What’s the population of Gilroy? It’s one question that
sometimes has two answers. Full article
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What’s the population of Gilroy? It’s one question that sometimes has two answers.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, which does population counts every 10 years, the city’s population stood at 48,821 as of 2010. But the city limits signs that greet drivers as they enter Gilroy say its more than that – 52,027 to be exact, an estimate provided by the state finance department.
Those signs will be amended next month, however, when the California Department of Finance releases its own annual population estimate for Gilroy, using the census total as a benchmark, said John Malson, acting chief of the Department of Finance’s demographic research unit.
“We don’t always agree with what they find, but we do use it,” Malson said of the census numbers.
Gilroy grew faster than any city in Santa Clara County, according to the census, but staying under 50,000 could be beneficial to the city.
It’s possible that certain grants may no longer be available to Gilroy if it clears that milestone, said Tammy Brownlow, president of the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation. For grants, the census numbers are used as compared to the higher city limit total.
“It might be a good thing,” she said, adding she is researching just what grants may or may not be open to Gilroy for staying under the 50,000 mark. “We’re still kind of in the fact-finding phase. There is a possibility it could still be a positive.”
More rooftops would mean more revenue for Gilroy, Brownlow said, but grants for infrastructure, planning, economic development, economic strategy and other things could still be on the horizon.
Malson said Monday his department had not yet determined its 2011 population estimate for Gilroy, but said it would be ready by May 2. City workers then will change the signs to reflect the most recent figures, City Clerk Shawna Freels said.
Each year the number changes depending on how many people are born, die and relocate to or away from the city, Malson said. The Department of Finance also uses city reports of how many new homes are expected to be built, applying that figure to current persons-per-household estimates.
According to Department of Finance figures, the city cleared 50,000 people in 2008.
