Category Archives: Community

A closer look at 2010 U.S. Census data has revealed something far from surprising, albeit a bit disappointing, about South Milwaukee …

Our city’s population has remained relatively static the past decade plus.

In 2000, the city had 21,256 people. In 2010, it had 21,156. So it’s a loss of 100 people in 10 years. And those numbers vary year to year.

With that in mind, here is a closer look at population figures over the last decade, with the 2000 and 2010 numbers attributed to actual census data and the other years based on U.S. Census estimates:

• 2000: 21,256
• 2001: 21,369
• 2002: 21,649
• 2003: 21,581
• 2004: 21,425
• 2005: 21,185
• 2006: 21,124
• 2007: 21,080
• 2008: 21,112
• 2009: 21, 342
• 2010: 21,156

Surprising? Not necessarily. We’re not Oak Creek or Franklin. We’re a fully developed city with little room for growth.

That said, we have had some new housing come on line in the past decade (including the Heritage Reserve and Carrington Place condominiums, Marquette Manor, etc.), so you would hope for at least some growth during that time. We’ve gone the other way. That’s concerning.

Of course, it could be worse, much worse. Consider the 1970s. South Milwaukee’s population stood at 23,297 in 1970. By 1980, it was 20,915, a 10.2 percent decline in just one decade. In 1990, it was 20,958, and it has remained relatively stable since then.

And I’ll take stable these days.

Now, population trends are a much more complex issue than just numbers. I get it. And there are larger and longer term demographic issues at play here … one that I won’t pretend to be an expert at or have the space to devote to on this blog.

I will, however, be posting more on census figures in coming weeks and months.

In the meantime, do your own research by checking out the year-over-year Census Bureau figures from the 2000s here. And here is a document from the state’s Department of Administration with more figures (some estimates being a bit different from the census data) dating to 1970.

Also, here is a closer look at the 2010 South Milwaukee census data.

I would like to hear your comments on this. Post them below!

Have a couple hours to spare on a beautiful Saturday?

Here’s an idea: Use them to help improve the look of City Hall as part of the beautification project being led by City Clerk Jim Shelenske.

The landscaping and other work begins at 9 a.m., and lunch will be served.

Learn more in my previous post.

I give Jim a huge amount of credit for pulling this together. Yes, as city clerk, City Hall maintenance is in his job description. But he could just as easily maintained the status quo of the building and been content with its bland, at best, appearance.

But that’s not Jim, as many of my blog readers know. He is a doer, and our community should be grateful for it.

Add in the fact that no taxpayer dollars are going toward this project — I, for example, am happy to be giving $100 for the work — and it’s doubly cool.

I can’t wait to see the end result. See you Saturday!