Georgia claims half of 10 fastest-growing counties

Five counties in Georgia were among the 10 fastest-growing counties in the country between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week. Chattahoochee, Forsyth, Henry, Newton and Paulding counties in Georgia all had growth rates above 20 percent during that time. And altogether, 20 of Georgia’s counties ranked on the list of the 100 fastest-growing counties.

Loudoun County, Va., was the fastest-growing county in the country, as its population increased from about 170,000 to about 222,000, a 30.7 percent increase. Douglas County, Colo., was third on the list, as its population increased from 175,766 to 223,471, or 27.1 percent, in the same three-year span, the Census Bureau also reported. Rockwall County, Texas, Flagler County, Fla., and Kendall County, Ill., also placed in the top 10.

The Census Bureau data also founded that 60 of the fastest-growing counties were in the South, 20 were in the West, 18 were in the Midwest and two were in the Northeast. In a separate report on the 100 most populous counties, 32 were in the South, 27 were in the Northeast, 25 were in the West and 16 were in the Midwest.

California had 15 counties that ranked among the 100 most populous in the nation, followed by New York with nine, Texas with eight and Florida with seven. Los Angeles County, the most populous county in the country, experienced a 3.7 percent population growth during the 2000-2003 study period, increasing from about 9.5 million to 9.9 million. Cook County, Ill., is the second-largest county in the country, followed by Harris County, Texas, Maricopa County, Ariz., Orange County, Calif., San Diego County, Calif., and Kings County, N.Y.