Rutherford County has more Hispanics, more people in living in poverty and more people in general, but a shorter commute time according to the Census Bureau released the 2006 American Community Survey Wednesday, Sept. 12.
The annual survey contains key social, economic and housing data for the areas with populations of more than 65,000, states and the nation.
“The American Community Survey meets a critical need for timely information,” Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon said. “These data are vital for the planning, implementation and evaluation of policies ranging from building new schools and roads to establishing initiatives that drive economic development.”
The survey is also crucial for local government leaders and populations in understanding the community in which they live.
So, we’ve pared down the survey to the Top 10 (11, because we try harder) topics needed for a better understanding of Rutherford County and Murfreesboro.
1. Population boom
Rutherford County’s population boom continued in 2006 by adding 8 percent to the population in 2006, reaching 228,829.
The growth is no surprise with the Census Bureau’s March announcement that Rutherford County was the 91st fastest growing in the nation from 2000 to 2006.
The county has added more than 45,000 people since the 2000 census for a population increase of 26 percent.
In 2006 more than 11,000 residents moved here from another county within Tennessee and nearly 7,000 moved in from another state entirely, for a total of more than 18,000 people moving into the county.
Murfreesboro saw similar population gains in 2006. The new estimate places Murfreesboro’s population at 92,559, which is more than double the 44,922 counted in the 1990 census and almost 10,000 more than the 83,822 estimated in 2005.
2. Diversity
The population boom has brought more diversity into the county with increases in the black and Hispanic communities.
In 2000, 17,312 African-Americans lived in the county. The population increased to 26,419 in 2006, a jump of 52.6 percent.
The county’s Hispanic population also grew between 2000 and 2006 from slightly more than 5,000 to reach 12,074, a 138 percent increase.
Murfreesboro saw similar gains in the populations, adding 4,006 blacks and 3,547 Hispanics during the same period with increases of 42 and 145 percent respectively.
The growth in the Hispanic population may be striking, but Rutherford County is still well under the national average of 14.8 percent with Hispanics making up 5.3 percent of its population. Murfreesboro, as well, is below the national average with Hispanics making up only 6.5 percent of the population.
3. Housing boom
The county’s population boom has also led to a housing boom.
Rutherford County builds more houses than most counties in the nation. In fact it is the 51st fastest growing county nationally in terms of house building.
Between 2005 and 2006, Rutherford County added 4,809 houses, or 5.3 percent, totaling 94,955.
From 2000 to 2006, housing units in the county grew from 70,616 units to 94,955, an increase of 34.5 percent. This places the county at 39th in the nation in housing growth for that period.
4. More new homes
The housing boom has created more newer homes in the county with more houses built since 1990 than the 200-year period before.
More than half the homes in Rutherford County have been built since 1990. From 1990 to 2006, 49,812 homes were built in the county, compared to 45,152 homes before 1990.
The recent population boom is also visible in the homes that have been moved into since 2000. According to the Census, 56,144 owners moved into their homes since 2000, compared to 31,224 homeowners who’ve lived here since before 2000.
5. Unsold homes
While more new homes are being built, fewer are being sold as the housing market slows.
From 2005 to 2006, a larger amount of houses in the county stood vacant. In 2005, 5,622 or 6.2 percent of homes were empty. In 2006, 7,596 or eight percent were unsold.
The number of unsold houses in Murfreesboro doubled during the same period going from 1,626 in 2005 to 3,860 in 2006 or from 4.3 to 9.7 percent over all.
“We have a very large inventory of unsold homes. It’s part of the housing problem in Rutherford County. … Unfortunately some of the builders have not slowed down at the same rate that the market has slowed down,” said Karyn Beaty with the Rutherford County Home Builders Association.
The mortgage industry crisis hasn’t helped with the number of open houses on the market either, she said. Potential buyers are staying where they live rather than moving up the property ladder.
While the jump in vacant homes may seem alarming, the county and city numbers are still less than the national average of 11.6 percent.
6. Property values
Although more houses are standing empty, property values still increased last year.
Since 2000, home values have increased more than $33,000 on average in the county. The average home value in 2000 was $113,500 and in 2006 it topped out at $146,800.
Murfreesboro property values also rose more than $40,000 on average to $162,500 in 2006 from $121,200 in 2000.
7. Employment
While more people may be unemployed, more jobs have been created in the county and surrounding areas for those looking for work. In 2000 less than 96,000 Rutherford County residents worked, compared to less than 113,000 in 2006.
The county’s primary employment industries were manufacturing, education and health care, retail, other service industries and construction. The five areas make up 64 percent of the jobs in Rutherford County.
According to Rutherford County’s 2006 budget, Nissan is the main employer providing 7 percent of all jobs in the county. The Rutherford County School system and MTSU place a distant second and third, providing 3.6 and 1.7 percent of jobs respectively.
Together the three organizations employ more than 10 percent of the county’s population.
Last year saw a drop in unemployment across the nation from 5.1 in 2005 to 4.6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rutherford County experienced unemployment below the national average at 4.4 percent of the employable population. However the number didn’t reach the low 3.6 percent unemployment of 2000.
8. Commute time
The long line of traffic on I-24 every morning and evening may attest to something different, but commute times for county residents are down from 26.8 minutes in 2000 to 25.2 in 2006, which is also slightly more than the national average of 25 minutes.
When compared to Davidson and surrounding counties, 25 minutes isn’t bad. Commute times for Wilson and Sumner counties were the longest with 27.5 and 27.4, respectively.
It may not seem like much but over the course of a year Wilson County drivers spend an additional 21 hours in the car, compared to Rutherford County commuters.
9. Median income
Median household and family incomes also rose from 2000 to 2006, however they were outpaced by the national average.
Median household income in 2006 was $47,254, which is slightly below the national average of $48,451. In 2000 household income averaged more than $46,000, which was more than the national average of nearly $42,000.
Median family incomes also rose in the county to $59,174, which is slightly more than the national average of $58,526. In 2000, family income averaged $53,553, compared to $50,046 nationally.
10. Poverty
While the median household and family income are rising in Rutherford County and Murfreesboro, more families are also living below the poverty level.
The survey found an estimated 13 percent of Rutherford County residents live below the poverty level in 2006. In Murfreesboro, 14 percent of the population lived in poverty, compared to the national average of 13.3 percent.
A family of four would have to make less than $20,614 per year or about $1,700 a month to qualify as impoverished in 2006.
In Rutherford County, 17 percent of children under 18, 11 percent of people over 65 and 8 percent of all families lived below this level. Moreover, 28 percent of the county’s single mothers lived in poverty in 2006.
The numbers are as dire for Murfreesboro with 18 percent of the population living in poverty. With 17 percent of children, nine percent of seniors, 11 percent of families and 34 percent of single mothers living below the poverty line.
11. Land lines dying
Fewer Rutherford County homes used telephone service and may opt for cell phones only.
In 2000 1.8 percent of homes were without telephone service. In 2006 10.6 percent of homes went without. During the same period, Murfreesboro homes without phone service increased from 2.4 to 12.1 percent. Nationally, an estimated 5 percent of homes were without telephone service.
But to say homes go without phone service may be misleading. A recent study by Mediamark Research Inc. suggests these homes use cell phones exclusively.
According to the Mediamark study, the number of homes with telephones fell in 2006 as the number of cell phones rose with 86 percent of homes having at least one cell phone.
Michelle Willard can be reached at 869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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