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Population
and Economy The demographic and economic history of the City of Hagerstown and Washington County is evident in the census data for the region. Hagerstown's population growth over the years has reflected the economic prosperity of the City. During an economic boom era, the City's population mushroomed from 6,627 in 1880 to 32,491 in 1940. As the City's economy slowed and shifted its emphasis in the mid-20th century, the City's population increased by only 8% to a total of 35,445 in 1990. In contrast, mirroring national suburbanization trends, Washington County's population swelled from 78,886 in 1950 to 121,393 in 1990. The population of Washington County is expected to grow to 144,505 by the year 2020. If current development trends continue, most of this growth will be in the Hagerstown suburbs. 2000 Census - Population
The composition of Washington County's population has shifted over the past twenty-five years and parallels population changes in the United States as a whole, as the "baby boom" generation moved into adulthood and middle age and as the modern quality of life increased everyone's chances for living longer. The County's school-aged population decreased to 19.5% of the total population, from 29,315 in 1970 to 23,750 in 1995, and the Maryland Office of Planning estimates that decline to continue, despite a short-term increase through the year 2000. The proportion of the total County population over sixteen years old in the labor force increased from 57.5% in 1970 to 61.3% in 1990, but the Maryland Office of Planning estimates a reversal of this trend with a decrease to 58.7% by the year 2020. The number of residents over sixty-five years of age increased by 55% between 1970 and 1995, and by 1995, with a population of 18,251, comprised 15% of the total population. The elderly population is expected to continue to increase in the County and is estimated to reach 26,982 by 2020. The economy of Washington County was primarily agriculturally based into the post-Civil War era with a burgeoning transportation industry supplementing the economy of the region. In the 1880's, the County's economy began to take on a more industrial character with transportation industries taking on a dominant role. By the 1950's and 1960's, the County's manufacturing activity began a decline parallel to that in the United States, with manufacturing employment declining by 35.7% between 1970 and 1990. During that same twenty year period, the County's retail employment grew from 16% to 21% and service employment grew from 15% to 25%. The Maryland Office of Planning forecasts that the growth sectors for Washington County will be transportation, utilities, wholesale and retail sales, finance and services. The particular assets of the City are its excellent interregional accessibility by freeway and railroad, its skilled labor force, its historic buildings and residential character, the scenic areas nearby in Washington County, and its good accessibility to Civil War and other historic sites, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal corridor, and the state parks in the nearby mountains. |
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