The Missouri Office of Administration released projections Friday estimating the state’s population will grow to 6.8 million by 2030 – a 21 percent increase over the 2000 population.
The report projects a loss of population in Texas County – from 23,003 in 2000 to 22,169 in 2,030. It is the only county in south-central Missouri projected for a decline.
Despite Missouri’s increase, the state’s growth rate will likely lag behind the rest of the country, and the state could continue to drop in national population rankings, the report said.
The demographic growing the fastest will be senior citizens. The number of seniors is expected to rise 87 percent by 2030, to a total of 1.4 million.
Here are the projections for 2030 for surrounding counties: Dent, 15,694; Phelps, 47,635; Shannon, 9,693; Howell, 43,414; Douglas, 13,934; Laclede, 44,318; and Pulaski, 46,520.