Stokes County vs. North Carolina
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Stokes County vs. North Carolina
Stokes County:
2022 Population = 45,175
2022 Percent of State = 0.42%
North Carolina:
2022 Population = 10,698,973
2022 Percent of U.S. = 3.21%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Stokes County with comparisons to North Carolina and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Stokes County vs. North Carolina's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Stokes County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Stokes County's population rose from 24,040 in 1969 to 45,175 in 2022, for a net gain of 21,135, or 87.92%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks North Carolina's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, North Carolina's population rose from 5,031,000 in 1969 to 10,698,973 in 2022, for a net gain of 5,667,973, or 112.66%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Stokes County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with North Carolina, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Stokes County's overall population growth was 87.92% over 1969-2022 trailed North Carolina's increase of 112.66%, and outpaced the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the North Carolina Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the North Carolina Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of contrasting the population growth of Stokes County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to North Carolina's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than North Carolina's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Stokes County's population comprised 0.48% of North Carolina's population, while in 2022 it totaled 0.42% thereby yielding a -0.06% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.06%
=
0.42%
-
0.48%
 
   
Stokes County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Stokes County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Stokes County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Stokes County's population grew at an annual rate of 1.21% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 1972 (5.02%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2012 (-1.13%). In 2022, Stokes County's population grew by 1.20%
Stokes County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Stokes County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again depicts the annual percent change in Stokes County's population since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Stokes County's annual population growth rate averaged 2.96%. It averaged 1.36% during the 1980s, 1.86% in the 1990s, 0.69% throughout the 2000s, -0.63% throughout the 2010s, 0.49% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Stokes County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for North Carolina and the nation. As the chart reveals, Stokes County's average annual population growth topped North Carolina's average during the 1970s (2.96% vs. 1.44%), led North Carolina's average during the 1980s (1.36% vs. 1.24%), fell below North Carolina's average during the 1990s (1.86% vs. 1.93%), amounted to less than North Carolina's average in the 2000s (0.69% vs. 1.74%), posted below North Carolina's average in the 2010s (-0.63% vs. 0.93%), and fell below North Carolina's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.49% vs. 1.04%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Stokes County recorded above the nation during the 1970s (2.96% vs. 1.10%), outpaced the nation during the 1980s (1.36% vs. 0.95%), exceeded the nation throughout the 1990s (1.86% vs. 1.23%), lagged the nation throughout the 2000s (0.69% vs. 0.95%), posted below the nation in the 2010s (-0.63% vs. 0.74%), and surpassed the nation over 2020-2022 (0.49% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.21
2.96
1.36
1.86
0.69
-0.63
0.49
1.20
 
1.43
1.44
1.24
1.93
1.74
0.93
1.04
1.26
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Stokes County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
24,040
100.0
N
0.48
1970
 
