Most of Nation’s 10 Fastest-Growing Counties In South.

Southern counties dominated the list of the 10 fastest-growing counties between Census Day, April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2001, according to population estimates released by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau
today.

Overall, 55 percent of all 3,141 U.S. counties grew since April 1, 2000. Nine of the 10 counties that have grown the fastest since Census 2000 were in the South: three in Texas, three in Georgia and one each in Virginia, Kentucky and Florida.

“Not only are most of the fastest growing counties located in the South despite the fact the West is the fastest growing region but most of these counties also are close to the major cities in their respective states,” said Census Bureau demographer Melissa Therrien.

Despite the predominance of Southern counties in the top 10, it was a Western county that topped the population-growth list. Douglas County, located near Denver, had an increase of 13.6 percent during the 15-month period. Douglas County’s rate of increase was more than 10 times that of the entire country (1.2 percent).

Loudoun County, Va., outside of Washington, D.C., ranked second, growing by 12.6 percent between 2000 and 2001. Forsyth County, Ga., outside of Atlanta, ranked third, at 12.1 percent. Two other counties in the Atlanta area, Henry County (sixth) and Paulding County (10th) also ranked in the top 10 in 2000-2001 growth.

Three Texas counties Rockwall and Collin, both near Dallas, and Williamson, north of Austin ranked fourth, ninth and fifth, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 were Spencer County, Ky., near Louisville (seventh); and Flagler County, Fla., north of Daytona Beach (eighth).

The 10 counties with the largest numerical population gains between 2000 and 2001 were all in the South and the West. Five were in California (Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Sacramento); two in Texas (Harris and Collin); and one each in Arizona (Maricopa), Nevada (Clark) and Florida (Broward). Maricopa County was the largest gainer, with an increase of nearly 123,000 people, boosting its total population to about 3.2 million.

The most populous county in the nation was Los Angeles County, with more than 9 million residents. More people resided in this county than in 43 states. Los Angeles County had the second highest numerical increase about 120,000 people.

Other highlights:

– Among counties with populations of under 10,000, the five fastest-growing were in Idaho (Teton and Boise) and Colorado
(Custer, San Miguel and Saguache). Teton County, Idaho, experienced the highest rate of growth 7 percent between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2001, from about 6,000 to 6,400.

– The nation’s least populous county was Loving County, Texas, with less than 100 residents on July 1, 2001.

– More than half of the 697 most sparsely populated counties (those with less than 10,000 residents) were in the following seven states: Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Georgia.

– Three-quarters of the counties in North Dakota (40 out of 53) had fewer than 10,000 residents.

– Scott County, Minn., had the largest numerical population gain 8,602 among mid- size counties (those with populations between 10,000 and 100,000). Rockwall County, Texas, registered the largest percentage increase in that size category, 11.4 percent.

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