More jobs and businesses attract more people, and annual population estimates continue to show expected growth in Northwest Arkansas, economists said Wednesday.
The U.S. Census Bureau released today its 2012 population estimates at the county level. The estimates show changes through births, deaths and domestic and foreign migration from July 1, 2011, to July 1, 2012.
Washington and Benton counties added about 3,610 and 4,733 new residents, respectively, or a 2 percent increase for both counties. That’s 695 new residents monthly in the counties combined.
Whether it’s a small-business owner or a city planner, the annual estimates are used to plan for growth, said Kathy Deck, director at the University of Arkansas’ Center for Business and Economic Research.
By the Numbers
Population Estimates
Census Bureau population estimates for counties include births, deaths and migration.
2011 2012 Percent Change
Benton County 227,535 232,268 2 percent
Births 3249 3234 0 percent
Birth rate 14 births per 1,000 14 births per 1,000
Deaths 1548 1518 -2 percent
Death rate 7 deaths per 1,000 7 deaths per 1,000
New migrants 2867 2973 4 percent
Migration rate 13 new migrants per 1,000 13 new migrants per 1,000
Washington County 207,801 211,411 2 percent
Births 3193 3219 1 percent
Birth rate 16 births per 1,000 people 15 births per 1,000 people
Deaths 1340 1328 -1 percent
Death rate 7 deaths per 1,000 people 6 deaths per 1,000 people
New migrants 1809 1715 -5 percent
Migration rate 9 new migrants per 1,000 8 new migrants per 1,000
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
The growth shows a rate much faster than the state’s 0.4 percent increase. Population estimates for Arkansas were 2,938,582 in 2011 and 2,949,131 a year later.
“The trends we see in the population data are really consistent on what’s been happening for at least three or four decades,” said Michael Pakko, chief economist and state economic forecaster at the Institute of Economic Advancement at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Saline and Faulkner counties also grew 2 percent while Chicot, Jackson, Jefferson, Lincoln, Monroe, Phillips, Scott and Woodruff counties lost populations by at least 2 percent.
“There’s a tendency to look at urban areas as locations of choice, though there are areas in the state if you combine a handful of small counties that are the equivalent of metro areas,” Pakko said.
The Census Bureau uses administrative reports from various agencies to calculate the estimates, said Ben Bolender, statistician and demographer.
Several federal agencies use the annual numbers for their operations, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for program funding, Bolender said.
The bureau collects data from the Internal Revenue Service to determine the number of domestic migration, or people moving from within the country, and American Community Survey results for people moving into the country from abroad, said Bolender.
The bureau also collects data for births and deaths from the National Center for Health Statistics, he said.
The number of newborns slightly decreased in both counties, according to the estimates. The number of deliveries at Washington Regional Medical Center, however, increased by 20 percent when comparing 2011 and 2012, said Gina Maddox, hospital spokeswoman.
“It could reflect where people are choosing to have their babies,” Maddox said as a possible explanation of the difference between the census’ new birth figures and the hospital’s statistics.