Floyd County cities, as well as Floyd County and most surrounding counties show population declines

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Charles City and all the other communities in Floyd County lost population from 2010 to 2020, according to the results of the 2020 U.S. Census, which were released recently.

Charles City’s official population stood at 7,396 for 2020, according to the census. That’s down 256 people or 3.3% from the census taken 10 years earlier.

The largest percentage drop was in Colwell, which fell 24.7% from 73 in 2010 to 55 in 2020. Next highest percentage decreases were in Greene, 12.4%; Rockford, 11.9% and Marble Rock, 11.7%.

In Charles City it was the seventh straight decennial decline, dropping every decade since the community’s high point of 10,309 in 1950.

Rudd held on to the most of its residents, falling only 3%, from 369 to 358.

Floyd County and almost all the counties that surround it also lost population in the last 10 years, according to the results of the 2020 U.S. Census.

The largest percentage decline occurred in Franklin County, which lost 6.2% of its population from 2010 to 2020, dropping from 10,680 to 10,019.

Floyd County continued its numbers decline that began in 1950, when the county topped out at 21,505 residents, according to the census that year.

In 2020 that number had fallen to 15,627, a 4.1% decline from the 16,303 that was counted in 2010.

Floyd County’s decline was the largest percentage drop in 30 years, but is still dwarfed by the 13% decline in 1990.

Bremer was the only surrounding county that gained population, increasing from 24,276 in 2020 to 24,988 in the latest census.