Thomas County vs. Kansas
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Thomas County vs. Kansas
Thomas County:
2022 Population = 7,893
2022 Percent of State = 0.27%
Kansas:
2022 Population = 2,937,150
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.88%
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 Thomas County with comparisons to Kansas and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Thomas County vs. Kansas' 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 tracks Thomas County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Thomas County's population rose from 7,420 in 1969 to 7,893 in 2022, for a net gain of 473, or 6.37%.
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 traces Kansas' annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Kansas' population rose from 2,236,000 in 1969 to 2,937,150 in 2022, for a net gain of 701,150, or 31.36%.
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 Thomas County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Kansas, 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.
Thomas County's overall population growth was 6.37% over 1969-2022 trailed Kansas' increase of 31.36%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Kansas Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Kansas Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of highlighting the population growth of Thomas County is to compare its individual percentage contributions to Kansas' statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Kansas' population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Thomas County's population totaled 0.33% of Kansas' population, while in 2022 it equated to 0.27% thereby yielding a -0.06% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.06%
=
0.27%
-
0.33%
 
   
Thomas County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Thomas County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 displays the short-run pattern of Thomas 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, Thomas County's population grew at an annual rate of 0.13% over 1970-2022. The county posted its highest growth in 1972 (4.24%) and posted its lowest growth in 1987 (-2.13%). In 2022, Thomas County's population declined by -0.62%
Thomas County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Thomas 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 shows the annual percent change in Thomas 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, Thomas County's annual population growth rate averaged 1.22%. It averaged -0.16% throughout the 1980s, -0.05% in the 1990s, -0.53% during the 2000s, 0.19% during the 2010s, -0.03% 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 Thomas County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Kansas and the nation. As the chart reveals, Thomas County's average annual population growth outperformed Kansas' average throughout the 1970s (1.22% vs. 0.49%), recorded under Kansas' average in the 1980s (-0.16% vs. 0.52%), lagged Kansas' average during the 1990s (-0.05% vs. 0.80%), recorded under Kansas' average throughout the 2000s (-0.53% vs. 0.56%), posted below Kansas' average during the 2010s (0.19% vs. 0.35%), and fell below Kansas' average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-0.03% vs. 0.04%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Thomas County topped the nation throughout the 1970s (1.22% vs. 1.10%), posted below the nation during the 1980s (-0.16% vs. 0.95%), fell under the nation in the 1990s (-0.05% vs. 1.23%), posted below the nation in the 2000s (-0.53% vs. 0.95%), posted below the nation over the 2010s (0.19% vs. 0.74%), and lagged the nation over 2020-2022 (-0.03% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.13
1.22
-0.16
-0.05
-0.53
0.19
-0.03
-0.62
 
0.52
0.49
0.52
0.80
0.56
0.35
0.04
-0.03
 
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.

   
 
Thomas County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
7,420
100.0
N
0.33
1970
 
