County from April 1990 (182,120) to January 2003 (210,367) of 1.14 percent shown above in Table 2-2. In order to meet DOF’s population projections by 2005, Butte would need to add a population of 24,633 in the 2.5 years from January, 2003 to July, 2005. In comparison, Butte County had a population growth of 7,196 in the 2.75 years from April, 2000 to January 2003. TABLE 2-11 SHORT-TERM DOF POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS COMPARED TO 2003 POPULATION BUTTE COUNTY 2000 total population (Census - Apr. 2000) 2003 total population (DOF - Jan. 2003) July 2005 DOF Projection July 2010 DOF Projection projected AAGR: Jan. 2003 - July 2005 projected AAGR: July 2003 - July 2010 203,171 210,367 235,000 259,800 4.53%2.85% Sources: U.S. Census; DOF, Interim County Projections (June 2001) The discussion above demonstrates that the DOF population projections for Butte County are extremely high compared to actual recent population growth. Therefore, there are problems in relying on the DOF population projections for policy decisions. Given that the Interim County Projections are based on projections initially made in 1998 at the height of economic boom, it is perhaps not surprising that they are overly optimistic. However, for the vast majority of counties in the state, the projections are proving to be excessive, with most counties growing at much slower rates from 2000 to 2003 than would meet DOF’s projections for 2005. Like all projections, the Interim County Projections are heavily reliant on their basic assumptions, DOF appears to have relied on an overly optimistic migration rate, among other assumptions, for a large majority of the counties in the state. Given that 80.7 percent of the population increase in Butte County from 1990 to 2000 was due to net migration (both foreign and domestic), while in California net migration only accounted for 17.3 percent of the population increase, over- estimation of migration rates by DOF would have more significant effects on the population projections for Butte County than the state as a whole. These unrealistically high DOF projections point to the importance of looking at alternative projections. Table 2-12A below shows population growth projections for 2010, 2020, and 2030 developed for the Butte County Association of Government’s (BCAG) update to the Regional Travel Demand Model for the Butte County Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The table also shows the previous population projections for 2010 and 2020 in the Butte County 2001 Regional Transportation Plan for comparison. The projections in the 2001 RTP were made by aggregating an analysis of the General Plan growth projections of all of the jurisdictions. Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 18 In the Regional Travel Demand Model update, BCAG developed housing unit, population, and employment projections for Butte County jurisdictions using building permit data from 1980 to 2000. BCAG used this data to reconstruct historic growth rates by jurisdiction, in order to account solely for new construction and not the annexation of existing units. In order to calculate the new projections, BCAG began with the housing unit stock in Butte County in 1980 as recorded by the 1980 Census. To calculate a housing unit growth rate, BCAG then examined the number of residential building permits issued for all jurisdictions within Butte County. It was assumed that building permit statistics submitted by each jurisdiction accurately captured the number of single and multifamily units constructed in each jurisdiction. Adding the 1980 housing unit data with 20 years of building permit data gave an estimated number of units for the year 2000. The annual growth rate was then calculated. The average annual growth rates from 1980-2000 as calculated by BCAG were then applied to project future growth. Table 2-12A shows the final projections for population. It should be noted that these projections are based on incorporated boundaries for jurisdictions and are not intended to account for any annexations that may occur. This is why the unincorporated county has a positive growth rate. As shown in the table, BCAG’s updated population projections for 2010 and 2020 are lower than those in the 2001 RTP, although they are close. This is somewhat surprising, given that the 2001 RTP projections were based on the General Plan growth assumptions, some which were very out-of-date, for each of the individual jurisdictions. TABLE 2-12A BCAG POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2003-2030 1990 total population (Census - Apr. 1990) 2000 total population (DOF - Apr. 2000) 2003 total population (DOF - Jan. 2003) 2010 Old (2001) RTP Projection 2020 Old (2001) RTP Projection 2010 Updated BCAG Projection 2020 Updated BCAG Projection 2030 Updated BCAG Projection Biggs 1,581 1,793 1,809 2,170 2,625 1,940 2,100 2,280 Chico 40,079 60,516 68,589 75,879 96,035 80,570 108,280 145,530 Gridley 4,631 5,382 5,745 6,512 7,880 6,230 7,240 8,410 Oroville 11,960 13,004 13,271 15,735 19,039 15,850 19,340 23,560 Paradise 25,408 26,408 26,695 29,953 33,973 28,870 31,590 34,550 Unincorporated 98,461 96,068 94,258 113,755 133,916 106,730 117,890 130,240 Butte County Total 182,120 203,171 210,367 244,004 293,468 240,190 286,440 344,570 Sources: BCAG, EPS. Table 2-12B shows the population projections in Table 2-12A above converted to AAGRs. As shown in the table, BCAG’s updated population projections show an AAGR of 1.91 percent from 2003 to 2010, 1.83 percent for 2003 to 2020, and 1.84 percent for 2003 to 2030 for Butte County as a whole. Unincorporated Butte County is projected to have a slightly lower growth rate than the county as a whole. It is presumed that the majority of growth in unincorporated areas will occur within the SOIs of the cities. Compared to DOF’s projections, BCAG’s population projections are substantially lower for the year 2020 and are also significantly less “front-loaded.” As discussed above, DOF’s projections are equivalent to a 2.85 percent AAGR for 2003 to 2010, while BCAG’s projections show a 1.83 Chapter 2: Population Final Draft August 8, 2005 Butte County General Plan Background Report 19 percent AAGR for 2003 to 2010. This projected growth rate is still significantly higher than the actual AAGR for 1990 to 2003 of 1.14 percent, but is still more consistent with long-term historical trends in Butte County than DOF’s projections. TABLE 2-12B RATES OF GROWTH FOR BCAG POPULATION GROWTH PROJECTIONS BUTTE COUNTY 2003-2030 AAGR: 4/1990 - 4/2000 AAGR: 4/2000 - 1/2003 AAGR: 4/1990 - 1/2003 Projected AAGR: 4/2000 to Old (2001) 1/2010 RTP Projection Projected AAGR: 4/2000 to Old (2001) 1/2020 RTP Projection Projected AAGR: 1/2003 to Updated 1/2010 BCAG Projection Projected AAGR: 1/2003 to Updated 1/2020 BCAG Projection Projected AAGR: 1/2003 to Updated 1/2030 BCAG Projection Biggs 1.27%0.32%1.06%1.98%1.95%1.00%0.88%0.86% Chico 4.21%4.66%4.30%2.35%2.37%2.33%2.72%2.83% Gridley 1.51%2.40%1.71%1.97%1.95%1.16%1.37%1.42% Oroville 0.84%0.74%0.82%1.97%1.95%2.57%2.24%2.15% Paradise 0.39%0.39%0.39%1.30%1.28%1.13%1.00%0.96% Unincorporated -0.25%-0.69%-0.34%1.75%1.70%1.79%1.32%1.20% Butte County Total 1.10%1.27%1.14%1.90%1.88%1.91%1.83%1.84% Sources: BCAG, EPS.