Washtenaw County sees 0.9% population growth in 2011
A state demographer credits Washtenaw County's low mortality rate and high immigration rate as reasons for its 0.9 percent population growth in 2011, according to an MLive.com report.
Oakland, Washtenaw, Kent, Ottawa and Kalamazoo were among a dozen counties that saw one-year increases of at least 0.5 percent in 2011, U.S. Census figures released today show. The Grand Rapids area is the state's fastest-growing region, the report said.
“Like the Grand Rapids region, Washtenaw County has had relatively strong economic growth," state demographer Ken Darga told MLive. "Its young population results in a low mortality rate and it had the state's highest rate of net international immigration."
Washtenaw saw a gain of 3,171. The numbers cover the 15-month period from the April 2010 official census to July 2011 estimates.
Comments
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Fri, Apr 6, 2012 : 1:36 p.m.
This is excellent news on many levels: it's good for government budgets, local businesses, job growth, and getting the moribund home building industry back on it's feet. The MLive article notes that the population rose 3,171 during 2011 to 347,962. This is just 741 below the growth expected in the 10 years from 2010 to 2020, when the population is expected by SEMCOG to be 352,616. At this pace of growth, if sustained, the county could meet the 2040 population projection of 384,735 by mid-2021, 19 years early!
u812
Fri, Apr 6, 2012 : 1:17 p.m.
people are crossing Rawsonville Rd. in greater numbers.