7,511
101.2
1.23
0.33
1971
 
7,586
102.2
1.00
0.34
1972
 
7,908
106.6
4.24
0.35
1973
 
7,864
106.0
-0.56
0.35
1974
 
7,900
106.5
0.46
0.35
1975
 
8,050
108.5
1.90
0.35
1976
 
8,241
111.1
2.37
0.36
1977
 
8,406
113.3
2.00
0.36
1978
 
8,411
113.4
0.06
0.36
1979
 
8,369
112.8
-0.50
0.36
1980
 
8,441
113.8
0.86
0.36
1981
 
8,391
113.1
-0.59
0.35
1982
 
8,586
115.7
2.32
0.36
1983
 
8,827
119.0
2.81
0.37
1984
 
8,742
117.8
-0.96
0.36
1985
 
8,675
116.9
-0.77
0.36
1986
 
8,584
115.7
-1.05
0.35
1987
 
8,401
113.2
-2.13
0.34
1988
 
8,398
113.2
-0.04
0.34
1989
 
8,224
110.8
-2.07
0.33
1990
 
8,283
111.6
0.72
0.33
1991
 
8,375
112.9
1.11
0.34
1992
 
8,374
112.9
-0.01
0.33
1993
 
8,302
111.9
-0.86
0.32
1994
 
8,442
113.8
1.69
0.33
1995
 
8,465
114.1
0.27
0.33
1996
 
8,473
114.2
0.09
0.32
1997
 
8,342
112.4
-1.55
0.32
1998
 
8,230
110.9
-1.34
0.31
1999
 
8,177
110.2
-0.64
0.31
2000
 
8,179
110.2
0.02
0.30
2001
 
8,164
110.0
-0.18
0.30
2002
 
8,119
109.4
-0.55
0.30
2003
 
8,040
108.4
-0.97
0.30
2004
 
7,919
106.7
-1.50
0.29
2005
 
7,768
104.7
-1.91
0.28
2006
 
7,726
104.1
-0.54
0.28
2007
 
7,681
103.5
-0.58
0.28
2008
 
7,685
103.6
0.05
0.27
2009
 
7,753
104.5
0.88
0.27
2010
 
7,937
107.0
2.37
0.28
2011
 
7,975
107.5
0.48
0.28
2012
 
7,991
107.7
0.20
0.28
2013
 
8,014
108.0
0.29
0.28
2014
 
7,940
107.0
-0.92
0.27
2015
 
8,021
108.1
1.02
0.27
2016
 
7,972
107.4
-0.61
0.27
2017
 
7,979
107.5
0.09
0.27
2018
 
7,847
105.8
-1.65
0.27
2019
 
7,900
106.5
0.68
0.27
2020
 
7,933
106.9
0.42
0.27
2021
 
7,942
107.0
0.11
0.27
2022
 
7,893
106.4
-0.62
0.27
Source: Calculations by the Kansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (KS-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.

   
 
Kansas:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
2,236,000
100.0
N
1.11
1970
 
2,247,823
100.5
0.53
1.10
1971
 
2,246,132
100.5
-0.08
1.09
1972
 
2,255,525
100.9
0.42
1.08
1973
 
2,264,369
101.3
0.39
1.07
1974
 
2,267,881
101.4
0.16
1.06
1975
 
2,278,621
101.9
0.47
1.06
1976
 
2,298,645
102.8
0.88
1.06
1977
 
2,317,836
103.7
0.83
1.05
1978
 
2,332,815
104.3
0.65
1.05
1979
 
2,347,370
105.0
0.62
1.05
1980
 
2,369,039
105.9
0.92
1.04
1981
 
2,384,853
106.7
0.67
1.04
1982
 
2,401,207
107.4
0.69
1.04
1983
 
2,415,529
108.0
0.60
1.03
1984
 
2,424,088
108.4
0.35
1.03
1985
 
2,427,401
108.6
0.14
1.02
1986
 
2,432,614
108.8
0.21
1.01
1987
 
2,445,367
109.4
0.52
1.01
1988
 
2,461,995
110.1
0.68
1.01
1989
 
2,472,838
110.6
0.44
1.00
1990
 
2,481,349
111.0
0.34
0.99
1991
 
2,498,722
111.7
0.70
0.99
1992
 
2,532,394
113.3
1.35
0.99
1993
 
2,556,547
114.3
0.95
0.98
1994
 
2,580,513
115.4
0.94
0.98
1995
 
2,601,007
116.3
0.79
0.98
1996
 
2,614,554
116.9
0.52
0.97
1997
 
2,635,292
117.9
0.79
0.97
1998
 
2,660,598
119.0
0.96
0.96
1999
 
2,678,338
119.8
0.67
0.96
2000
 
2,693,681
120.5
0.57
0.95
2001
 
2,702,162
120.8
0.31
0.95
2002
 
2,713,535
121.4
0.42
0.94
2003
 
2,723,004
121.8
0.35
0.94
2004
 
2,734,373
122.3
0.42
0.93
2005
 
2,745,299
122.8
0.40
0.93
2006
 
2,762,931
123.6
0.64
0.93
2007
 
2,783,785
124.5
0.75
0.92
2008
 
2,808,076
125.6
0.87
0.92
2009
 
2,832,704
126.7
0.88
0.92
2010
 
2,858,822
127.9
0.92
0.92
2011
 
2,872,476
128.5
0.48
0.92
2012
 
2,891,101
129.3
0.65
0.92
2013
 
2,901,661
129.8
0.37
0.92
2014
 
2,911,506
130.2
0.34
0.91
2015
 
2,922,671
130.7
0.38
0.91
2016
 
2,927,230
130.9
0.16
0.90
2017
 
2,927,419
130.9
0.01
0.90
2018
 
2,931,572
131.1
0.14
0.89
2019
 
2,933,747
131.2
0.07
0.89
2020
 
2,937,919
131.4
0.14
0.89
2021
 
2,937,922
131.4
0.00
0.88
2022
 
2,937,150
131.4
-0.03
0.88
Source: Calculations by the Kansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (KS-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 Kansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (KS-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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