23,966
99.7
-0.31
0.47
1971
 
25,017
104.1
4.39
0.48
1972
 
26,273
109.3
5.02
0.50
1973
 
27,203
113.2
3.54
0.51
1974
 
28,322
117.8
4.11
0.52
1975
 
29,339
122.0
3.59
0.53
1976
 
29,788
123.9
1.53
0.53
1977
 
30,344
126.2
1.87
0.54
1978
 
31,139
129.5
2.62
0.54
1979
 
32,160
133.8
3.28
0.55
1980
 
33,227
138.2
3.32
0.56
1981
 
33,690
140.1
1.39
0.57
1982
 
34,256
142.5
1.68
0.57
1983
 
34,371
143.0
0.34
0.57
1984
 
34,945
145.4
1.67
0.57
1985
 
35,371
147.1
1.22
0.57
1986
 
35,610
148.1
0.68
0.56
1987
 
36,183
150.5
1.61
0.57
1988
 
36,401
151.4
0.60
0.56
1989
 
36,803
153.1
1.10
0.56
1990
 
37,396
155.6
1.61
0.56
1991
 
37,806
157.3
1.10
0.56
1992
 
38,732
161.1
2.45
0.56
1993
 
39,050
162.4
0.82
0.55
1994
 
40,207
167.3
2.96
0.56
1995
 
41,170
171.3
2.40
0.56
1996
 
42,142
175.3
2.36
0.56
1997
 
42,906
178.5
1.81
0.56
1998
 
43,588
181.3
1.59
0.56
1999
 
44,255
184.1
1.53
0.56
2000
 
44,779
186.3
1.18
0.55
2001
 
44,974
187.1
0.44
0.55
2002
 
45,079
187.5
0.23
0.54
2003
 
45,331
188.6
0.56
0.54
2004
 
45,772
190.4
0.97
0.54
2005
 
46,165
192.0
0.86
0.53
2006
 
46,755
194.5
1.28
0.52
2007
 
47,079
195.8
0.69
0.52
2008
 
47,363
197.0
0.60
0.51
2009
 
47,422
197.3
0.12
0.50
2010
 
47,300
196.8
-0.26
0.49
2011
 
46,977
195.4
-0.68
0.49
2012
 
46,446
193.2
-1.13
0.48
2013
 
46,110
191.8
-0.72
0.47
2014
 
45,800
190.5
-0.67
0.46
2015
 
45,515
189.3
-0.62
0.46
2016
 
45,147
187.8
-0.81
0.45
2017
 
44,843
186.5
-0.67
0.44
2018
 
44,475
185.0
-0.82
0.43
2019
 
44,523
185.2
0.11
0.43
2020
 
44,565
185.4
0.09
0.43
2021
 
44,641
185.7
0.17
0.42
2022
 
45,175
187.9
1.20
0.42
Source: Calculations by the North Carolina Regional Economic Analysis Project (NC-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
North Carolina:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
5,031,000
100.0
N
2.50
1970
 
5,099,150
101.4
1.35
2.50
1971
 
5,200,760
103.4
1.99
2.51
1972
 
5,296,085
105.3
1.83
2.53
1973
 
5,382,441
107.0
1.63
2.55
1974
 
5,461,112
108.5
1.46
2.56
1975
 
5,535,097
110.0
1.35
2.57
1976
 
5,593,463
111.2
1.05
2.57
1977
 
5,668,494
112.7
1.34
2.58
1978
 
5,740,286
114.1
1.27
2.58
1979
 
5,801,563
115.3
1.07
2.58
1980
 
5,898,980
117.3
1.68
2.60
1981
 
5,956,653
118.4
0.98
2.60
1982
 
6,019,108
119.6
1.05
2.60
1983
 
6,077,059
120.8
0.96
2.60
1984
 
6,164,004
122.5
1.43
2.61
1985
 
6,253,957
124.3
1.46
2.63
1986
 
6,321,576
125.7
1.08
2.63
1987
 
6,403,693
127.3
1.30
2.64
1988
 
6,480,591
128.8
1.20
2.65
1989
 
6,565,462
130.5
1.31
2.66
1990
 
6,664,016
132.5
1.50
2.67
1991
 
6,784,280
134.8
1.80
2.68
1992
 
6,897,214
137.1
1.66
2.69
1993
 
7,042,818
140.0
2.11
2.71
1994
 
7,187,398
142.9
2.05
2.73
1995
 
7,344,674
146.0
2.19
2.76
1996
 
7,500,670
149.1
2.12
2.78
1997
 
7,656,825
152.2
2.08
2.81
1998
 
7,809,121
155.2
1.99
2.83
1999
 
7,949,361
158.0
1.80
2.85
2000
 
8,081,614
160.6
1.66
2.86
2001
 
8,210,122
163.2
1.59
2.88
2002
 
8,326,201
165.5
1.41
2.89
2003
 
8,422,501
167.4
1.16
2.90
2004
 
8,553,152
170.0
1.55
2.92
2005
 
8,705,407
173.0
1.78
2.95
2006
 
8,917,270
177.2
2.43
2.99
2007
 
9,118,037
181.2
2.25
3.03
2008
 
9,309,449
185.0
2.10
3.06
2009
 
9,449,566
187.8
1.51
3.08
2010
 
9,571,353
190.2
1.29
3.09
2011
 
9,642,580
191.7
0.74
3.09
2012
 
9,722,105
193.2
0.82
3.09
2013
 
9,803,434
194.9
0.84
3.10
2014
 
9,880,220
196.4
0.78
3.09
2015
 
9,966,060
198.1
0.87
3.10
2016
 
10,076,064
200.3
1.10
3.11
2017
 
10,175,266
202.3
0.98
3.12
2018
 
10,275,806
204.2
0.99
3.13
2019
 
10,370,550
206.1
0.92
3.14
2020
 
10,449,445
207.7
0.76
3.15
2021
 
10,565,885
210.0
1.11
3.18
2022
 
10,698,973
212.7
1.26
3.21
Source: Calculations by the North Carolina Regional Economic Analysis Project (NC-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the North Carolina Regional Economic Analysis Project (NC-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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