Natrona County vs. Wyoming
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Natrona County vs. Wyoming
Natrona County:
2022 Population = 79,601
2022 Percent of State = 13.69%
Wyoming:
2022 Population = 581,381
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.17%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Natrona County with comparisons to Wyoming and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Natrona County vs. Wyoming's population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Natrona County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Natrona County's population rose from 50,779 in 1969 to 79,601 in 2022, for a net gain of 28,822, or 56.76%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 tracks Wyoming's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Wyoming's population rose from 329,000 in 1969 to 581,381 in 2022, for a net gain of 252,381, or 76.71%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Natrona County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Wyoming, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Natrona County's overall population growth was 56.76% over 1969-2022 trailed Wyoming's increase of 76.71%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Wyoming Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Wyoming Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of highlighting the population growth of Natrona County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Wyoming's statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Wyoming's population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Natrona County's population totaled 15.43% of Wyoming's population, while in 2022 it comprised 13.69% thereby yielding a -1.74% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-1.74%
=
13.69%
-
15.43%
 
   
Natrona County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Natrona County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 shows the short-run pattern of Natrona County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Natrona County's population grew at an annual rate of 0.88% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1978 (6.48%) and posted its lowest growth in 1987 (-6.69%). In 2022, Natrona County's population declined by -0.07%
Natrona County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Natrona County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again illustrates the annual percent change in Natrona County's population since 1970, but this time they are overlayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Natrona County's annual population growth rate averaged 3.04%. It averaged -0.95% throughout the 1980s, 0.72% in the 1990s, 1.28% in the 2000s, 0.52% in the 2010s, 0.18% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Natrona County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Wyoming and the nation. As the chart reveals, Natrona County's average annual population growth recorded under Wyoming's average throughout the 1970s (3.04% vs. 3.23%), lagged Wyoming's average in the 1980s (-0.95% vs. 0.18%), outpaced Wyoming's average throughout the 1990s (0.72% vs. 0.71%), trailed Wyoming's average throughout the 2000s (1.28% vs. 1.31%), surpassed Wyoming's average during the 2010s (0.52% vs. 0.28%), and amounted to less than Wyoming's average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.18% vs. 0.35%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Natrona County exceeded the nation over the 1970s (3.04% vs. 1.10%), lagged the nation in the 1980s (-0.95% vs. 0.95%), recorded underneath the nation during the 1990s (0.72% vs. 1.23%), recorded above the nation over the 2000s (1.28% vs. 0.95%), recorded underneath the nation throughout the 2010s (0.52% vs. 0.74%), and trailed the nation over 2020-2022 (0.18% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.88
3.04
-0.95
0.72
1.28
0.52
0.18
-0.07
 
1.10
3.23
0.18
0.71
1.31
0.28
0.35
0.33
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Natrona County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
50,779
100.0
N
15.43
1970
 
