Who are we? How have we changed? How are we changing?
The numbers don’t say everything, but they do say a lot.
The Census Bureau’s latest snapshot of the Rockbridge area is a study in contrasts. There’s been a surge in people older than 65. Working-age adults tend to leave. Young residents – it’s hard to say. While college students continue to inflate Lexington’s population, Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista is expanding, drawing in more students and families, even as unemployment remains high.
The Census’ once-a-decade national headcount will play a role in how state and federal voting districts are drawn as well as how much money trickles down to Rockbridge area social services. But in the years between those high-profile efforts, Census workers and other demographers are constantly recording who we are and how we live.
Follow the form to get an idea of what goes into the Census, or move beyond the numbers to hear the voices of the people and see how the Rockbridge area is changing.
Take a look at who we are |
Exploring ways to grow
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| Local farmers and artisans sell their goods every week at the Lexington Farmer's Market, but many family-farm owners are seeing their working-age children leave for greener pastures. (The Rockbridge Report/BRETT HOLTON) |
The numbers tell us that many of Rockbridge’s young adults aren’t sticking around. Why do they leave, and how are area planners working to hang on to them to bring new economic vitality to the region?
See who we might become
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