Politics & Government

Census Methods Change, Bridgewater Given More Data

Community's population on the rise, along with the county's.

With changes being made in census-gathering methods, Bridgewater is finally slated to receive more up-to-date data.

In 2009, Bridgewater's population was estimated at 45,076, according to the United States Census Bureau. There are no more updated figures on the municipality's population, but county Principal Planner Ken Wedeen said that will change with the recent decision to update figures every year.

"It used to be that every 10 years, we had the census and got details," he said. "But, starting in 2011, we will get updates on all statistics on a rolling basis."

Find out what's happening in Bridgewaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In 2000, Wedeen said, the federal government began performing monthly surveys of random people to get new statistics more often, but Bridgewater was not among those included in the surveys. The municipalities chosen, he said, were based on population size at the time.

At first, Wedeen said, the surveys would only be done in communities with populations of about a quarter million, then that was lowered to 65,000. As of 2006, he said, that was lowered again to 20,000 or more, which is why Bridgewater has data from the 2006 to 2008 range, as well as population figures for 2009.

Find out what's happening in Bridgewaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Until 2006, Bridgewater did not make the cut," he said. "But then they lowered the threshold."

From there, Wedeen said, data is collected on an annual basis, and a three-year average is given out to the communities themselves.

"But that data is totally random, and that's why it works," he said. "Every month, the government sends out surveys to a certain group of people, who fill it out and send it back."

Following the results of the 2010 census, Wedeen said, more data will be forthcoming for Bridgewater and other similar municipalities.

"It is too long to wait for data for 10 years," he said. "The town has gotten more populated over the last 20 years with more people living here. The data is a lot more valued when it's more up-to-date."

In late July, the county released its own population analysis, noting that Somerset County is one of the fastest-growing in the state, and saw a 1.1 percent gain in population from 2008 to 2009.

According to officials, it is predicted that the county's population will rise about another 2.5 percent by 2018, then increase by almost 6.5 percent between 2018 and 2028.

For 2010, the county's population has been estimated at about 324,563.

In Bridgewater, the American Community Survey estimated that, between 2006 and 2008, there were about 20,036 men of all ages living in the municipality, and about 23,831 women living there. These numbers all carry a margin of error based on the nature of the random survey.

The median age in the municipality between 2005 and 2007 was found to be about 41.5 years.

Aside from the population size, the county, through a report presented at a July 20 county planning board meeting, was given information about jobs and other economic factors in Somerset County.

The report stated that the number of jobs grew about 40 percent from 1990 to 2000, but obviously declined during the recession, and the 2010 unemployment rate was 7.8 percent, compared to the 9.5 percent average of the state.

In addition, the report found that the growth in the number of housing units in the county has slowed since 2000, as compared to the 21-percent growth from 1990 to 2000.

According to the American Community Survey, for 2005 to 2007, the median monthly housing costs in Bridgewater were estimated at $1,865, and a median family income in the preceding 12 months was averaged at an estimated $117,580, with more than 2,000 families making $200,000 or more and 146 making less than $10,000.

Although Wedeen said he does not have specific data for Bridgewater on job rates and other information that is available for the county itself, he said it is helpful to understand at least population size and a breakdown of races, genders and other factors.

"And there is a margin of error because they do a sample," he said. "There is a high and low range."

But the biggest advantage with the change in data collection, Wedeen said, will be that the county and municipality will not have to wait long term to find out population and other changes in specific towns like Bridgewater.

"The advantage is that information will be more up to date," he said.


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