Hamilton 18th Fastest-Growing County in U.S.
Hamilton 18th Fastest-Growing County in U.S
March 16, 2006 – Paraphrased Article from Indianapolis Star
By: Bill Ruthhart
Hamilton County continues to be among the fastest-growing counties in the nation, according to population estimates from the Census Bureau released today.
From 2000 to 2005, Hamilton County's population increased 32 percent, making it the 18th fastest-growing in the nation. Hendricks was the only other Indiana county to crack the Top 100, ranking as the 75th fastest-growing county with a 22 percent increase.
"An awful lot of this is coming from what we call suburban flight," said Vince Thompson, an economic research analyst with the Indiana Business Research Center in Bloomington.
For Hamilton County, the new estimates are the latest in a long line of studies that have identified the north suburbs as one of the nation's fastest-growing areas.
That only helps attract more people and continued growth, said Jeff Burt, president of the Hamilton County Alliance. "What it really says is that for more than a decade, a lot of people have consistently decided this is a great place to live, work and raise a family," said Burt, whose group works to attract businesses to the county.
Thompson said a population exodus from Marion County isn't the only factor fueling the metro area's suburban growth. New employers, more births than deaths and the proximity to Indianapolis contribute to development in Hamilton and Hendricks counties.
A census study released last summer showed Hamilton County ranked 19th nationally in new housing units, and Hendricks County ranked 23rd.
Burt said he doesn't see Hamilton County's growth subsiding for 10 to 15 more years, until Westfield and Noblesville are fully developed.
