City's population decreased in past decade

The U.S. Census Bureau has been crunching numbers to determine population statistics and trends for municipalities.

The 2010 headcount showed Wauwatosa had a citywide population of 46,396, down from 47,271 a decade ago. In the latest census, females made up 53.4 percent of the population, very similar to 10 years ago.

The median age of a Tosa resident was 39.8 years, up from 39.1 years. The size of youngest group, people younger than 5, remained pretty much unchanged, while the 65 and older population has dwindled by about 1.5 percent. The following is a breakdown of residents by age in 2010:

Birth to 14: 18.1 percent

15 to 24: 9.6 percent

25 to 34: 15.8 percent

35 to 44: 13.1 percent

45 to 54: 14.6 percent

55 to 64: 12.1 percent

65 to 74: 6.1 percent

75 to 84: 6 percent

85 and older: 4.6 percent

The city's population remains predominantly white, with 41,574 residents checking off that box. However, that's more than 5,000 fewer people than a decade ago, showing the city slowing becoming more diverse.

Blacks accounted for 2,070 of the people living in Tosa in 2010, followed by 1,289 Asians, 1,000 people of mixed race, 139 American Indian or Alaska natives, 28 Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders and 296 that consider themselves other races.

The census also looks at housing units, and 21,520 were found in Wauwatosa in 2010. Of those, 1,085 or 5 percent, were determined to be vacant. Just shy of 64.7 percent of Tosa homes are owner-occupied.

As for who is living in those homes, 58.6 percent are occupied by families; the average household size is 2.23 people.