AUGUST
20 2021
2020 Census: Area population smaller, older, more diverse BY BOB CLARK
The populations of Allegany and Cattaraugus counties became smaller, older and more diverse over the last decade. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau released late last week offered insights into population sizes, racial composition and age. The release of data tied to the April 1, 2020 Census Day was part of a collection of data to be used by states to draw new federal and state legislative districts before the 2022 election. The population of Allegany County dropped by 5.1%, from 48,946 to 46,456. The report was the lowest since the 1960 Census, which saw 43,978 reported. Allegany County’s population peaked at 51,742 in the 1980 Census, dropping between 1.1% and 2.5% until the 2020 Census. Cattaraugus County saw its population dip by 4.1% Kathryn Ross between 2010 and 2020, dropping from 80,317 to 77,042. Don Ash and Jim Ruschak, two of the founders of WRAQ Angelica, hosted a fifth anniversary hot dog party Monday in front of The report was the lowest the station on Main Street. population reported in the county in a Census since 1940 — then at 72,652. The population grew until it peaked in 1980 at 85,697, having dropped between 0.3% and 4.3% every decade since. Both counties saw comparable single-digit population dips to others in the area. The BY KATHRYN ROSS line of sight signal, at best, music ranging from Frank airing the St. Paul’s Episcopal population in Chautauqua from the broadcast antenna Sinatra to modern jazz and Church services. They even County dropped by 5.4% in 10 ANGELICA — Five years — but due to live streaming contemporary tunes; and lo- air a program from the David years, while Erie County saw ago the hot dogs were Don via the internet their reach is cal history and gardening A. Howe Library with direc- population increase by 3.8%. Ash and Jim Ruschak. On tor Nic Gunning. tips. immeasurable. Across the state line, Monday they were the ones McKean and Potter counties The station is on air around They have done it by put“I love it when we hear serving up the hot dogs as the clock with daily pro- also saw population losses. they celebrated the fifth an- from Angelicans living in ting local voices on the air. They’ve plugged in pro- gramming starting at mid- McKean County’s population niversary of WRAQ FM South Carolina or California who have listened to our gramming from the New night and going live from dropped 6.9% to 40,432 in Community Radio with their broadcast,” Ash said. York Times editorial staff, Angelica at 8 a.m. and con- 2020, while Potter County’s friends. historians, world news from tinuing through the daytime population dropped 6.1% to He added they have accomHot dogs because they hours with combined live and 16,396. took the bone in their jaws plished much of what they the Voice of America, book purchased programs. The local trends do not apand worked through all the set out to do — create a radio reviews and more to fill in the As they embark on the next pear to be unique to the area. gaps. paperwork, technology, lo- station that brings sports and Recently the station be- five years, the station is The Census Bureau reports gistics, construction and re- culture and local events to the people through a variety gan recording the meetings reaching out to younger gen- half of counties in the nation quirements to start a radio station in Angelica. It took of programs ranging from an of the Angelica Town Board erations to help take over. lost population in the last 10 years. Meanwhile, minority about a year. While the broad- old-time baseball game to the and airing them. And durGenesee Rapids’ games live; ing the pandemic they began WRAQ continued...................page 4 groups also grew in size and cast area is limited — a 15-mile
WRAQ marks 5th year of putting Angelica on the air
share of the U.S. population in the 2010s. In Allegany County, 24 towns saw population decreases. The town of West Almond saw the largest decrease by percentage, losing 18% of its population — from 334 to 274. The town of Wellsville saw the largest in raw numbers, from 7,397 to 7,064. Five towns saw population increases, including Allen, Centerville, Hume, New Hudson and Willing. The town with the largest increase was Centerville, which saw a 13% bump in population — from 822 to 929. The town of Wellsville remained the largest, with 7,064 residents. The town of Birdsall remained the smallest, with 190 residents. Across the county, 14,069 residents lived in villages, not counting those in Richburg or Almond — which were not included in the data. All of the reported villages saw decreased populations, ranging from a 2% drop in Wellsville to a 16.8% drop in Angelica. The largest village remained Wellsville, with 4,587 residents; followed by Alfred at 4,026 and Cuba at 1,517. The smallest village remained Canaseraga, at 460 residents; followed by Angelica with 723 and Belmont with 856. The percentage of the county which identified as white only dropped by more than four percentage points between 2010 and 2020. In the 2020 Census, 91.6% of Allegany County residents — around 42,500 people — identified as white only. Those identifying as Black and African Americans rose about 57% to 1,147 in 2020, while those identifying as American Indian or Alaskan Native increased more than 167% to 861.
2020 Census continued......... page 4
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