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Show Davis County fifth fastest growing in Beehive State By GARY R. BLODGETT Although Davis County was listed as only the fifth-largest growing county in Utah between 1986 and 1987, it did receive the most "new residents," according to the annual Utah Popu-f Popu-f lation Estimates Committee's annual report. Davis County is now ranked as the third largest county in the ! state with an estimated 179,000 population an increase of 4,000 in the past year. The total projected increase of 4,000 equals Utah County which also increased an estimated 4,000 from 253,000 to 257,000, the report showed. However, Davis County's percentage growth was 2.3 percent I compared to 1.6 percent increase in Utah County. Percentagewise, Washington County was the fastest growing county in Utah with a 5.4 percent increase from 39,100 to 4 1,200 in the one-year period. Morgan County increased in population from 5,500 to 5,650, a percentage increase of 2.7. Salt Lake County, of course, is still the .largest county with a population estimated at 700,000, up 3,000 from a year ago but with only a 0.4 percentage increase. Among the other populated counties in the state, Weber County is fourth largest with 157,000 but no significant increase in-crease in population. Cache County rose from 67,800 to 69,200, a 2.1 percentage increase. But if you take the fastest-growing counties by percentage of increase, Washington would head the list with 5.4 percent, followed by Summit with 3.9; Morgan, 2.7; Wasatch, 2.6; and Davis with 2.3. Overall, it was the slowest rate of state population growth since 1964, the report showed. The slow growth rate was attributed to ( 1 ) declining birth rate ; and (2) an exiting of workers who cannot find suitable jobs in Utah. The report noted that births dropped from 35,469 in fiscal 1 1987 to 41,774 in 1982, but there were still 26,656 more births than deaths last year. H Out-migration was most severe in the rural areas which are heavily dependent on mining, agriculture and energy development. develop-ment. Statewide, there were only six of the 29 counties that saw an increase in population from natural growth than they lost to out-migration. These counties were Cache, Davis, Morgan, Summit, Washington and Wasatch. |