Boston — Young families and retirees sent the population of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard climbing during the 1990s, according to census figures released Wednesday.
Nantucket was the state's fastest growing county, increasing by 58 percent. Dukes County, which encompasses Martha's Vineyard, grew by 29 percent while Barnstable County, which covers Cape Cod, grew by 19 percent.
This NASA photo shows Cape Cod, the island of Martha's Vineyard, left, and the island of Nantucket, left-bottom. The population of Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard exploded during the 1990s, according to census figures released Wednesday.
"It's just such a horrible mess out there," said F. Thomas Fudala, the town planner in Mashpee on Cape Cod.
Overall, the state population grew by 5.5 percent during the last decade to 6.3 million. The number of Asians jumped by 68 percent to 240,613, while the Hispanic population grew by 49 percent to 428,279.
The white population in Massachusetts has declined steadily from 1980, when it accounted for 93 percent of the state total. In 1990, the figure was 90 percent and last year 84.5 percent.
While Boston, Worcester, Lowell, Lawrence and Cambridge all reported population growth, western Massachusetts was flat during the 1990s.
North Carolina: The ninth fastest-growing state saw growth in its urban centers, mountains and coastal areas during the last decade. The state was 72 percent white and nearly 22 percent black in 2000. Overall, the state's population grew 21.4 percent since 1990 to 8,049,313 last year.
North Dakota: The state recorded a population growth rate of just 0.5 percent during the 1990s the smallest of any state and 47 of its 53 counties lost residents. It also lost 2,200 farms during the last decade. Overall, the state added 3,400 people during the 1990s to 642,200 last year.
Utah: A 138 percent increase in the number of Hispanics helped fuel a 30 percent jump in overall population over the last decade and made Utah the fourth fastest-growing state. Overall, the state added 510,319 residents during the 1990s for a total population of 2,233,169 last year.
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