2020 Census shows strong growth in Republic

Willard also growing steadily, Ash Grove population on the decline
 
Republic saw a strong increase in its population, according to the 2020 Census.
According to figures from the Census, the city’s population increased from 14,668 in 2010 to 17,392 in 2020, an increase of about 16-percent.
City Administrator David Cameron said the census data possibly underreports Republic’s population.
“We definitely recognized significant population growth based upon the 2020 Census data,” he said. “Considering the population data is nearly 16 months old (and) based on our development statistics, we believe our population today to be closer to 20,000.”
As to the reason for the increase in population, Cameron said the city’s population growth could be tied to several factors which work together to make Republic a highly desirable place to live.
“The majority of Republic’s growth has occurred over the last five years,” he said. “This is attributed to several factors: a strong economy during the last part of the decade, developing in Republic is much more desirable now after we removed several barriers in our processes, an incredible school district with a reputation for quality and vision, Republic is a safe community with a low crime rate, and our parks programming.”
Cameron also said Republic residents realized the increase in population meant there was a need for an increase in the funding of the city’s police and fire departments, which led to the recent passage of Proposition S.
“The implication for the future is that we will continue to build, repair, and maintain our infrastructure and add more public safety officers,” he said.
“The recent public safety ballot measure that our community graciously supported provides us a huge boost to take care of our existing officers and plan for our future growth. We have also been active with MODOT and the Ozarks Transportation Organization to increase capacity on U.S. 60 and State Highway MM.”
Willard up
The Census also showed an increase in Willard’s population from 5,228 in 2010 to 5,736 in 2020, an increase of about 9-percent. The increase comes as apartment housing on the east side of town booms, and the expansion of Highway 160 from Springfield to four lanes opens more opportunity for industrial growth.
Ash Grove down
While others in the county show strong population numbers trending upward, the town of Ash Grove saw a decrease in its population from 1,472 to 1,433, a drop of about 2.7-percent.