According to the 2000 population census, the population of the district in 1970 was 27,573 and 55,801 in 1984. The total population in 2000 was 122,595 and estimated to be 143,876 in 2005 with an inter-censal growth rate of 3.2 percent, which is the same as the regional growth rate. It is however higher than the national growth rate of 2.7 percent.

Males form 52.5 percent of the total population (64,384) as against 47.5 percent (58,211) for females. Children under fifteen years (0-14) account for 43.4 percent (53,206) of the population compared with the national figure of 41.3 percent, the economically active population (15-64 years) accounts for 50.6 percent (62,033) as against the national figure of 53.4 percent and the elderly or the aged (65 years and above) accounts for 6 percent (7,356) of the total population compared to 5.3 percent of the national figure in 2000. The population pyramid in figure 1.3 shows the detailed age and sex distribution of the population in the district

The analysis of the population structure reveals a high economically active population of 50.6 percent, which indicates an immense human resource potential for development. This could be attributed to in-migration of labour to seek employment in the district agriculture and mining.

Settlements with population of 5,000 or more in Ghana are classified as urban while those below are classified rural. The district is predominantly rural with 88 percent of the population living in rural areas as against 12 percent in the urban areas. 

Daboase and Mpohor are the only settlements in the district which are urbanised. Settlements such as Ateiku, Adum Banso, Manso, Atobiase and Akyempim have a high potential of getting urbanised. The population density of the district stands at 53.7 persons per square kilometer while that of the region is 80.5 persons which is higher.

Spatial Analysis

The spatial dimensions of the district were also analysed. These related to population distribution, location and distribution of services, as well as hierarchy of settlements. The settlement pattern and spatial linkages between the settlements were examined to find out the nature and distribution of all types of facilities in the district.

The scalogram is a tool for this exercise. This tool is a matrix presentation of the functional structure of settlements. It gives an impression about the functions that settlements perform in a locality or an area thereby helping in future project selection for communities. 

In total 24 out of the 232 settlements with populations above 1000 according to the 2000 PHC were considered together with 28 services or functions. The categorisation of the hierarchy of settlements was based on the centrality index of each settlement, and not merely the number of functions or percentage functions of the settlement. The centrality index or total centrality of a settlement is the summation of the weighted centrality of the services in each settlement.

 A cut off point was selected to determine the order of settlements. The first order settlement also known as level one must have a centrality index or total centrality above 700, level 2 settlements between 400 to 699, level 3 settlements between 200 and 399, level 4 settlements between 100 and 199 and level 5 settlements below 99.

Daboase, the district capital, with a population of 6,301 emerged as the only level 1 settlement in the district, having 27 out of the 28 facilities considered. No settlement qualified to be a second order. Two settlements were found to be third order; Mpohor and BOPP Estates. 

The fourth order settlements were Ateiku, Manso, Ayiem, Sekyere Krobo, Atobiase, Akyempim and Angu. As many as 12 communities emerged as fifth order settlements. These are Domama, New Subri, Essamang, Ebukrom, Ekutuase, Amponsaso and Edwenase. The rest are Botodwina, Nsadweso, Sekyere Hemang, Dominase and Abroadzewuram.

An analysis of the spatial economy reveals that the provision of services in the district is inadequate and their distribution too skewed in favour of the district capital. Again, there is an absence of important facilities such as market structures, libraries, veterinary services and so forth in all the communities.