January 3, 2008
Nevada Is Fastest Growing State

By Dave Maxwell

After being knocked out of first place for one year, Nevada has regained the title of fastest-growing state in the Union, according to new Census Bureau state population estimates that were published December 27. Nevada returned to the top spot with a 2.9 percent growth rate that pushed the overall population to more than 2.56 million by July 1, 2007. Although the state is not the highest in population numbers, from 1987 to 2005, Nevada was always the fastest growing state. However, Arizona did just a bit better in 2006. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the total U.S. population as of July 2007 was 301 million.

UNLV economist Keith Schwer expects Nevada will stay at or near the top of the list for years to come, thanks mostly to a flurry of new residents and expansions scheduled to open on the Strip beginning in 2009. Schwer, who is head of the UNLV Center for Business and Economic Research said, “That should be a big boost for jobs, and with jobs come populations.”

More than 70 percent of Nevada lives in Clark County. Professor Schwer and other demographic experts think the population of Clark County will top 2 million sometime early in 2008. Growth rate figures show the confidence people have in Nevada’s economy, but it does not necessarily mean that a higher quality of life goes along with that. “Just getting bigger is kind of like sitting around the table after Christmas dinner. You’re getting bigger, but you might not feel well,” said Schwer. “Getting bigger doesn’t mean you’re better off.”

California is the nation’s most populous state with about 37 million. It attracted nearly 300,000 new residents in 2007, which ranks it in 27th place. Nevada’s 2.9 percent growth rate only translated to slightly under 73,000 new residents. Other western states that are on the top 10 list of fastest-growing states are Utah and Idaho, ranked third and fourth. Georgia is fifth, followed by North Carolina and Texas. Texas topped the list with the most new residents at about 500,000.

Louisiana has rebounded well after the Katrina hurricane, gaining 50,000 new residents in 2007. However, after the hurricane, about 250,000 also left the state and Louisiana is well below its pre-Katrina population of 4.5 million.

According to Census Bureau statistics only two states lost populations. Michigan went down by three-tenths of a percent and Rhode Island dropped four-tenths of one percent. The state of Ohio didn’t gain or lose.

Greg Harper, a Census Bureau demographer said Florida, even with the steady stream of retirees who move there, gained only 1.1 percent. “That’s a little surprising,” he said.

2010 is a census year. The U.S. Constitution requires the Census Bureau to count the population every 10 years. The results are used to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and electoral votes. 2007 state population estimates are consistent with previous years that show high-growth states such as Texas probably will gain seats in Congress, while Ohio, which didn’t grow at all, will stay as it is.

Nevada did gain a third seat in the House as a result of the 1990 Census. Representative John Porter now holds that seat. Considering Nevada’s new growth, how long will it be before a fourth Congressional seat can be added after the 2010 Census remains to be seen.