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Population down in Green County, but ticks up in Lafayette
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MILWAUKEE (AP) - New census figures show the population fell in nearly half of Wisconsin's 72 counties.

The population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show 35 counties lost people from 2013 to 2014. It continues a trend of dropping populations in rural counties that's due mainly to residents moving out.

Green County's population dipped by 23 individuals from 2013, when the population was 37,086, to 2014, when the population was 37,063. That represents a decrease of .1 percent.

The census numbers reflect the annual period between July 1 and June 30.

Green County had 399 births and 348 deaths in that time period.

Lafayette County bucked the trend and added population. Its population was 16,766 in 2013 and 16,853 in 2014 for a net gain of 87 people, or .5 percent.

There were 214 births and 133 deaths in the county.

Manitowoc County lost 463 people during in the time measured, the largest decline among counties. Next was Wood County with a decline of 336 people, followed by Adams County's loss of 289 people.

Overall, the population in 37 counties grew slightly. The Journal Sentinel reports Wisconsin as a whole gained approximately 14,600 people from 2013 to 2014 for a total population of about 5.76 million. Since 2010, the state's population has risen 1.2 percent.

Dane County, home to Madison, had the widest margin of growth from 2013 to 2014, gaining about 6,200 people. It has grown by 5.6 percent since 2010.

Menominee County showed the fastest growth rate from 2013 to 2014 at 3.2 percent.

Milwaukee County's population rose by just 20 people in that timeframe, a slowdown from recent years. Counties neighboring Milwaukee saw somewhat more population growth.

The Milwaukee metropolitan area's population grew by roughly 2,100 people from 2013 to 2014, and it ranked 39th among all U.S. metro areas. But it was 45th out of 53 metro areas in terms of growth, behind St. Louis, Cincinnati and Kansas City, but ahead of Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland.