WASHINGTON – U.S. Census Bureau data distinguishes three categories of population growth or decline. Populations change based on natural increase or decrease, the relationship of births to deaths, or by domestic or international migration patterns.
The latest statistics, as of July 1, 2018, indicate that the relationship of births to deaths in Cape May County accounts for the largest part of overall population decline.
Statistics show that in the years since the last full census in 2010, the county has had 7,063 births and 10,358 deaths, a natural decrease of 3,295. The overall decline in the county’s population in that period was 4,661.
In terms of net migration, the county lost 1,295 individuals. This net number is the combination of a gain in population of 1,033 individuals through international in-migration and a loss of 2,328 individuals through negative domestic migration.
One would expect the deaths to surpass births in a county that is seeing an increase in its median age. The state Department of Health (DOH) data shows the county at 8.2 births per 1,000 population – well below the state and national rates of 11.2 and 11.8 per 1,000, respectively.
DOH statistics show Cape May County is 20th of 21 counties in terms of the birth rate per 1,000 of the population. The only lower county was Hunterdon at 7.6. The highest rate per 1,000 population in the state belongs to Hudson County at 14.7.
The numbers are consistent with those presented in the Herald on the county’s aging population (http://bit.ly/2IIlD51 and http://bit.ly/2MwyYi6). Reader interest prompted an update.
Data for this update includes numbers from the Census Bureau’s latest American Community Survey 2018 (http://bit.ly/33rWALH), which was released Sept. 26. DOH data came from http://bit.ly/2Vzl96x.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
