Florida continues to grow but at a slower pace

WASHINGTON – March 20, 2008 – Florida counties continue to grow but at a slower pace than some counties elsewhere in the nation. Flagler County continued to lead the state in the percentage of growth at 7.2 percent, though it dropped to sixth place nationwide. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows a slowdown in population gains in fast-growing counties in both the South and West between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007.

The report indicates that the Sunbelt remained popular among those who relocated during this period–with Arizona, California, Nevada, and North Carolina home to the 10 counties with the biggest jumps in population.

However, the population actually fell in Broward County, Fla., by 13,000 during the period covered by the Census report. In contrast, Broward welcomed 28,000 new residents annually on average from 2000 to 2005. According to Brookings Institution demographer William Frey, “It’s a year of a migration correction, just as there was a correction in the housing market.

 St. Bernard and Orleans, two Louisiana parishes hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, were the nation’s fastest-growing counties in 2007, according to population estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. St. Bernard experienced a 42.9 percent population increase between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, upping its population by almost 6,000. Orleans’ population rose by 13.8 percent, or nearly 29,000.

According to the estimates, all but one of the nation’s 10 fastest-growing counties were located in the South or West, with Pinal, Ariz. (near Phoenix) ranking third at 11.5 percent; Kendall, Ill. (in the Chicago area) fourth at 10.6 percent; Rockwall, Texas (in the Dallas area) fifth at 8.2 percent; Flagler, Fla. (between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville) sixth at 7.2 percent; and Union, N.C. (near Charlotte) seventh at 7.2 percent. Rounding out the list were three Georgia counties: Forsyth (7.2 percent), Paulding (6.7 percent) and Jackson (6.7 percent). Forsyth and Paulding are in the Atlanta metro area, with Jackson bordering on Athens-Clarke County.

Maricopa County, Ariz., home of Phoenix, was the top numerical gainer, increasing by 102,000 people between 2006 and 2007. Among the 10 counties that added the largest number of residents between 2006 and 2007, half were in Texas (Harris, Tarrant, Bexar, Collin and Travis), two in North Carolina (Wake and Mecklenburg), and one each in California (Riverside) and Nevada (Clark). (See Table 2 [Excel].)

Los Angeles, Calif., remained the most populous county, with a July 1, 2007, population of 9.9 million, a decline of 2,000 residents from 2006. Other highlights:

• Seventy of the 100 fastest-growing counties were in the South, with 22 in the West and eight in the Midwest.
• Among the 100 fastest-growing counties, more than one-third were in either Georgia (18) or Texas (16).
• Texas was home to 11 counties among the 25 with the highest numerical gains. Each of the top 25 was in the South or West.

Top Florida growth counties, July 1, 2006-July 1, 2007

National rank	County	Numeric growth	Percentage growth
6	Flagler	5,964	7.2
14	Sumter	4,128	6.1
45	Osceola	11,293	4.6
59	St. Lucie	10,669	4.3
65	St. Johns	7,041	4.2
72	Lake	11,845	4.1
84	Pasco	16,844	3.8
91	Lee	20,745	3.6

© 2008 FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®