2011 Population Estimates Show Gains in South, West
View 2011 population estimates for all counties and metro areas, released today by the Census Bureau.
New Census Bureau estimates published today show many counties recently experienced sizable swings in population.
The data is the first release of population figures for counties and metropolitan areas since the 2010 Census, current as of July 2011. Much of the areas reporting the largest gains are in the southern and western regions of the country.
Estimates show Texas reported the largest recent population spike of any state, up 2.1 percent. The state is home to 18 of the nation’s 100 fastest-growing counties.
Harris County, Texas, gained an estimated 88,452 residents – the largest raw increase of any county. The county’s birth rate more than tripled its death rate, according to census data.
For metropolitan areas, the largest population jumps occurred in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown areas.
Regions of California also reported significant increases, with 15 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the state. Los Angeles County, Calif., added 70,451 residents – second only to Harris County.
After Texas, Utah (1.9 percent), Alaska (1.8 percent) and Colorado (1.7 percent) also experienced significant state population growth. The District of Columbia's 2.7 percent increase topped all states.
The map below shows the fastest growing counties by percent change. Drag to pan the map and click a county to view detailed data.
View a larger version of the map
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| < -1% | -0.1 to -1% | No Change | < +1% | +1 to 3% | > +3% |
Counties with the largest raw population increase:
| County | 2011 Estimate | 2010-2011 Change | Percent change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County, Texas | 4,180,894 | 88,452 | 2.2 |
| Los Angeles County, California | 9,889,056 | 70,451 | 0.7 |
| Maricopa County, Arizona | 3,880,244 | 63,127 | 1.7 |
| Miami-Dade County, Florida | 2,554,766 | 58,331 | 2.3 |
| Riverside County, California | 2,239,620 | 49,979 | 2.3 |
| Dallas County, Texas | 2,416,014 | 47,875 | 2.0 |
| Orange County, California | 3,055,745 | 45,513 | 1.5 |
| San Diego County, California | 3,140,069 | 44,756 | 1.4 |
| Bexar County, Texas | 1,756,153 | 41,376 | 2.4 |
| Tarrant County, Texas | 1,849,815 | 40,776 | 2.3 |
| Travis County, Texas | 1,063,130 | 38,858 | 3.8 |
| Hillsborough County, Florida | 1,267,775 | 38,549 | 3.1 |
| King County, Washington | 1,969,722 | 38,473 | 2.0 |
| Broward County, Florida | 1,780,172 | 32,106 | 1.8 |
| San Bernardino County, California | 2,065,377 | 30,167 | 1.5 |
| Collin County, Texas | 812,226 | 29,885 | 3.8 |
| Fulton County, Georgia | 949,599 | 29,016 | 3.2 |
| Wake County, North Carolina | 929,780 | 28,787 | 3.2 |
| Kings County, New York | 2,532,645 | 27,945 | 1.1 |
| Santa Clara County, California | 1,809,378 | 27,736 | 1.6 |