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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The recent North Dakota Statewide Housing Needs Assessment has raised some questions in the state.

The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency released their latest findings in the 2016 assessment to several regions in the state and has found that growth is expected in every region exception Region VI. This includes Stutsman, Barnes, Wells, Foster, Logan, McIntosh, Dickey, LaMoure and Griggs counties.

Jolene Klein, Executive Director the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, stated that the findings use a multitude of categories to make their forecast.

Nancy Hodour with The Center for Social Research at NDSU was involved in the recent findings. She said that North Dakota has experienced the most growth in the country in the past 50 years.

Every section of North Dakota is expected to see an increase in population size, other than Region VI. Her report shows that Region VI will experience a 4% decrease in population from 2014 to 2029. The City of Jamestown will reportedly decrease by 2.1% and Valley City will see a 2.8% decrease in population in that time span.

Hodour later turned the conversation over to housing needs in the region. She said even though there was no sign of population growth, the area continues to address housing needs for those in the area.

One of the big items in the findings was the amount of senior population that would be found in Region VI in the future. Hodour said that the increased senior population was a cause for most of the numbers being what they were. All of Region VI would see a senior population increase of 18.2%. Jamestown is expected to see a growth of 36.7% among the elderly population and Valley City will have an increase of 30%.

Hodour pointed out that the numbers being presented are just based off historical data and trends. She stated that it’s up to the communities and region to make the changes needed in order to see growth in the future.

You can find the full assessment for the state and region by clicking here.