4. Comprehensive Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

690,000 680,000 670,000 660,000 650,000 640,000 630,000 620,000 610,000 600,000 590,000 580,000 ,,~ ~ 9 ~ 9 Q) ~~ Q) 9 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0/ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Figure 2.1. North Dakota population fÌ'om 1920 to 2000 (US. Bureau of the Census, Decennial Censuses). Year Population Percent Change 1910-19 646,872 1920-29 680,845 5.25 1930-39 641,935 -5.71 1940-49 619,636 -3.47 1950-59 632,446 2.07 1960-69 617,792 -2.32 1970-79 652,717 5.65 1980-89 638,800 -2.13 1990-99 642,200 0.53 Average 641,471 -0.02 Table 2.1. North Dakota total population and change from 1920 to 2000 (U.S. Bureau ofthe Census, Decennial Censuses). North Dakota's slow growth rate is more apparent when viewing the 2000 population pyramid, which shows both the age distribution and the male/female ratio. The spectrum for growth pyramids range from top heavy inverted pyramids consisting of an ever growing older population (indicating low birth rates or large out-migration ofthe young) to a bottom heavy population pyramids having a larger ratio of young to old (often the result of high birth rates or in-migration), with the majority of areas resembling a square indicating slow and sustained growth (CensusScrope.org). North Dakota is somewhat unusual in that it appears in transition from more of a bottom heavy to a top heavy population pyramid (Figure 2.2). This trend indicating an aging population, which either has had reduced birth rates or increased out-migration. 20