Edmonds Getting Older, More Diverse

New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that Edmonds grew older and more diverse over the past decade, even though the total population size remained steady.

The 2010 Census statistics indicate that Edmonds' overall population size changed little over 10 years. The Census counted 39,709 Edmonds residents last year, up only slightly from 39,515 in 2000. The percentage of men vs. women also remained unchanged, at 47.3 percent male to 52.7 percent female.

But changes within the total population indicate some demographic shifts. The number of young people in Edmonds declined. In 2000, 9,002 people were 19 or younger. Ten years later, that number dropped to 8,240.

At the same time, Edmonds' senior population grew. The 2000 Census counted 8,565 people age 60 and older. The 2010 count showed 10,560 citizens who were 60+. Indeed, the median age in Edmonds is now 46.3, up from 42 a year ago.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Cooper said Edmonds has always drawn older residents, as the walkable waterfront community is seen as an ideal place to retire. He's been discussing the current aging trend with the parks department and senior center in order to make sure the city will be well equipped to meet the needs of older citizens.

"We want to make sure we shift our programming to plan for new opportunities as the population ages," Cooper said.

The shrinking number of children in Edmonds contributed to smaller households. The average household is now 2.26, down from 2.32 in 2000. In 2000, 26.1 percent of Edmonds homes included parents with their own children, and 10 years later that percentage fell to 23.2 perent of all homes. The average family size is now 2.82, down from 2.85 a decade ago.

Edmonds also gained some racial diversity. The city remains overwhelmingly white, with 83.4 percent of the population identifying themselves as Caucasian, but that number is a slight decline from the 87.7 percent who did so in 2000.

Blacks, Asians and Hispanics all showed increases in numbers over the past decade. The black population grew from 530 to 1,045. Hispanics went from 1,312 in 2000 (3.3 percent of Edmonds' total population) to 2,121 in 2010 (5.3 percent).

Edmonds' Asian population remains the largest non-white group, and numbers have grown in the past decade. In 2000, the Census tallied 2,199 Asians, or 5.6 percent of the population. Ten years later, the city has 2,800, or 7.1 percent of the total population.

The largest Asian ethnic groups in Edmonds are Korean (747 people, up from 694 in 2000), Chinese (539 people, up from 396 in 2000), and Filipino (503 people, up from 331 in 2000).

Cooper said the growing diversity is true in all of South Snohomish County, and while Edmonds doesn't draw as many minority groups as Lynnwood, the population has noticeably changed.

"I notice it particularly at the high schools," Cooper said. "I visit Edmonds-Woodway and see so much diversity."