Despite the loss of 741 people in Mason City between 2010 and 2020, Schickel sees positives in latest Census data

MASON CITY — Mason City’s 2020 Census numbers show 741 fewer people living in the city when compared to the 2010 Census. As of April 1st, 2020, 27,338 people were living in the community, compared to 28,079 in 2010. Mason City has seen a steady decline in population since 1980, when there were 30,144 residents.

Mayor Bill Schickel says despite the two-percent decline in population between 2010 and 2020, he sees some positives in the latest figures. “The thing I’m pleased about there is that we’ve actually slowed the decline. In the last Census, that was about a four-percent drop. I think the things that we are doing to make this an attractive community for the pride of the residents and to encourage people to move here, I think those things are working.”

The 2020 Census number was 407 more people compared to the Census estimate of Mason City’s 2019 population at 26,931, which Schickel says shows a positive trend.   “That is encouraging, we did better than the estimate was. The estimate was we’d see a greater decline and we didn’t see it. The other thing that I’ll be very interested in looking at, that’s obviously ten years worth of data there for the current number, how those numbers look in the last several years. I really believe we’ve started to slow that decline. I think we can turn this around and I’m very encouraged by that.”

Schickel made his comments on the “Ask the Mayor” program on Wednesday on AM-1300 KGLO. If you missed the program or want to listen back to it again, head to the audio player below.

Cerro Gordo County’s population declined by just over 1000 between 2010 and 2020 and stands at 43,127, compared to 44,151 in 2010. Clear Lake population dropped by 90 people between 2010 and 2020, sitting at 7687.