It's been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
In the case of Weatherford's demographics, that couldn't be more true. In a city whose population grew about 75 percent since 2000, it appears that the influx of people mimics the establishment.The median age nudged down. The percentage of owner-occupied housing stayed virtually the same, even though more than 25 percent of all homes have been built since 2000. About the same percentage of households include children under 18, the 2009 American Community Survey estimates."The median age is better [lower] than the national average, which is a key indicator of a growing community and a positive for the business workforce," said Dennis Clayton, executive director of the Weatherford Economic Development Authority. "In a growing community, it should not change or should lower. Ours is stable with the mix of longtime citizens and new citizen growth [that is] younger."The stability in owner-occupied housing is also positive for an economy with 10 years of established growth, he said."A no-growth or declining/aging economy will see this number decline," he said. "A community with new growth will see an increase or stability. Weatherford's growth is well-established, and in a 10-year trend we have had a lot of new housing construction."That sustained growth has established the balance of households with people under 18, which indicates that good schools are a key. Clayton added that a growing Hispanic population is a positive for the workforce and helps balance out aging baby boomers with families that have children."I fully expected the racial diversification to align with the state norm and the more diverse Metroplex," Clayton said. "A rural, exurban community to the Metroplex is slower to diversify."The area's quality of life, schools, jobs and shopping continue to attract families that are similar in key ways, he said.Joe Reed, director of the Human Service Provider program at Weatherford College, agreed."Often, a certain area attracts people that identify with that area in some ways," Reed said. "... Many are looking for a place that appears to be more rural but still accessible to the Metroplex."Other cities west of Fort Worth, including Aledo, Willow Park and Hudson Oaks, also showed significant population growth.Lance Winter,817-594-9902, ext. 102
Weatherford snapshot
Population: 25,250
2000 population: 19,000
Hispanics of all races: 3,437 (13 percent)
2000 Hispanics: 1,943 (10.2 percent)
Median age: 35.4
2000 median age: 36.4
Households with people under 18: 34.8 percent
2000 households with people under 18: 34.9 percent
25 and older with college degrees: 20.7 percent
Native Texans: 68.4 percent
Average family size: 3.48
Median household income: $48,413
Mean commute time: 22.6 minutes
Owner-occupied housing: 64.5 percent
2000 owner-occupied housing: 63.8 percent
Median mortgage payment: $1,443
Sources: 2009 American Community Survey, 2010 Census
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