FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — The city of Fond du Lac is contending with changing population trends, and it could influence the city’s budgetary considerations.
- Declining birth rates and public school enrollment is a concern for Fond du Lac city leaders.
- Fond du Lac City Manager Joe Moore said this was a factor in his 2025 budget proposal.
- Envision Greater Fond du Lac said Fond du Lac County has seen growth from in-migration.
According to the census, Fond du Lac saw four percent population growth from 2010 to 2020, which is about on track with the state, but slower than previous decades.
"If you're talking about a population growth that's slowing and a trend that looks like it's been over the last 20 or 30 years, then you have to start asking yourself, 'how can we how can we change that?'" Fond du Lac City Manager Joe Moore said.
City Manager Moore said the city has noticed some concerning trends: Births in the community have decreased 36% since 1980. In the last 25 years, public school enrollment has decreased by 10%. And, since the 2019-2020 school year, enrollment has declined by 7%.
"If those trends were to continue uninterrupted or to even accelerate, that's a real problem for potential job growth, and certainly for the for the tax base," Moore said.
Since the city can’t control the birth rate, Moore said they need to attract new people.
"Our city, like most communities, we're really competing for people," Moore said.
Moore said that competition for people will influence the city’s 2025 budget priorities.
"We need to have great parks, great public amenities, all the kinds of reasons people want to live someplace," Moore said.
According to Envision Greater Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County has seen growth through in-migration, with more people moving into the area than leaving.
In a statement, Envision said the city should attempt to attract even more people, saying, in part, “As the city faces a shrinking population, it may necessitate efforts to stabilize local industries and attract new business investment.”
Moore said they’re specifically looking for younger people to move to the area to better support an aging existing population.
