Final 2020 US Census data is now being released with Marion County and most communities showing population losses.
Numbers for Marion County show the population dropping 4.5-percent in the past decade and nearly ten percent in the past twenty years. The 2020 population figure is 37,729. That’s down from 39,437 in 2010 and 41,691 in the 2000 census.
Both Salem and Centralia saw population declines. Centralia lost 6.5-percent of its residence with population dropping from 13.032 to 12,182. Salem had a three-percent drop from 7,485 residences to 7,282.
The only two communities in the county to show population growth are Iuka with a population jump from 489 to 512 and Junction City with an increase in population over the past ten years from 482 to 527 residents.
Two other communities saw their population drop below 1,000. Wamac’s population fell 17-percent from 1,185 to 985 residents. Odin’s population dropped from 1,076 to 935 residents.
Here’s how other small communities in Marion County fared in the census.
- Central City went from 1,172 residents to 1,098.
- Patoka saw its population from from 584 to 525.
- Kinmundy’s new population is 733, down from 796 ten years ago.
- Alma has two fewer residences with a 2020 population of 318.
- Kell lost 21 percent of its population and fell from 219 residents to 173.
- Walnut Hill lost 13 residents and has a 2020 population of 95.
The US Census Bureau earlier announced the Illinois’ population fell about 18,000 residents during the ten year period.
