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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The 2020 Census shows Clanton’s population has increased to 8,768.

In 2010, when the last census was conducted, the city had a population of 8,619.

Mayor Jeff Mims said there has been a significant increase in residential buildings in recent years, but it is harder to determine why that might be.

“The housing market has been pretty good the last few years,” Mims said. “As far as what brought them in here, I don’t know. It’s just a good little town.”

U.S. Census Bureau information shows there were 6,206 white residents in Clanton in 2020. There were 1,633 Black or African-American residents and 573 Hispanic residents.

Mims hopes the population will continue to increase.

A number of factors seem to be in motion to keep the city on that trajectory.

“The (Alabama) Farm Center is going to be a big draw, if it happens,” Mims said.

He said even if the project were to fall through, there are other partnerships in the works.

One such partnership would be with Jefferson State Community College to increase workforce development opportunities at the Clanton campus.

Opportunities for young residents to get industry training at LeCroy Career Technical Center will also contribute to growth, Mims said.

“There are a lot of kids that don’t want to go to college … they would rather go out there and work, and we are going to try our best to give them the tools and the training that will help them get there … They are going to be able to make good money,” Mims said.

He said these training opportunities “will help bring people to this town.”

The mayor commented that companies are willing to pay to train future employees to ensure that they will have the people they will need. Some also have simulators that they will donate to such programs.

The city owns land near the Jeff State Clanton campus that could be used toward these endeavors.