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Demographic Analysis of Wooster, Ohio: A Predominantly White City with Subtle Shifts in Racial Composition
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Wooster, Ohio, demonstrates demographic stability with minor shifts from 2013 to 2022. The city is categorized as "Low Diversity" with a 90% white population in 2022, a composition relatively unchanged since 2013. Economically, the median income increased from $50,216 in 2013 to $58,660 in 2022, indicating gradual economic improvement.
Throughout the observed period (2013-2022), Wooster maintained its "Low Diversity" status, with the white population consistently above 90%. Subtle signs of increasing diversity emerged: the Asian population briefly doubled from 1% to 2% between 2013 and 2021 before returning to 1% in 2022; the Hispanic population increased from 1% to 3%; and the population identifying as two or more races tripled from 1% to 3%. These minor changes suggest a slow trend towards increased diversity.
The median income in Wooster showed an upward trend, increasing by 16.8% from 2013 to 2022, outpacing inflation and indicating increased purchasing power for residents. A significant increase occurred between 2019 ($55,346) and 2021 ($63,017), followed by a decrease in 2022 ($58,660), possibly reflecting economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery. The population grew modestly from 34,080 in 2013 to 34,624 in 2022, a 1.6% increase.
Wooster's demographic composition remained stable while national trends showed increasing diversity in many urban areas. This suggests Wooster may be somewhat insulated from broader demographic shifts occurring in larger metropolitan areas or more diverse regions of the country. The city's median income growth generally aligns with national trends of slow but steady economic improvement in the post-2008 recession era.
Based on observed trends, Wooster will likely continue to see very gradual increases in diversity over the coming years. While the community is unlikely to transition out of the "Low Diversity" category in the near future, it may be slowly moving towards a "Transitional Community" status. Economically, if current trends continue, modest growth in median income might be expected, barring significant economic disruptions. The population stability suggests that economic improvements are likely to benefit long-term residents rather than attract a significant influx of new residents.
Wooster represents a stable, predominantly white community with signs of very gradual diversification and steady economic improvement. While dramatic shifts are unlikely in the short term, continued monitoring of these slow-moving trends could reveal more significant changes over a longer time horizon.
