Sunbury is going to be the latest municipality in Delaware County to change its status from a village to a city, based on 2020 U.S. Census data.
The village of Sunbury had a population of 4,389 in 2010, putting it just under the 5,000 threshold to become considered a city. As expected, Sunbury has grown. The population is now 6,614, an increase of 51% over the past decade. In recent years, Sunbury Village Council — in anticipation of the release of the 2020 Census — proposed a Charter Review Commission that was approved by voters to determine how Sunbury would be governed upon achieving city status.
Ostrander remains a village, but it had among the highest growths in the state. The 2010 population was 643, and it is now 1,094, an increase of 70%. The same can be said of the village of Galena, which grew 42% from 653 to 924.
Delaware grew in population a robust 19% over the past decade, from 34,753 in 2010 to 41,302 in 2020. Two other cities showed growth. Powell’s population grew 23%, from 11,500 to 14,163. Shawnee Hills also rose 23%, from 681 to 835. Dublin’s population grew 18%, from 41,751 to 49,328.
The village of Ashley’s population fell 10%, from 1,330 to 1,198. In what may be a surprise, Westerville’s population dropped 17%, from a 2010 total of 36,120 to 29,960.
As for population growth in nearby municipalities, Marysville grew 16%, from 22,094 to 25,571. Johnstown grew 12% to also reach city status, from 4,632 to 5,182. Worthington grew 9%, from 13,575 to 14,786.
Several nearby communities lost population. Marion fell slightly from 36,837 to 35,999. Marengo dropped 17% from 342 to 283. Centerburg fell from 1,773 to 1,690. Plain City remains a village, dropping from 4,225 to 4,065. Utica’s population fell from 2,132 to 2,064. Mount Gilead remains a village, losing 157 people for a total of 3,503. Mount Vernon lost 34 people with a population of 16,596. Danville lost 25 people and has a population of 1,019. Waldo lost 12 people and now has a population of 326.
Delaware County’s population grew 23% from 174,214 to 214,124, making it the fastest-growing county in the state. Neighboring Union County had the second highest growth in Ohio, 20%, or from 52,300 to 62,784. Franklin County grew 14% from 1,163,414 to 1,323,807, tying for third in growth. Franklin County is now Ohio’s most populous county, moving past Cuyahoga County, which saw its population drop by a percent over the decade to 1.26 million. Licking County grew 7%, from 166,492 in 2010 to 178,519 in 2020. Knox County’s population rose 3%, from 60,921 to 62,721. Marion County’s population fell 2%, from 66,501 to 65,359. Morrow County’s population rose by 123 people to 34,950.
The United States Census Bureau said 2020 Census results are coming soon, but 2020 Census redistricting data is now available. In 2010, the United States population was 308.7 million people. An estimate in 2019 said the population was now 328.2 million.
“Data from the 2020 Census will impact communities across the country for the next 10 years,” the Census Bureau said on its website. For more information, visit the bureau at www.census.gov.
