Flagler, Fla., located along the Atlantic coast between Daytona
Beach and Jacksonville, was the nation’s fastest-growing county
between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004, experiencing a 10.1 percent population
increase, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Florida led all states with 14 of the nation’s 100 fastest-growing
counties.
According to the estimates, St. Johns, Fla.,
which borders Flagler to the north, was the ninth fastest-growing county
between 2003 and 2004, with a population increase of 6.7 percent. Half
of the remaining top-10 fastest-growing counties were located in either
the South or West: Loudoun, Va., near Washington, D.C., ranked third in
growth with a rate of 8.1 percent; Lampasas, Texas (north of Austin),
sixth with 7.3 percent; Lyon, Nev. (near Carson City), seventh at 7.2
percent; and Camden, N.C. (south of Norfolk, Va.), eighth at 7.2 percent.
(See Table 1. Excel
| PDF)
Rounding out the top-10 fastest-growing counties
between July 2003 and July 2004 were four counties in the Midwest: Kendall,
Ill. (in the Chicago area), second at 8.3 percent; Hanson, S.D., and Lincoln,
S.D. (both near Sioux Falls), fourth and fifth, respectively, at 7.9 percent
and 7.5 percent; and Dallas, Iowa (west of Des Moines), 10th at 6.6 percent.
Los Angeles, Calif., continued to be the most
populous county in the nation, with 9.9 million residents on July 1, 2004.
The largest numerical gainer over the 2003-2004 period was Maricopa (Phoenix),
Ariz., which added 112,000 residents. (See Table 2. Excel
| PDF)
These two counties and Harris (Houston), Texas, were the only counties
that ranked in the top-10 in both categories — total population
and numerical increase.
Other highlights:
- Of the 100 fastest-growing counties between 2003 and 2004, 60 were
located in the South, 23 in the West and 17 in the Midwest. None were
in the Northeast.
- Joining Florida in having at least 10 counties among the 100 fastest-growing
were Georgia and Texas (12 each) and Virginia (10).
- Twenty-one states did not have any counties among the 100 fastest-growing.
- California and Texas each had three counties among the top-10 numerical
gainers. Only one county on this list — Will, Ill., near Chicago
— was located outside the South or West.
- Of the 100 most populous counties in 2004, 32 were located in the
South, 27 in the Northeast, 25 in the West and 16 in the Midwest.
- California (15) had the most counties among the 100 most populous,
followed by New York (nine), Texas (eight) and Florida (seven).
- Twenty states did not have any counties among the 100 most populous.
The Census Bureau’s Internet tables show
July 1 population estimates for 2000 through 2004, as well as the April
1, 2000, census counts. Also included are rankings and estimates of components
of population change (births, deaths, net internal migration and net international
migration) for all counties.
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The new numbers, which use administrative data and estimates
for births, deaths and net migration, are based on Census 2000 population
counts updated to reflect any official census corrections. |