Census Releases Biggest Metro/County Growers (2010-2011)

[Torie]

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb12-55.html

This got mentioned in the Columbus Dispatch this week so I thought I'd post it here for all to enjoy.  Let the 2020 speculation begin!

First thoughts: Will the North Dakota energy boom send the state over 750,000 this decade?

It is interesting that Dallas County, Iowa is one of the fastest growing counties (5%).  It is the county west of Polk (Des Moines) and must have just the right position to not have much of a population base but right in the suburban growth path.

Between 1890 and 1990 (a century) the county increased from about 20,000 to 30,000, including 0.8% in the 1980s.   It increased to about 41,000 in 2000 (+37%), and 66,000 in 2010 (+62%).

I saw some headlines, but that didn't really follow-up that claimed that exurban areas were declining or maybe the growth was slowing.  I wonder what examples they used.

[Torie]

It is interesting that Dallas County, Iowa is one of the fastest growing counties (5%).  It is the county west of Polk (Des Moines) and must have just the right position to not have much of a population base but right in the suburban growth path.

Between 1890 and 1990 (a century) the county increased from about 20,000 to 30,000, including 0.8% in the 1980s.   It increased to about 41,000 in 2000 (+37%), and 66,000 in 2010 (+62%).

The county boundary comes down 142 , so you've just got development lapping over the county line.   But the the boundary jogs a mile or so east on University (the Des Moines Country Club is in Dallas County.   I-35 loops around the north-east of Des Moines and is less than a mile east of the the county line.

It looks like about a 2-mile wide settlement strip along the eastern edge of the county, with some growth around Waukee.   So it really is an almost perfect case of a city lapping over a jurisdiction line.

Des Moines itself is toward the southwestern part of Polk County, with the preferred growth direction ending up being west from the Des Moines River rather than to the east.

I put up Waukee, because it is the fastest growing town in Iowa.  I have been waiting all my life for Des Moines Metro growth to impinge on Madison County (where the family farm is located). I'm still waiting.

Part of the push to the west (other than chicer neighborhoods tend to be built to the north and west in general due to the direction of the prevailing winds), is that the intersection of I-80 and I-35 is there, so there is a hub of businesses and hotels and such around it. I stay there when I go to Winterset, since Winterset's accommodations suck.

[Torie]

I wish they gave some data on domestic net migration. I wonder if there is that large of a net migration out of California or not. I suspect there is out of Southern California, but wouldn't be surprised if the Bay Area, especially the Silicon Valley, held it's ground.

Believe it or not, the fastest growing county in CA for the subject year per the link was Riverside County.  Which is odd, since Gallup in its poll ranked Riverside as the second worst place in the US to find a job based on respondents comments (Providence was first).  I guess folks like living in hell or something. Or folks are living full time in all those vacation homes in the desert.

[Torie]

I put up Waukee, because it is the fastest growing town in Iowa.  I have been waiting all my life for Des Moines Metro growth to impinge on Madison County (where the family farm is located). I'm still waiting.

Part of the push to the west (other than chicer neighborhoods tend to be built to the north and west in general due to the direction of the prevailing winds), is that the intersection of I-80 and I-35 is there, so there is a hub of businesses and hotels and such around it. I stay there when I go to Winterset, since Winterset's accommodations suck.

No wonder you don't like Michele Bachman.

Warren:Madison :: Dakota:Scott with respect to I-35, though Madison has now exceeded its 1910 population, and I doubt Scott has any tunnels.

Madison's growth has all been in Winterset, which is a charming town (thus it has its retiree bourgeoise, some of whom left to return), and is propped up a bit by being sort of an exurb of the Des Moines metro.