MOUNT VERNON — Knox County was among the fastest-growing counties in the state over the last decade, according to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Knox County’s population grew 3 percent from 2010 to 2020, data released Thursday shows. It ranked 18th out of Ohio’s 88 counties in population growth during that period.

Nearby Delaware County led the state in growth at 22.9 percent. Licking County ranked sixth at 7.2 percent, while Holmes County ranked 13th at 4.4 percent. Richland County and Morrow County both grew 0.4 percent, ranking 29th and 30th, respectively.

Coshocton County shrunk 0.8 percent, ranking 40th in the state; Ashland County shrunk 1.3 percent, ranking 43rd.

Knox County ranked 21st, meanwhile, in sheer population growth during that time. The county added 1,800 residents, according to the Census Bureau’s report, going from a population of 60,921 in 2010 to 62,721 in 2020.

Franklin County ranked first in overall growth, as its population increased by 160,393 residents. Licking County ranked second, with an increase of 39,910 residents.

Holmes County added 1,857 residents to its 2010 total, ranking 20th. Richland County ranked 25th, seeing a net increase of 461 residents, while Morrow County ranked 32nd with 123 more residents. 

Coshocton County lost a net total of 289 residents from 2010 to 2020, ranking 38th on the list. Ashland County lost 692 residents, ranking 45th.

Click here for the full report released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Overall, 33 of Ohio’s 88 counties grew from 2010 to 2020. Ten of the 11 counties considered to be a part of the “Columbus Region,” including Knox County, saw their populations increase during that time.

The state’s population grew 2.3 percent over the last decade – from 11.53 million to 11.8 million – lagging behind the national rate of 7.4 percent.

Check Knox Pages in the coming days for more on this story, including reactions from local officials and predictions for the decade ahead.