Newark is moving up the list of Ohio’s most populous cities.
According to U.S. Census data, Newark’s population grew by 2.2% between 2020 and 2023, rising from 49,948 residents to 51,046. This increase outpaced cities with comparable populations to Newark, such as Cuyahoga Falls and Lakewood. Both cities experienced population declines during this period, according to the data.
According to Cubit, which uses census data to compile its list, this growth has pushed Newark to 16th place on the list of Ohio’s most populous cities.
Data shows that Newark has climbed several spots since 2020, overtaking Cuyahoga Falls and Lakewood. Some cities ahead of Newark, Middletown and Elyria, have seen population increases of about 1% in those years, making the former one of the fastest-growing communities and one of several in Ohio’s top 20 that have experienced this.
Newark may climb further up the list in the coming years, but has already made a small jump forward due to its location.
Central Ohio is one of the fastest-growing regions in the country due in part to the cost of living and job opportunities, said Dave Dixon, data analyst for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
Dixon also mentioned Intel’s development in Jersey Township in Licking County, which is expected to play a big role in the region’s growth, although any project delays could impact annual changes.
Newark will likely house some workers who have moved to the area to work on the project, and many more are expected to arrive. The commission projects Newark’s population to grow to 54,200 in 2025, an 8% increase from the 50,200 estimated in 2021.
The commission predicts a similar increase for Newark over the next 25 years and estimates that the city will have just under 70,000 residents in 2050. Such a number would catapult Newark into the top 10, assuming cities in this area do not experience significant population growth.
“A large part of this is based on our expectations for the direct and indirect jobs and workforce moving from Intel to the region,” Dixon said.
By 2030, Newark is expected to have a population of about 58,100, and by 2035, that number is expected to rise to over 60,000. Given the trend in birth and death rates, migration is likely to play a major role in that increase, Dixon said.
In 2023, Licking County saw a net migration of about 1,400 people despite similar birth and death rates, MOPRC data shows. Dixon estimates that Newark saw a similar result last year.
This migration rate is partly why the commission projects Licking County’s population to grow rapidly over the next three decades, reaching 236,000 residents by 2050. According to the Census Bureau, the county’s population in 2023 was 183,201.
A housing survey conducted by the commission found that Licking County residents want more affordable housing for low- and middle-income groups and prefer to own a home rather than rent.
“There’s no doubt about it: The only way we can achieve the growth that people hope for to attract workers is to address housing needs,” Dixon said.
“I always add that when people ask what the population of a place will be in 2050. It assumes that you continue to attract workers and others to the area and that they have a place they can afford.”
Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at [email protected].
