DeKALB – According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, overall growth in DeKalb County has been relatively stagnant since the 2010 Census.
The Census Bureau estimated the population of the county at 104,733 as of Juliy 2017, which represents minimal population growth over 2016 and a 0.4 percent decrease since 2010.
Amid population declines in some areas, one community that saw positive growth rates was Sycamore, which grew by 2.3 percent from 2016 to 2017 and about 2.9 percent over 2010, the bureau estimated.
Sycamore Mayor Curt Lang said he would not chalk population growth up to any one factor or change, but instead because the city and its services make residents feel welcome.
“The city, as a whole, has a very positive outlook of caring for one another and just enjoying who we are,” Lang said. “I would attribute growth to the city itself versus one policy change or some magical thing that happened.”
DeKalb, meanwhile, lost fewer than 100 residents from 2016 to 2017, the bureau estimated.
Paul Borek, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp., said although current numbers indicate a lack of growth, developers often look at population trends on a longer-term basis because a new industrial facility could last for decades.
Looking further back, Borek said the county has experienced notable residential growth.
“The hangover from the Great Recession is still upon us, particularly as it relates to residential development, but the DCEDC’s mission is increasing industrial development, which has been significant over the last few years,” Borek said.
In the past couple of years, Borek said the county saw $230 million in capital investments, including construction, expansion and company investments. It also saw 1,600 additional jobs, abouthalf of which came from the Target Distribution Center and 3M.
“That’s a major achievement in this time,” Borek said. “It illustrates that our regional labor market is significant.”
Borek added that this achievement, coupled with the city’s proximity to Chicago, still makes DeKalb a desirable target for new industries.