Pasco County Among Country's Fastest Growing

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — Pasco County’s population is growing and it’s growing fast.

That’s according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which recently released a rundown of the country’s top 100 fastest-growing counties. Pasco County ranks 85th on that list in regard to year-over-year population change between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015. Census bureau statistics showed the county’s population grew from 485,640 in 2014 to 497,909 in 2015. That number represents an increase of 2.5 percent.

Pasco County isn’t the only one in Florida to make the census bureau’s list of 100 either. Sumter County ranked eighth in the country with a 4.3 percent rise in population year over year. St. Johns, Osceola, Lee, Lake, Walton, Charlotte, Flagler, St. Lucie, Manatee, Orange and Nassau counties also made the list.

See Also:

• Florida’s Population Tops 20 Million

Florida’s population on the whole grew to more than 20 million by July 1, 2015, the census bureau announced late last year. That makes the Sunshine State the country’s third most populous.

Florida, interestingly enough, even beat out California in the number of people added year over year, the government noted in its figures release. That’s the first time that’s happened in a decade.

Florida’s overall population gain also tracked with a Harris Poll that named the state No. 1 in the nation for where people want to live. The poll, conducted online between Nov. 11 and Nov. 16, 2015, involved a survey of some 2,232 American adults. When the numbers were tallied, Florida came out on top with California, Hawaii, Colorado and New York rounding out the top five. Interestingly enough, pollsters at Harris also determined Florida was the seventh top state named when people were asked where they wouldn’t want to live. California got the dubious No. 1 honors on that question.

To check out the full list of the country’s fastest-growing counties, visit the U.S. Census Bureau online.

Image via Shutterstock

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