How Oak Creek Has Grown: 2020 Census Results

OAK CREEK, WI — Results from the 2020 United States Census were released Thursday. The new data shows how parts of Wisconsin have changed over the past decade, and who grew the most out of the state's 3.6 percent population growth.

Oak Creek came out behind the state when it comes to population growth. The city grew by half of a percent—less than the 3.6 percent average in Wisconsin and less than the nationwide total of 7.4 percent. Overall, Oak Creek gained 2,046 residents, census data shows.

Related: 2020 Census Results: Milwaukee Shrinks And Wisconsin Grows

In 2010, there were 34,451 people that lived in Oak Creek. A decade later there are now 36,497 people. In 2020, Oak Creek has more children than the national average. There are fewer young adults in Oak Creek than nationally, but also fewer older adults.

Oak Creek has been home to over 2,000 veterans from 2015-19. About 10 percent of all residents were born in a different country during that same time period, census data shows.

Compared to its neighbors, especially the City of Milwaukee, Oak Creek has found itself ahead. While the larger metro area consisting of Milwaukee County and neighboring counties grew by 1.2 percent, Milwaukee itself shrank by 3 percent, according to census data.

"Many counties within metro areas saw growth, especially those in the south and west. However, as we've been seeing in our annual population estimates, our nation is growing slower than it used to," said Marc Perry, a senior demographer at the Census Bureau. "This decline is evident at the local level where around 52% of the counties in the United States saw their 2020 Census populations decrease from their 2010 Census populations."

The census impacts how representative districts are drawn across the country. The new 2020 data will serve as the primary component of how Americans are represented. Districts will be redrawn as populations are divvyed up for votes. It's a process that can be impacted by gerrymandering, where one party can set up a district in such a way that it will always vote in their favor, according to an Associated Press report.

The topic is of hot debate in Texas, AP reported. Wisconsin has had its own issues over gerrymandering and redistricting. Republicans recently voted to preserve current maps for a year. With the new census data, though, Wisconsin voting districts will come under renewed scrutiny.

Charles Woodman, Patch Staff, contributed to the writing and reporting in this article.

Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this report.