PB data again shows sharp population loss
In the 10 years since the last census was taken, a net total of 7,830 people have exited Pine Bluff. That’s more than two people a day or about 15 a week or about 65 a month. That is according to recently released data from the 2020 census.
The overall exodus has been so precipitous that Pine Bluff has been identified as the metropolitan area in the entire country that is losing population the fastest, with that point showing up recently in a New York Times story.
Census figures show a 2020 population of 41,253, compared with 49,083 in 2010, representing a decline of almost 16%.
The population loss, according to census figures, is part of a trend that started decades ago. In 1960, the city had 44,000 people; in 1970, 57,400; in 1980, 56,600; in 1990, 57,100; and in 2000, 55,085.
The county and overall Pine Bluff metropolitan statistical area have both lost population, as well. In 2010, the Pine Bluff MSA, which includes Jefferson, Lincoln and Cleveland counties, had 100,099 people. Now the number is 86,278. The peak for the area was in 1980 when the population was almost 112,000.
Jefferson County now has a population of 67,260, down from 77,456 a decade ago.
The numbers are significant in various ways. State and federal dollars are, in many cases, distributed based on population. The fewer people a city has, the less money it gets. That is especially true for public schools, where the state gives districts close to $7,000 per student
enrolled, although overall state spending can be more.
The Dollarway School District was recently dissolved and merged with the Pine Bluff district, and one of the main reasons was a loss of enrollment and, consequently, revenue.
Pine Bluff has had similar financial issues, and it remains to be seen whether that school district will be able to extricate itself from state control in a couple of years.
Population gains and losses also speak volumes when it comes to decisions made by businesses and big corporations. A falling population may keep a restaurant or other retail business from opening, raising questions of whether there will be enough people to eat out or shop or even work at the new enterprises.
And the question that remains is how far down will the number go? Is 41,000 the floor or will Pine Bluff be struggling to stay above 30,000 in the 2030 census?
Even White Hall has not been immune from the growth malaise. For all of that city’s much-publicized expansions — its new restaurants and car dealerships, housing developments and hotels — its population is around 5,500, which is about where it was a decade ago.
With so much riding on population, it is understandable that city leaders are concerned. One of the more outspoken members of the City Council is Joni Alexander. She said she thinks Pine Bluff has more population than the census counted, and she blamed the lower number on those people who do not participate in efforts to help Pine Bluff succeed.
“These people are not active in the community,” she said. “They don’t vote or volunteer or whatever.”
She said that lack of participation is costing Pine Bluff in such areas as money for the Street Department, which won’t have as much funding to fix the streets “which is what many people complain about.”
“Everybody has to play their part,” Alexander said. “Citizens have to do their part. What this census tells me is that we have even fewer people today that participate than we had before.”
Alexander said her priorities are neighborhood stability and blight removal. By taking care of those facets of city life, she said, Pine Bluff will be able to attract more people.
But, she said, it also will take having “decent schools” because having a good education system and adequate housing “depend on each other.”
Currently, she said, families moving into the area are not, from her perspective, moving to Pine Bluff. Rather, they are moving to neighboring towns or into other areas in Jefferson County or surrounding counties. And that’s not good, she said.
“I haven’t seen a lot of single families with children move into Pine Bluff,” she said. “A community’s strength is in its youth, and if we’re not attracting young people to the city, that’s really a sign of what’s to come if we don’t change things.”
Mayor Shirley Washington also has been anticipating the results of the 2020 census.
During the counting period earlier this year, one of Washington’s assistants, Mary Liddell, worked aggressively to get people signed up, holding dozens of census rallies around town.
Both Washington and Liddell said they were heartened by the fact that the city’s numbers were not lower than the final count showed.
Washington was presented a list of questions regarding Pine Bluff’s census numbers. The following are the questions, shown in bold type, and the mayor’s answers:
People continue to leave PB in large numbers. Why do you think that is?
A number of factors may have influenced their decisions. One is the availability of good, high paying jobs. Another factor is access to high-quality education for their children. And, of course, crime is a major deterrent.
These are challenges that have been developing over the past few decades, and adequate solutions were never enacted to properly address them. However, the decline over the last decade is not as large as we feared it might be. This may provide some indication that our efforts over the past few years to revitalize Pine Bluff have helped attract and retain population.
A loss in population has negative effects on many areas of a city. What sectors do you see as the most severely impacted?
Our housing market has been greatly impacted by declining population. Pine Bluff is inundated with vacant buildings and houses that hamper the marketability of certain neighborhoods.
Our business sector is also challenged by declining population, as the labor force and the number of skilled workers has decreased.
What specifically can be done to stop the exodus?
First, we must invest and incentivize the creation of more housing. That is critical to retaining and attracting new residents, who are interested in making Pine Bluff their home. We’ve been in contact with multiple developers over the past few years. Now, the public, the city government, including the city council, and our partners must be committed to bringing these projects to completion. Our schools are also in need of improvement, and we must have honest conversations about how to achieve that as the districts develop their plans for the future. Finally, we must not only bring more jobs to the city, which are based in industries with longevity, but we must also ensure that our workforce is prepared for those jobs. We’re making progress on this front, in that companies are investing and bringing job opportunities to Pine Bluff. But we know that more is needed to both sustain and expand upon these investments.
Do you feel there is any urgency in Pine Bluff to make the changes that are necessary?
There is tremendous urgency and passion in the community for a revitalized Pine Bluff, among nonprofits, small business owners, educators, city workers, and community partners.
People are working hard, every day, to make this happen. They are pouring out their resources, time, and energy. We have only achieved the accomplishments that we have because of the urgency and drive in our community.
But more tenacity, forward-thinking, and focus is demanded, especially among decision makers, by the moment and circumstances in which we find ourselves.
Is there anything that you as the mayor can do?
As mayor, I can work within city government to leverage all of our resources to improve the community, and I can engage with groups and individuals to make investments in Pine Bluff. But no mayor can change a city on his or her own.
The City Council must support proposals to revitalize Pine Bluff. The school districts must evaluate how they can increase educational attainment.
Our community partners must support investments and opportunities that can enhance our workforce and ultimately bring jobs. Pine Bluff can grow, but we must all work together.
A number of factors may have influenced their decisions. One is the availability of good, high paying jobs. Another factor is access to high-quality education for their children. And, of course, crime is a major deterrent. These are challenges that have been developing over the past few decades, and adequate solutions were never enacted to properly address them.
Is there any significance to staying above 40,000?
We don’t have the details on how the results will affect our budget. That will require further assessment and analysis within the coming months. Nevertheless, we will be in a much stronger position with these results than we would have been with a greater decline.
Additional comments:
We were concerned that the census results would be drastically lower than the census estimates we’ve reviewed, especially due to the pandemic which hampered census activities. However, our Census Chairperson, Dr. Mary Liddell, worked very hard with the Complete Count Committee and the team they assembled. They were tenacious in organizing census events and educating the community on the importance of being counted.
They were extraordinary, and we’re thankful for their time and dedication.