Five Thousand Could Mean One Million in Harrisburg

If this plan works, the burgeoning area south of Sioux Falls can stake claim to significant funds to help with infrastructure improvements. It also means Harrisburg waves bye-bye to small town status.

A mere 15 years ago the population of Harrisburg was under 1,000 residents. Throughout the decade of the 2000’s the population exploded as the 2010 census revealed a 362 percent increase to 4,064 over that ten year span.

That growth has continued and Mayor Julie Burke-Bowen says in order to keep up with growth a measured step needs to be taken. Federal funds become available to cities of 5,000 or more in population to help with building streets.

“Five thousand is a magic number to a lot of people. Retail fast food chains see that as a magic number. We also become a different class municipality and we get $250,000 (per year) from the federal government for road projects.” Burke-Bowen says the proof is all that’s needed to advance to the next status.

However, the next census is still five years in the distance and the possible cost of waiting weighs heavy on Harrisburg. Burke-Bowen says the time is now to take advantage with an out of cycle census. By tabulating the population now instead of waiting until 2020 would reap quite a reward. “It’s not a small amount of money. We would receive one million dollars over the next five years for our roads.”

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The census every decade is administered by the government. Harrisburg has to pony up city funds for this non-traditional effort which means the stakes are high for all involved. Burke-Bowen is reasonably sure that Harrisburg has surpassed 5,000 already. “Considering what the state has told us, we’re looking at about 5,500 people in Harrisburg. The state counts additional water meters and building permits in Harrisburg (to reach that number). We have to count every single person.”

It’s quite a leap from 954 to over 5,000 in fifteen years. For Harrisburg’s future, every person who is there now matters.