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Florida population continues to grow

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 22, 2006

WASHINGTON - In one corner, there are hurricanes, stifling hot summers and seemingly endless voting problems.

In the other, there are millions of postcards sent worldwide showing picture-perfect beaches and sunsets.

The postcards are winning.

Florida added 321,697 residents in 2006, according to population estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau. In sheer numbers, that puts the Sunshine State second only to Texas in new residents, but many of the new Texans are former Louisianians chased there by Hurricane Katrina.

In fact, Louisiana lost nearly 220,000 people, more than any other state.

Arizona led the nation with a growth rate of 3.6 percent (or 213,311 new residents) in the past year, followed by Nevada, Idaho, Georgia and Texas, unseating Nevada from its 19-year reign as the nation's fastest growing state by percentage.

The Census Bureau estimates annual state population totals using local records of births and deaths, IRS records of people moving within the United States and census statistics on immigrants. The bureau does not distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and most experts believe the number of illegal immigrants is underestimated.

Among the findings for 2006:

- North Carolina broke into the top 10 in total population, nudging New Jersey to 11th.

- Four states and the District of Columbia lost population: Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Michigan.

California remains the most populous state with 36.5-million people on July 1, 2006. It is followed by Texas with 23.5-million, New York with 19.3-million, Florida with 18.1-million and Illinois with 12.8-million.

The South had a net gain of a half million people relocating from other parts of the United States, while the Northeast had a net loss of 375,000 people and the Midwest lost 184,000, according to the census estimates.

The growth pattern means Florida probably will add two House seats when congressional districts are redrawn after the 2010 Census, said Clark Bensen of Polidata, a Virginia firm that consults on political redistricting.

And that means more elections.

[Last modified December 22, 2006, 00:38:03]