New Ulm population up

3.5 percent;

Brown county drops

73 people

By CHRIS VETTER

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Population in New Ulm rose in the past 10 years, but Brown County's overall population has decreased, according to numbers released Wednesday by the U.S. Census.

New Ulm's 2000 population is 13,594, up about 400 persons from the 1990 total of 13,132. The overall city increase is up 3.5 percent.

Brown County's count is down three-tenths of one percent, from 26,984 people in 1990 to 26,911 in 2000 -- a drop of 73 people.

The New Ulm figure is a disappointment because it is below the number used by the Minnesota Demographer Center last year, said Dave Schnobrich, city planning director. The demographer's office estimated there were 14,142 in town last spring.

"I guess I thought it would be higher than that number," Schnobrich said when he heard the Census statistics. "Maybe I'm too much of an optimist."

There are more houses and apartments in New Ulm than in 1990, Schnobrich said, but there are less people living in each dwelling.

"Just because there is new housing doesn't mean the population will increase," he said.

Tom MacAulay, New Ulm assistant city manager, was hoping for a larger population base.

"I'm surprised," MacAulay said. "I was waiting for a number that was just over 14,000."

Gary Gleisner, city finance director, said the official census numbers -- which are 550 less than the state demographer estimate -- will have some impact on the state's local government aid in 2002.

"There is bound to be some effect," Gleisner said. "As far as what it is, I don't know at this point."

The calculations by city and state offices will be calculated throughout the summer, and the effect will be known by the time the preliminary city budget is drawn in August.

Last October, the U.S. Census released a new estimate for New Ulm, stating the city population was 13,800 -- a number higher than the final number.

The Minnesota Demography Center compiles a population estimate on each town in the state. The state officials use a combination of statistics, including the national census and a city's administrative data, such as new utility connections in town. Despite those detailed actions, the office was off by more than 500 people for New Ulm.

While the county numbers didn't shift much, there was a noticeable change in race in Brown County during the past 10 years.

According to the Census, the black population increased from 12 to 58 people, while American-Indian population increased from 15 to 82 people. Hispanic people climbed from 151 in 1990 to 545 in 2000.

Meanwhile, the Caucasian population dropped from 26,791 to 26,325 in Brown County.

Among towns with a population of at least 5,000 residents, the largest increases in the state were North Branch, north of the metro (up 329 percent) and St. Michael (up 263 percent).

International Falls and East Grand Forks suffered the largest population decline in the state, down 19.5 and 13.5 percent, respectively, since 1990.