New population projections predict sluggish growth for Jefferson City area

Jefferson City's population is expected to grow at a slower pace than nine other Missouri metro areas in the next 25 years, according to new projections from American City Business Journals.

Ranked at No. 10 among Missouri metro and micro areas, the Jefferson City metro area is expected to grow by 1.3 percent from 2015 to 2040. In raw numbers, that projected growth is from 151,145 to 153,081 people.

The area's growth looks to be even slower during the five years from 2015 to 2020, at 0.9 percent.

Columbia is expected to lead Missouri's growing metro areas at 34.6 percent projected growth from 2015 to 2040 - from 174,974 to 235,502 people - followed by Springfield at 23.7 percent growth and Branson at 21.2 percent growth.

Jefferson City did top No. 11-ranked St. Louis, whose projected growth is only 0.6 percent from 2015 to 2020 and 0.8 percent from 2015 to 2040 - placing it at seventh worst among major U.S. markets.

ACBJ's projections, which account for 933 metro and micro areas across the United States, are based on raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.

A full database of population projections in all 50 states is available on the ACBJ website.