ShawneeDispatch.com

Shawnee grew almost 30 percent in the past decade but remains in the same spot — seventh — on the list of Kansas’ largest cities, according to new census data.

Shawnee’s population burgeoned from 47,996 in 2000 to 62,209 in 2010, an increase of 29.6 percent.

Among the state’s 20 largest cities, the only city with more rapid growth was Olathe, with a population increase of 35.4 percent.

The U.S. Census Bureau released the initial wave of 2010 census information for Kansas on Thursday. The data provide the first look at population counts as well as race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data.

In Shawnee, rapid growth is nothing new.

But city leaders say the big numbers — and high ranking on Kansas’ most populous cities list — are a reminder that the city needs to maintain its presence in Topeka, as well as at the regional and federal level.

“I think we are accustomed to being a fast-growing community and have been for several decades,” city manager Carol Gonzales said. “It always comes with increased demand for services, but also additional people shopping, having homes in our community and adding value to the community.”

Gonzales said most of the city’s growth stems from new home building in western Shawnee, although the bulk of that occurred between 2000 and 2005. Single-family home building permits tapered off when the recession hit.

Nonetheless, she said, Shawnee must continue to plan ahead for growth as it has for several years. Building infrastructure, maintaining roads and planning for future parks all are on the to-do list.

Shawnee is one of several fast-growing cities in what is now the state’s largest county.

Johnson County grew from 451,086 residents to 544,179 since the last census, a jump of 20 percent. The county’s population surpassed that of Sedgwick County to take the top spot.

Shawnee’s racial makeup closely mirrors that of Johnson County, but Shawnee has about 1 percent more black residents and 1 percent fewer Asian residents.

The 60,612 Shawnee residents who reported their race were 89 percent white, 5 percent black, 3 percent Asian, and 3 percent other races. Eight percent described themselves as Hispanic or Latino, of any race.

Shawnee and the state’s six other biggest cities, population-wise, remain in the same order they were following the 2000 census: Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Topeka, Olathe, Lawrence and Shawnee.

Manhattan is now the eighth-biggest city, with 52,281 people. Lenexa is ninth, with 48,190. Rounding out the top-10 is Salina, with 47,707 people.

Other Johnson County cities that experienced significant growth spurts since the last census include Overland Park, where population increased 16.3 percent; Lenexa, where population increased 19.8 percent; and Leawood, where population increased 15.2 percent.

State officials use census data to realign congressional and state legislative districts, when necessary, taking into account population shifts since the 2000 census.

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