Santa’s Must-See List: Top Mid-Sized Metros for Children are Provo-UT, McAllen-TX, Ogden-UT; Bottom are North Port-FL, Deltona-FL, Palm Bay-FL

23 Dec 2015 Santa’s Must-See List: Top Mid-Sized Metros for Children are Provo-UT, McAllen-TX, Ogden-UT; Bottom are North Port-FL, Deltona-FL, Palm Bay-FL

Recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey illuminates which mid-sized metros are host to the greatest percentage of children 14 years and under.

Children constitute 19.1% of the U.S. population. Among mid-sized metros, the highest percentage of children is found in Provo-UT (29.8%). McAllen-TX (28.2%), Ogden-UT (24.7%) and Bakersfield-CA (24.7%) follow. Other mid-sized metros with a high share of children are Fresno-CA, El Paso-TX and Stockton-CA.

The metros with the lowest percentage of children are North Port-FL (13.9%), Deltona-FL (14.8%), Palm Bay-FL (15.2%) and Cape Coral-FL (15.4%). Portland-ME, Scranton-PA and Albany-NY also have a low share of children.

From 2009 to 2014, children’s share of the U.S. population decreased by 1.1 percentage points. The only mid-sized metro to report a 5-year increase in the percentage of children is Madison-WI (+0.4 pts.). The share of children decreased for the other mid-sized metros. Toledo-OH (-0.1 pts.), Harrisburg-PA (-0.2 pts.), Des Moines-IA (-0.2 pts.) and Omaha-NE (-0.2 pts.) had the smallest 5-year decrease.

El Paso-TX (-3.1 pts.), McAllen-TX (-3.1 pts.) and Stockton-CA (-1.7 pts.) had the greatest decrease from 2009 to 2014.  Cape Coral-FL, Modesto-CA and Columbia-SC also rank in the bottom 10.

Research, analysis and content developed by Headlight Data.  Original data from the U.S. Census Bureau.  
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