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State Population Growth Shows No Signs of Slowing

The 2007 population estimates prepared each year by the Office of Financial Management (OFM) were released yesterday and it shows Washington state’s population has surged to about 6.5 million as of April 1 this year.  The represents an additional 112,400 residents or 1.8 percent over the previous year.

According to OFM analysts, about two thirds of the growth is from persons moving to Washington, presumably attracted by the state’s strong employment climate.  As the most recent state revenue forecast revealed, Washington’s economy is still strong and outperforming the national economy, although the margin of difference is smaller than it was a couple of years ago.

The fastest growing counties in Washington in terms of percentage change since the 2000 Census are Franklin County (37 percent), Clark County (20 percent), Kittitas County (15 percent) and Benton County (14 percent).