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Keith McCord ReportingIt's no secret that Utah's Dixie is a fast growing area. New data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today shows just how fast and it turns out, Washington County is the fifth fastest growing county in the nation!
Between July of 2004 and July of 2005, the latest figures available, the population down there jumped 7.6 percent. In actual numbers, that's about 8,500 new residents. Yep, things are booming in southern Utah.
If you haven't been to St. George in a while, you might be surprised at all the growth, and not just in the city limits, all of Washington County is feeling it. People wanting to get away from the snow are retiring there and out-of-staters tired of big mortgages have come in. New houses spring up almost over night; big retailers are coming in; streets bulge with traffic.
Dan McArthur, Mayor of St. George: "The number one question I have asked of me, whether I'm in the public or somewhere else, is transportation related."
Years ago, the words "gridlock" and "rush hour" wouldn't even be uttered here. Not so any more.
So, who beats out Washington County's growth spurt? The top six, according to the Census Bureau include:
- Flagler County, Florida has seen the biggest growth
- Two counties in Nevada are hot spots
- And Texas and Illinois also check in.
Fast growth is a two-edged sword of course. The tax base goes up and the economy improves, but all the new people puts a strain on everything from housing prices to crime. Less than three years ago the average home price in St. George was about $167,000. This year it'll be around the $300,000 range, and that's the average!
Public officials in Washington County have their master plans in place and are all keenly aware that staying ahead of the infrastructure needs is key to managing this growth explosion, which likely won't slow down anytime soon.
Terril Clove, Mayor of Washington City: "I don't hear anybody saying they resent the growth. I think they're concerned that it's going to grow so fast, and we need to keep the traffic, they don't want pollution and crime. That's what they're worried about."
Two other counties in Utah also made the Census Bureau's fastest growing list, although further down. Iron County came in at #37 and Wasatch County at 54.
