Maricopa County: Here we grow again
The Arizona Republic Mar. 15, 2006 08:30 PM
How goes Maricopa County's growth? There are 375 answers a day, or one for every person arriving throughout the year.
Maricopa County will soon be the nation's third-largest county - behind Los Angeles and Chicago's Cook. 61.2% of the state's population lives there.
Census estimates to be released Thursday rank Maricopa No. 1 nationally in population gains for both the year ending July 1, 2005, and since the 2000 census.
Here's the story in numbers:
3,635,528. That was the estimated population in July 2005.
Think that's a lot? Let's put it this way - it's equivalent to the entire state's population in 1990.
563,193. That's the largest increase of any county in the U.S. since 2000 census -- more than the combined populations of Scottsdale, Tempe and Gilbert.
136,941. The number of people who have been arriving annually -- enough to fill Sun Devil Stadium twice in a year.
375. The number of people who arrive in the Valley daily. Enough to fill about six 6 busloads.
Compiled by Jon Kamman