MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) – Milwaukee remains the nation’s 31st largest city, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual population estimates.
According to a new report released Thursday, the city added 139 residents last year for a total of 599,642. Milwaukee added almost 4,600 people since the 2010 Census, but its growth has slowed the past couple of years.
Mayor Tom Barrett blames that on a continued controversy over Milwaukee’s residency requirement for city employees. Still, Barrett says the city is heading in the right direction — and he points to new development which will bring future population growth.
Madison had the largest population growth over the past year. It added almost 2,500 new residents, for a total of almost 246,000. Two other fast-growing cities are also in Dane County, Sun Prairie and Fitchburg.
County Executive Joe Parisi cites a thriving private sector and what he calls an “incredible” quality of life.
Not all of the state’s largest cities grew in 2014. Racine lost about 1 percent of its residents over the past four years. Eau Claire and Oshkosh also saw declines.
Wisconsin gained a net of 15,000 residents over the past year, for a new statewide total of 5,757,564.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)
