PARKERSBURG - The latest U.S. Census estimates released Wednesday show Parkersburg lost another 41 people from 2007 to 2008.
Parkersburg's population count in the 2008 estimate was 31,611, down from 31,652 in 2007 and down from 33,168 from the 2000 census.
Census counts are critical in determining grants and entitlements that are population based, such as the entitlements through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, said Ann Conageski, development director for the city of Parkersburg.
"It's a component in how much money you'll get," she said.
The top five cities in West Virginia, according to the 2008 estimate, are:
- Charleston, 50,302 in 2008, 50,446 in 2007, 53,338 in 2000.
- Huntington, 49,185 in 2008, 49,283 in 2007, 51,790 in 2000.
- Parkersburg, 31,611 in 2008, 31,652 in 2007, 33,393 in 2000.
- Morgantown, 29,642 in 2008, 29,328 in 2007, 26,701 in 2000.
- Wheeling, 28,913 in 2008, 29,075 in 2007, 31,293 in 2000.
The population estimate for the state of West Virginia in 2008 is 1,814,468, up from 1,809,836 in 2007 and up from 1,806,977 in 2000.
In Ohio, the population estimate for the city of Belpre is 6,561 in 2008, 6,542 in 2007 and 6,660 in 2000. Marietta's was 14,368 in 2008, 14,313 in 2007 and 14,515 in 2000.
The population of the state of Ohio was 11,445,095 in 2008 and 11,353,140 in 2000, the census said.
Of the five largest cities in the state, Morgantown, where West Virginia University is located, grew the most, 2,941 people in the eight years since the 2000 census, according to the estimates.
The census bureau recommends cities and counties create Complete Count Committees about the importance of a complete count of everyone, Conageski said. City council addressed the committee earlier this year, but it has yet to be empaneled.
Committees are comprised of community leaders to develop and implement a 2010 Census Awareness campaign. The goal of the committee is to encourage residents to timely and accurately complete the short nine-question census questionnaire.
Questionnaires will be distributed to households in March 2010, however, the Census Bureau is encouraging committees begin as soon as possible.
The Wood County Commission is interested in creating a committee, county Commission Blair Couch said.
"We're definitely interested and know how critical it is for an accurate count," he said.
The population drop is partly attributable to economic conditions and the decline in manufacturing and service sector jobs, Couch said. Thousands of jobs have been lost over the years and the workers who didn't leave the area took jobs at less than what they were previously making, which further impacts the economy, he said.
The city's greatest growth was from 1950 to 1960 when the town grew from 29,684 to 44,797, according to the census. The town's population in 1970 was 44,208, but dropped to 39,967 in 1980 and 33,862 in 1990.
Relative to that, population is a factor companies use in determining where they will locate retail stores or industries, he said. With the economy as it is, businesses have to make certain a workforce is available or will have customers to buy their products, which the demographics of the census count would show, Couch said.
"They can't afford a loss," he said.
