Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer highlighted parts of the US Census count during Monday’s city council meeting, Oct. 18. InkFreeNews photo by Dan Spalding.

By Dan Spalding
InkFreeNews

WARSAW – The city of Warsaw can count on additional revenues from three sources as a result of the new census count.

Mayor Joe Thallemer included that good news as part of a recap on recently-announced results from the 2020 Census count that shows the city is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in rural parts of Indiana.

Thallemer, relying on census data, reported the city saw a 16% rise in population from 2010 to 2020 – adding 2,200 more residents.

The city has seen continued growth in population in recent decades but has made a handful of annexations in recent years with an eye on residential growth for some of those areas.

According to recently released figures, the nation as a whole saw its population rise 7.3% while Indiana saw a 4.6% increase.

Kosciusko County’s population rose 3.7% from 77,358 in 2010 to 80,240 in 2020.

Of the 2,882 new residents in the county, 2,245 reside in Warsaw.

The city population rose from 13,559 in 2010 to 15,804 – a 16.6% hike.

Warsaw’s growth is the reverse of what’s happening in many rural communities that continue to see populations decline.

Thallemer said he thinks Warsaw probably ranks as one of the fastest-growing class 3 cities in rural parts of the state.

“It’s gratifying,” said Thallemer, whose decade in office covers much the decennial time period. “That kind of growth shows that a lot of what we’re doing creates opportunity.”

Three revenue streams that are based on population – cigarette tax, gas tax and an alcohol beverage tax – will funnel more money – possibly 16.6% more –  into the city beginning next year as a result of the census count.

Thallemer said after Monday’s meeting that it could be an additional $100,000 to the city.

“But that’s assuming all the formulas are the same,” he said.

He said the data lends credence to the administration’s focus on spurring residential development in the city.

“That demand has been pretty obvious and now we kind of know why,” he said.