Carson City’s population falls nearly 700

Carson City’s population dropped almost 700 between mid-2013 and last July, according to Nevada’s state demographer, but he’s seeing growth in the city’s future as the state gains population.

Jeff Hardcastle, state demographer at the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business, reported this week the state gained 42,334 persons from July of 2013 to July of 2014, but the state’s capital city lost 699 people during the same period. That’s a drop in Carson City representing almost 1.3 percent. His estimate of the change here was from 54,668 to 53,969. The state’s estimated gain was a 1.5 percent bulge, reaching 2,843,301.

“Just as other economic indicators are showing,” said Hardcastle, “we are coming out of the recession. Natural population increase is continuing to play a role in our growth at this time, and we may be seeing some increase in immigration. Growth was much less uniform than last year, and we are estimating some loss of population in the smaller counties.”

Carson City, a consolidated city/county that includes the former Ormsby County, was among those jurisdictions. Washoe County, meanwhile, with Reno-Sparks to the state capital’s north, was estimated to have grown about 1 percent.

Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, gained an estimated 37,728 people during the period for which Hardcastle did his work. That was a 1.9 percent hike, he said, and the Clark County total gain accounted for the bulk of the state’s estimated increase from mid-2013 to mid-2014.

Hardcastle’s estimates were calculated based on statistics pertaining to numbers of households, persons per household, occupancy rates, the number of people in group quarters, employment and labor force data, as well as school enrollment figures.

The state demographer was asked about trends here, particularly in light of Tesla Motors and other companies coming to Northern Nevada, and he said those previously done projections included the Tesla effect and show Carson City growing 15,192 by 2033. That would mean the state capital’s population then would be closing in on buildout by reaching 69,161.

The city’s projected buildout figure, given Eagle Valley’s geographic footprint, is pegged as in the range of 75,000 to 80,000 residents.