Monday, December 17, 2007
Lee County grows by 2,000
Quality of life is why local officials say more than 2,000 newcomers flocked to Lee County in the past year.
March 21, 2007
Quality of life is why local officials say more than 2,000 newcomers flocked to Lee County in the past year.
Annual estimates of the population for counties in Alabama were released today by the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the numbers, from July 1, 2005 to July 1, 2006, the population in Alabama is up, 4,599,030 from 4,548,327; in Lee County 125,781 up from 123,122; in Chambers County 35,176 down from 35,373; and in Russell County, 50,085 up from 49,371.
Quality of life, schools, occupational opportunities and industrial growth are just a few of the contributing factors city and county administrators said draws people to Lee County,
There are approximately 24,000 residents in Opelika, with about 1,500 to 2,000 more moving to the community within the last few years, according to Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller.
“We’re very encouraged about what’s going on in our community and what’s going on in this area,” Fuller said. “What really fuels this is the new jobs, that’s what really gets it all started.”
Fuller said there are hundreds of jobs still on line to come to Opelika.
“New jobs fuel retail and retailers want to be where people are and we see that trend continuing for the next several years,” he said.
Opelika’s sister city has experienced approximately a three percent growth within the last year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau there are about 49,000 residents in Auburn.
“It’s the excellent quality of life, the occupational opportunities, the educational opportunities for children and adults, feeling the safety people have due to our public safety department doing such a good job and the opportunity to get well-paying jobs,” said Charlie Duggan, Auburn city manager. “What’s there not to love about Auburn?”
Duggan said all those factors add to people wanting to live in Auburn, not to mention AU students who decide that Auburn is a great place to live and want to remain there.
Officials in Smiths Station, a community of about 4,700 citizens, said similar aspects contribute to their steady increase in population growth as well.
“We are getting so many people moving to this area for the schools and quality of life over here,” said Jerry Bentley, Smiths Station city clerk. “And we may see an increased population from people coming into Fort Benning (Ga.).”
The community is open to annexation and Bentley said they are annexing property on a regular basis at individual property owners’ requests.
“We are very pleased with the growth we’ve had in Smiths Station,” Bentley added. “It’s wonderful!”
The largest numerical increase of the nation’s 3,141 counties, according to estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau was in Maricopa County, Ariz., which gained 696,000 residents between 2000 and 2006.
This increase surpasses the total population of all but 15 U.S. cities. Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, has 3.8 million residents, making it the nation’s fourth largest county.
Overall, 14 of the 20 fastest-growing counties between 2005 and 2006 were in the South, five in the West and one in the Midwest. Eight of the 10 counties with the fastest rate of population decline between 2005 and 2006 were in Louisiana or Mississippi.