Sidney by the numbers

The people of Sidney are looking fresh-faced these days, but expensive lotions are not the reason.

"The trend is continuing for the age to get younger," said city manager, Gary Person.

Sidney's median age was 37 in 2010, which is significantly below that of most rural areas. Banner County's median age in 2010 was 48, more than 10 years older than Sidney's, according to Sidney's 2012 comprehensive plan.

The city is working deliberately to create an environment that embraces job growth, which in turn attracts younger people, Person explained. He added that this trend of decreasing average age is rather unusual for a rural community.

"Most rural America is getting much older, and their economy is deteriorating," Person pointed out.

In addition to getting younger, the population of Sidney is slowly but steadily growing larger—in number, rather than girth. Sidney's 2012 comprehensive plan predicts a 100 year growth of 5,572 people, a 470 percent increase.

After losing a significant chunk of its population in the 1960s and 1970s, when one of its largest employers, the Sioux Army Depot closed, Sidney started to reinvent itself.

The city's government made efforts to ensure that homegrown businesses could prosper. It is always working to recruit new industry in this area. They have had great success with the growth of Cabela's and Adams Industries.

The area now supports a good blend of businesses, Person said. These employers have helped to transform Sidney into the growing city that it is today. While farming and ranching continue to be important to the area, this type of expansion and this demographic shape is much different than many other towns of Sidney's size that are completely tied to agriculture, Person added.

Sidney has grown steadily for the past 20 years. By comparison, the rest of the panhandle has experienced a shrinking population for the past 30 years, according to the 2012 comprehensive plan.

One of the reasons growing population is so important, has to do with taxes and services. If an area doesn't have enough residents paying taxes to fund the up keep on schools, roads and other services the area cannot prosper. It's an idea enshrined in the city's comprehensive plan.

From 1990 to 2010, the young adult population in Sidney grew by 29.4 percent.

Person thinks that Sidney is doing a good job to help out its new residents, many of whom are Cabela's employees. But city officials are open to suggestions for how to reach out to new residents.

"We're always looking to improve," Person said.

The city works with the Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce to provide newcomer's packets which are bags containing information and fun items for new residents. These are given out at the chamber building or at the city offices when a new resident signs up for utilities. The city wants new citizens of Sidney to be active in their community.

"We always encourage employers to encourage their employees to get involved in community organizations," Person said.

Still, the City Manager admits that it is harder to get the younger generations involved in the community because they generally find more diversions.

The city holds an annual newcomer's picnic, usually right before schools starts for anyone who has moved to the city in the last 14 months. The picnic usually includes a barbeque and games for kids.

Megan McGown, Sidney's community development director set up Facebook and Twitter pages for the city of Sidney to help reach out to young people who spend a lot of time using social media, she said.

"We're always keeping in mind what demographic is moving here," McGown said.