| By Bob Weaver
Researchers are predicting the Calhoun County census will continue to drop for the next 35 years.
People in America will continue to cluster around crowded urban and suburban areas to work and live.
Calhoun has plenty of company with projected population decline.
While population decline can be linked to less resources for community services, there could be good news in that the county could continue to be a peaceful retreat from the maddening crowd.
Furthermore, it is likely to retain its low tax base, unless consolidation takes it over.
Calhoun County 7,581(2000) 7,251(2005) 7,187(2010) 7,124(2015) 7,024(2020) 6,910(2025) 6,780(2030) 6,640(2035)
Roane County 15,458(2000) 15,333(2005) 15,063(2010) 14,974(2015) 14,818(2020) 14,608(2025) 14,346(2030) 14,060(2035)
Clay County 10,315(2000) 10,138(2005) 10,035(2010) 9,926(2015) 9,780(2020)9,622(2025) 9,452(2030) 9,268(2035)
Gilmer County 7,169(2000) 6,926 (2005) 6,839(2010) 6,741(2015) 6,605(2020) 6,396(2025) 6,135(2030) 5,859(2025)
Wirt County 5,881(2000) 5,777(2005) 5,745(2010) 5,833(2015) 5,908(2020) 5,946(2025) 5,951(2030) 5,950(2035)
Ritchie County 10,335(2000) 10,318(2005) 10,303(2010) 10,307(2015) 10,298(2020) 10,274(2025) 10,208(2030) 10,103(2035)
West Virginia will see a gain in population, according to the projection.
West Virginia 1,806,9772000) 1,804,020(2005) 1,822,813(2010) 1,843,767(2015) 1,863,082(2020) 1,880,525(2025) 1,893,761(2030)1,903,882(2035)
Sources: Projection comes from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, West Virginia University, September 2009,
Estimates come from the US Census Bureau Annual Estimates of Population for Counties, March 2009
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