51,381
101.2
1.19
15.39
1971
 
52,121
102.6
1.44
15.33
1972
 
53,106
104.6
1.89
15.31
1973
 
52,814
104.0
-0.55
14.95
1974
 
53,504
105.4
1.31
14.68
1975
 
56,088
110.5
4.83
14.74
1976
 
58,567
115.3
4.42
14.81
1977
 
61,526
121.2
5.05
14.95
1978
 
65,515
129.0
6.48
15.20
1979
 
68,354
134.6
4.33
15.13
1980
 
72,523
142.8
6.10
15.29
1981
 
75,042
147.8
3.47
15.26
1982
 
77,094
151.8
2.73
15.22
1983
 
76,292
150.2
-1.04
14.95
1984
 
73,166
144.1
-4.10
14.49
1985
 
71,569
140.9
-2.18
14.32
1986
 
69,177
136.2
-3.34
13.96
1987
 
64,552
127.1
-6.69
13.53
1988
 
62,507
123.1
-3.17
13.44
1989
 
61,722
121.6
-1.26
13.47
1990
 
61,296
120.7
-0.69
13.51
1991
 
62,312
122.7
1.66
13.57
1992
 
63,087
124.2
1.24
13.53
1993
 
63,981
126.0
1.42
13.52
1994
 
65,316
128.6
2.09
13.60
1995
 
65,687
129.4
0.57
13.54
1996
 
65,859
129.7
0.26
13.49
1997
 
66,311
130.6
0.69
13.55
1998
 
66,146
130.3
-0.25
13.48
1999
 
66,282
130.5
0.21
13.48
2000
 
66,603
131.2
0.48
13.47
2001
 
66,978
131.9
0.56
13.54
2002
 
67,554
133.0
0.86
13.51
2003
 
68,246
134.4
1.02
13.56
2004
 
69,035
136.0
1.16
13.56
2005
 
69,922
137.7
1.28
13.60
2006
 
70,806
139.4
1.26
13.55
2007
 
72,365
142.5
2.20
13.53
2008
 
73,682
145.1
1.82
13.49
2009
 
75,238
148.2
2.11
13.44
2010
 
75,463
148.6
0.30
13.37
2011
 
76,361
150.4
1.19
13.47
2012
 
78,489
154.6
2.79
13.64
2013
 
80,978
159.5
3.17
13.94
2014
 
81,195
159.9
0.27
13.98
2015
 
81,894
161.3
0.86
14.03
2016
 
80,643
158.8
-1.53
13.86
2017
 
79,190
156.0
-1.80
13.74
2018
 
78,653
154.9
-0.68
13.68
2019
 
79,183
155.9
0.67
13.76
2020
 
80,282
158.1
1.39
13.90
2021
 
79,660
156.9
-0.77
13.75
2022
 
79,601
156.8
-0.07
13.69
Source: Calculations by the Wyoming Regional Economic Analysis Project (WY-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Wyoming:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
329,000
100.0
N
0.16
1970
 
333,795
101.5
1.46
0.16
1971
 
340,023
103.4
1.87
0.16
1972
 
346,863
105.4
2.01
0.17
1973
 
353,353
107.4
1.87
0.17
1974
 
364,548
110.8
3.17
0.17
1975
 
380,477
115.6
4.37
0.18
1976
 
395,446
120.2
3.93
0.18
1977
 
411,530
125.1
4.07
0.19
1978
 
430,897
131.0
4.71
0.19
1979
 
451,850
137.3
4.86
0.20
1980
 
474,185
144.1
4.94
0.21
1981
 
491,712
149.5
3.70
0.21
1982
 
506,400
153.9
2.99
0.22
1983
 
510,344
155.1
0.78
0.22
1984
 
504,895
153.5
-1.07
0.21
1985
 
499,696
151.9
-1.03
0.21
1986
 
495,633
150.6
-0.81
0.21
1987
 
476,966
145.0
-3.77
0.20
1988
 
465,103
141.4
-2.49
0.19
1989
 
458,373
139.3
-1.45
0.19
1990
 
453,690
137.9
-1.02
0.18
1991
 
459,260
139.6
1.23
0.18
1992
 
466,251
141.7
1.52
0.18
1993
 
473,081
143.8
1.46
0.18
1994
 
480,283
146.0
1.52
0.18
1995
 
485,160
147.5
1.02
0.18
1996
 
488,167
148.4
0.62
0.18
1997
 
489,451
148.8
0.26
0.18
1998
 
490,787
149.2
0.27
0.18
1999
 
491,780
149.5
0.20
0.18
2000
 
494,300
150.2
0.51
0.18
2001
 
494,657
150.4
0.07
0.17
2002
 
500,017
152.0
1.08
0.17
2003
 
503,453
153.0
0.69
0.17
2004
 
509,106
154.7
1.12
0.17
2005
 
514,157
156.3
0.99
0.17
2006
 
522,667
158.9
1.66
0.18
2007
 
534,876
162.6
2.34
0.18
2008
 
546,043
166.0
2.09
0.18
2009
 
559,851
170.2
2.53
0.18
2010
 
564,405
171.6
0.81
0.18
2011
 
566,858
172.3
0.43
0.18
2012
 
575,497
174.9
1.52
0.18
2013
 
580,930
176.6
0.94
0.18
2014
 
580,949
176.6
0.00
0.18
2015
 
583,645
177.4
0.46
0.18
2016
 
581,983
176.9
-0.28
0.18
2017
 
576,248
175.2
-0.99
0.18
2018
 
574,801
174.7
-0.25
0.17
2019
 
575,341
174.9
0.09
0.17
2020
 
577,605
175.6
0.39
0.17
2021
 
579,483
176.1
0.33
0.17
2022
 
581,381
176.7
0.33
0.17
Source: Calculations by the Wyoming Regional Economic Analysis Project (WY-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Wyoming Regional Economic Analysis Project (WY-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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