Tehama County population to hit 100,000 by 2060

The Tehama County population is expected to grow by nearly 1,000 residents in the next three years and reach nearly 100,000 by 2060, the state Department of Finance recently reported.

Statewide, the population is expected to break the 50 million barrier by 2049, and creep up on 52.7 million people by 2060, which is 15.4 million more than the current population.

Moreover, the Hispanic population is expected to equal the number of non-Hispanic whites by the end of this year, and by 2014 will reach a plurality in California.

For the population as a whole, the median age will increase from 35.2 to 41.9 years old by 2060. Whites have the highest median age in 2010 (44.5), while Asians will have the highest in 2060 (47), the study states.

The Hispanics' median age — 27.2 in 2010 and 39 in 2060 — is consistently lower than all other race groups other than multi-race.

"An important conclusion shown from this projection series is how the age of each of the race groups will change over time. There were nearly 10 million baby boomers in 1990, the majority being white. The white baby-boomer population is now aging into retirement and all will likely retire in the next two decades," the report states.

"As this happens, a lower percentage of the working-age population will be white and a larger percentage will be Hispanic and Asian. These younger and more diverse cohorts will help maintain the potential for the growth of the labor force and the economy in California."

By 2030, more of the white population will be 65 and older (4.1 million) than will be 25 or younger — 4.1 million compared to 3.8 million.

In comparison, the Asian population will have somewhat fewer who are 65 or older (1.4 million) than there will be under 25 (1.6 million).

The major contrast, the report states, is with the Hispanic population. There will be 7.2 million Hispanics under 25 compared to 2.2 million who will be 65 or older.

In Tehama County, whites are the majority race and, according to the report, will remain so in 2060.

The white population in 2010 was 45,467, and that is expected to reach 56,800 by 2060. In comparison, the Hispanic demographic was 14,732 in 2010 and is projected at 32,420 in 2060.

In other races, there is currently a 36.2 percent black demographic in the county, which is expected to rise to 422 by 2060, for Native Americans there are 1,228 in 2013 rising to 2,142 by 2060, and there are currently 53 Native Hawaiians going up to 86 in 2060. The biggest percentage increase in race demographics is projected in the Asian population, which is expected to increase 187 percent from 553 in 2013 to 14,700 in 2060.

The largest age group in the county is expected to remain between ages 50-64 years.

In 2013 the median age range is 40.4, with the largest age group being 4,858 people 50-54 years old.

Those numbers will change by 2060 with the largest age group being the 60-64 year-olds and the median age being 50.1.