Future Population Growth and Housing Needs in Huron County
by Bob Montgomery
A Huron County growth forecast prepared by Watson and Associates was presented to Huron County council last week that predicted some interesting changes for the county in the future.
Huron County Planning Manager Denise Van Amersfoort says the presentation looked at population, housing projections, how the demographics of the county is changing and how much it will change over the next 30 years. Beyond that, the report looked at what that would mean as far as housing needs or needs for different services, from daycare to recreational services and emergency services.
Van Amersfoort says the projected population growth is significant. She says in 2021, the population in Huron County was just over 64,000 people. If the county maintained the current 1.1% growth rate, by 2051 it would be approximately 90,000. That growth will have a significant impact on the demand for new housing. Van Amersfoort says the current average throughout the county is between 100 and 200 building permits issued every year. She says that number would have to go up to between 350 and 400 new building starts per year to meet the demands of the increased population. She adds, if the housing demand is not able to keep up with the population increase then we wouldn't see that population increase.
The changing demographic in the county will also determine what types of services are required. Van Amersfoort says in 2021, 11% of Huron County's population was 75 years old or more. She says in the next 20 years that 75 or older group will double to 20% of the population. So the county will have to provide services that meet the needs of people in that stage of their lives. That aging demographic will also influence the type of housing that is required. For some people it could mean more long term care facilities and assisted living or apartments and she says the county has to start thinking about those things now so they'll be ready to meet the demands of the population at that time.
