Historical population Year Pop. ±% 1793 7,240 — 1800 7,724 +6.7% 1806 8,430 +9.1% 1821 8,320 −1.3% 1831 7,773 −6.6% 1836 8,878 +14.2% 1841 9,875 +11.2% 1846 9,353 −5.3% 1851 9,162 −2.0% 1866 11,244 +22.7% 1872 12,676 +12.7% 1876 13,759 +8.5% 1881 16,185 +17.6% 1886 16,906 +4.5% 1891 17,390 +2.9% 1896 17,805 +2.4% 1901 18,772 +5.4% 1906 20,702 +10.3% 1911 22,654 +9.4% 1921 21,689 −4.3% 1926 22,634 +4.4% 1931 22,708 +0.3% 1936 22,557 −0.7% 1946 20,193 −10.5% 1954 22,536 +11.6% 1962 24,668 +9.5% 1968 55,343 +124.4% 1975 60,176 +8.7% 1982 58,667 −2.5% 1990 57,008 −2.8% 1999 55,490 −2.7% 2008 50,876 −8.3% 2009 49,975 −1.8%