Lyon is second fastest growing county in country

Census figures also place Lyon’s July, 2005, population of 47,515 at 4th largest in state. 

Article from Reno Gazette Journal

Keith Trout MVN
Posted: 3/23/2006 09:58 am

The Census Bureau report of county growth showed Lyon County growth from July 1, 2004-June 30, 2005 was 9.4 percent, behind only Flagler County, Florida, which had a growth rate of 10.7 percent, leaving it on top for the second straight year among United States counties with population of 10,000 or more (Lyon dropped to third among all counties considered).

Last year Lyon County’s growth rate from 2003-04, according to the Census Bureau, was 7.2 percent, which left it the seventh fastest among U.S. counties (10,000-plus).

In December, the Census Bureau reported Nevada was the nation’s fastest growing state for the 19th straight year, with a growth rate of 3.5 percent overall.

The Census Bureau’s figures show Lyon County growing from 43,336 in July 2004 to 47,515 in July 2005, an increase of 4,170 persons.

That increase not only moved Lyon County up five spots among the fastest growing counties in the country, it also moved Lyon County up to fourth largest county in Nevada, from sixth the year before. That moved Lyon past Elko County, which stood sixth in the Census figures at 45,570 in July 2005 and beyond Douglas County, which stood fifth largest at 47,017.

However, the Census figure of 47,515 was below the recent Nevada Demographer’s population figure of 48,860, a 9.4 percent increase from the July 2004 figure of 44,464. However, the Demographer’s figures only saw Lyon passing Elko but staying slightly behind Douglas.

Population estimates last year by the Lyon County Assessor’s office place the 2004 population at 50,008 (the 2004 figure was almost identical to Demographer’s figure, but surpassed it in 2005), a 10.7 percent hike.

Nye County stood sixth in county growth in the U.S., according to the Census, with a 7.4 percent growth rate, going from 37,686 to 40,477 for July 1, 2005. That is mainly fueled by growth in Pahrump, which is becoming a suburb of Las Vegas. Actually Storey County had the next highest growth rate at 9.2 percent, but it didn’t county on the Census list as it didn’t reach the minimum of 10,000, growing from 3,731 to 4.074, plus 343.

White Pine was fourth with a 7.4 percent population growth (8,562 to 8,994) and Clark was next at 3.8 percent (1,48,524 to 1,710,551).

Lyon County’s growth of 4,1070 persons stood third from 2004-05 behind only Clark (62,027, 3.8%) and Washoe (9,260, 2.4%) counties.

Census Bureau data measuring population growth from 2000-2005 showed Lyon County 11th among U.S. counties, with a 37.7 percent growth rate. During those five years Lyon grew by 13,014 people (third fastest in numbers in state), going from 34.501 to 47,515. The only other faster growing county in the west during that period was Douglas County, CO, in 6th at 41.9 percent.

Flagler, FL, located along the Atlantic coach between Daytona Beach and Jacksonville, also led the nation with a 53 percent population increase from 2000-05.

The next fastest growing Nevada counties from 2000-05 were Nye County, at 24.5 percent, growing by 7,965 persons, from 32,512 to 40,477; and Clark County at 53rd, growing by 24.3 percent. Nevada during those five years grew at a 20.8 percent rate, by 416,550 to 2,414,807.

The Census figures show Lyon second/from a1/to a10 County at 34,501 for the Jan. 1, 2000 Census base, but growing to 34,893 by that July and then to these figures the next three years (until July 2003): 36,254, 38,019 and 40,290.

According to the Census estimates, all but one of the top-10 fastest-growing counties between 2004 and 2005 are located in either the South or the West, with Kendall, Ill. (in the Chicago area), third at 9.4 percent; Rockwall, Texas (near Dallas), fourth; Washington, Utah (the lone county in the St. George metro area), fifth; Nye, sixth at 7.4 percent; and Pinal, Ariz. (near Phoenix), seventh at 6.9 percent. Rounding out the top 10 were three counties in Virginia: Loudoun, near Washington, D.C., ranked eighth with a population increase of 6.8 percent; King George, ninth with 6.7 percent; and Caroline (near Richmond) 10th at 6.5 percent. Another Chicago-area county - Grundy, Ill., just missed the top 10, ranking 11th.

Maricopa County, Ariz., which includes the cities of Scottsdale and Phoenix, has gained 563,000 residents since Census 2000, the largest numerical increase of the nation’s 3,141 counties. Maricopa’s population grew 137,000 from 2004, to 2005, also the biggest gain in the country during that time period.

Los Angeles, Calif., continued to be the most populous county in the nation, with 9.9 million residents on July 1, 2005, followed by Cook, Ill. (5.3 million); Harris, Texas (3.7 million); and Maricopa, Ariz. (3.6 million).

Among the 20 fastest-growing counties over the one-year period, 13 are located in the South, four in the West and three in the Midwest.