Census study: 14 Florida counties among 100 fastest growing in the U.S.
ORLANDO -- April 15, 2005 -- The Sunshine State is the place to be, with 14 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the U.S. and leading all states, according to the Census Bureau's latest data. Flagler County ranked as the nation's fastest-growing county between July 1, 2003 and July 1, 2004, experiencing a 10.1 percent population increase.
St. Johns County wasn't far behind, coming in at the No. 9 spot with a population increase of 6.7 percent. Here's how the remaining counties stack up: Osceola County, No. 11, 6.6 percent population increase; St. Lucie County, No. 18, 6 percent; Lake County, No. 22, 5.6 percent; Union County, No. 32, 5.2 percent; Pasco County, No. 38, 5 percent; Hernando County, No. 48, 4.8 percent.
Also, Clay County, No. 49, 4.7 percent population increase; Santa Rosa County, No. 60, 4.5 percent; Walton County, No. 61, 4.5 percent; Lee County, No. 65, 4.4 percent; Wakulla County, No. 74, 4.2 percent; Okeechobee County, No. 93, 3.9 percent.
Los Angeles County, Calif., continued to be the most populous county in the nation, with 9.9 million residents on July 1, 2004.
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 County, 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.