Colusa County population expected to double by 2060

The Colusa County population is expected to grow by nearly 1,000 residents in the next three years and nearly double by 2060, the state Department of Finance reported this week.

Statewide, the population is expected to break the 50-million barrier by 2049, and creep up on 52.7 million people by 2060, which is 15.4 million more than the current population.

Moreover, the Hispanic population is expected to equal the number of non-Hispanic whites by the end of this year, and by 2014 will reach a plurality in California.

For the population as a whole, the median age will increase from 35.2 to 41.9 years old by 2060. Whites have the highest median age in 2010 (44.5), while Asians will have the highest in 2060 (47), the study states.

The Hispanics' median age — 27.2 in 2010 and 39 in 2060 — is consistently lower than all other race groups other than multi-race.

"An important conclusion shown from this projection series is how the age of each of the race groups will change over time. There were nearly 10 million baby boomers in 1990, the majority being white. The white baby-boomer population is now aging into retirement and all will likely retire in the next two decades," the report states.

"As this happens, a lower percentage of the working-age population will be white and a larger percentage will be Hispanic and Asian. These younger and more diverse cohorts will help maintain the potential for the growth of the labor force and the economy in California."

By 2030, more of the white population will be 65 and older (4.1 million) than will be 25 or younger — 4.1 million compared to 3.8 million.

In comparison, the Asian population will have somewhat fewer who are 65 or older (1.4 million) than there will be under 25 (1.6 million).

The major contrast, the report states, is with the Hispanic population. There will be 7.2 million Hispanics under 25 compared to 2.2 million who will be 65 or older.

In Colusa County, Hispanics are already the majority race.

The population in 2010 was 11,892, and that is expected to nearly double to 23,584 by 2060. In comparison, the white demographic was 8,601 in 2010 and is projected at 14,401 in 2060 — a 67 percent increase.

The biggest percentage increase in race demographics is projected in the Asian population, which is expected to increase 187 percent from 247 to 710 from 2010 to 260.

Similarly, the American Indian population is expected to climb from 284 to 614, a 116 percent increase over the five-decade stretch.

The largest age group in the county is expected to remain those between ages 25-64. In 2010, that number was 10,675. By 2030, that group is expected to climb to 13,871 and then jump to 20,092 over the next 30 years.

The biggest changes are expected to take place in the older age groups, with the number of seniors who are 85 or older expected to increase by 368 percent; the number of residents 75 to 84 is expected to increase by 232 percent; and the number of residents 66 to 74 is expected to increase 181 percent.

The population of residents 65 or older is projected to be 7,986 of the 40,179 overall population — or just under 20 percent. That compares to projections of the number of residents younger than 18 to be 8,615 — or slightly better than 20 percent.

The population of residents between 18 and 64 — the group that traditionally supports the other ends of the age spectrum — is projected to be 23,579.