Northwood and Lake Mills, two of north Iowa’s larger towns, held steady over the last decade, according to Census 2000 figures released last week.

Wednesday, March 28, 2001

Northwood and Lake Mills, two of north Iowa’s larger towns, held steady over the last decade, according to Census 2000 figures released last week.

Northwood grew by 110 residents to 2,050 during the last decade, while Lake Mills declined by 3 residents to 2,140. The two towns now nearly match in population.

&uot;We were surprised and very pleased,&uot; said Northwood Mayor Bob Perry. &uot;We’ve had a plant closing in recent years expected to see that translate into a slight drop.&uot;

Though Perry wouldn’t attribute the gain in population to any particular force, he did acknowledge the economic development efforts of the community. A new outdoor pool and water slide is an example of positive change, he said.

&uot;We have a very active community in terms of economic development. We’ve had some new businesses open, and we’ve also worked very hard to retain our businesses,&uot; he said.

Lake Mills Mayor Dave Anderson was a little disappointed in the census figure, but still pleased that the town has maintained its population base.

&uot;I thought we would go up with our jobs here and the new senior housing development,&uot; Anderson said.

Anderson said the prospects for population gain in the next decade are good for his community.

&uot;We’ve got a lot going for us. We have a full-time economic development person in place and we have some great employers,&uot; he said.

Housing continues to be a concern, said Perry. He hopes to see more homes on the market in the coming years to draw in young families. Anderson, too, said Lake Mills is working on senior housing to open up more single family homes in the city.

Along with a growing senior population, both towns reported appreciable gains in Hispanic families, and both mayors expect the trend to continue in coming years.

Statewide, Iowa census figures showed a gain of nearly 150,000 residents or a 5.4 percent increase. The state’s population is now nearly 3 million.

Census 2000 results also show Mason City holding its own with 132 more residents for a total of 29,172.