County’s population growth in line with overall state rate

Douglas County is among the handful of Kansas counties growing in population, according to new numbers released Thursday by the Census Bureau.

Douglas County’s population grew by 604 people to 112,123 from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006. That was an increase of 0.5 percent.

The county’s growth rate put it essentially even with the state’s overall growth rate.

The state as a whole grew by 15,903 people, or 0.6 percent. Douglas County was the 13th fastest growing county in the state, in terms of percentage.

Counties with higher growth rates were Johnson, 2.1 percent; Miami, 1.7; Franklin, 1.3; Butler, 1.2; Leavenworth, 1.2; Riley, 1.1; Sedgwick, 1.0; Dickinson, 0.8; Pottawatomie, 0.8; Barber, 0.7; Seward, 0.6; and Ellsworth, 0.6.

In terms of the actual number of people added, Douglas County’s growth of 604 people was seventh-fastest in the state, trailing Johnson, Sedgwick, Leavenworth, Shawnee, Butler and Riley counties.

Douglas County’s population growth looks more impressive when examined since 2000. The county added 12,158 people from April 1, 2000, to July 1, 2006. That 12.2 percent growth rate ranked second in the state, trailing only Johnson County.

But of the county’s total growth during that time period, 8,605 of the added population came after city and county leaders challenged previous census estimates. If the Census Bureau would not have granted the county’s challenge, the county’s growth rate would have been 3.5 percent, or 13th in the state.

Population estimates broken down by city will come out in the next few months.