Bright spots, despite population decline

Based on the latest estimates of the U.S. Census Bureau, the combined population of eight Southwest Nebraska counties and four Northwest Kansas counties was 43,565 on July 1, 2004.

According to the Census Bureau's calculations, the estimated population total was 2,037 fewer than lived in this area when the 2000 census was announced.

All but one county in the 12-county area lost population. The exception was the county with the least population, Hayes, which gained an estimated 47 people in the four-year period, rising from 1,068 in 2000 to 1,115 in 2004.

The seven Nebraska counties with population losses between 2000 and 2004 were Red Willow, down from 11,448 to an estimated 11,131; Furnas, down from 5,234 to 5,128; Chase, down from 4,068 to 3,961; Hitchcock, down from 3,111 to 3,021; Frontier, down from 3,099 to 2,875; Dundy, down from 2,292 to 2,202; and Gosper, down from 2,143 to 2,034.

During the same four-year period, the Census Bureau estimates that all four of the counties in Northwest Kansas lost population. They are Decatur, down from 3,472 to 3,274; Norton, down from 3,454 to 3,080; Cheyenne, down from 3,454 to 3,080; and Cheyenne, down from 3,165 to 2,979.

The news is not good, especially for retailers who rely on customer numbers to generate sales increases. Yet, amid the gloom, there are rays of success and hope. Despite the continuing loss of people, bank deposits in the area are at an all-time high. And, thanks to high cattle prices and recent rains, farm income has risen to record levels in the region.

It is farming, for the most part, which is the reason for the decline in population. As the result of tremendous advances in technology and farming techniques, it now takes far less labor to handle farming and ranching tasks than it did in the past. And, as the farm population has shrunk, so has the need to provide goods and services in nearby towns.

Is the end in sight? Are we approaching the bottom of the population loss cycle? There are signs that we are. The Hayes County numbers are promising, with slight gains in the smallest county, while larger counties are still slipping.

Also encouraging are economic breakthroughs in several areas, including the ethanol plant in Trenton, the Timber Creek Homes plant in Stratton, and the Kaufman Trailer factory in Beaver City.

More economic prospects are being pursued and recent rains are brightening crop and pasture prospects. Yes, we are few in numbers, but we we are working to show that the Good Life awaits in the Golden Plains of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.