(Radio Iowa) – Some of the fastest growing communities in Iowa are conducting a special census to capture population growth that wasn’t included in 2020 Census figures. Waukee city manager Brad Deets says the census four years ago found 24-thousand residents in the Des Moines suburb, but Waukee officials think the current population is closer to 30-thousand. “We say we grow by six new people a day and that’s been tracking fairly consistently over the last probably two to three years,” Deets says, “so roughly it’s about 2,000 people per year.”

Waukee is spending around 600-thousand dollars to hold the special census, but Deets expects it to more than pay for itself just in state funding for road maintenance. “When you’re talking perhaps looking at anywhere from 6000 to 7000 additional people that turns out to be about $1 million a year,” Deets says.

Waukee residents started getting cards in the mail last month about the count and the deadline for completing a Census form online is this Thursday, May 23rd. Census workers are also going door to door to to reach — and count — Waukee residents. Ankeny, Norwalk and Pleasant Hill are also conducting population counts. Bondurant intends to conduct a special census this fall. Johnston, Altoona and Grimes plan to do one next year.
(Grant Gerlock, Iowa Public Radio)