Grand Junction is the fastest-growing metro area in Colorado and the ninth-fastest-growing in the U.S. on a percentage basis, according to Census Bureau estimates to be released today.
The Western Slope city and surrounding area grew an estimated 3.7 percent from 2006 to 2007, from 134,061 people to 139,082. The area has grown an estimated 19.6 percent since 2000. Greeley was the 12th-fastest-growing area. Its estimated population of 243,750 is up 3.6 percent from 2006 and 34.7 percent since 2000. On a percentage basis, the Palm Coast, Fla., area was the fastest-growing in the nation. Population there jumped 7.2 percent to more than 536,000. Other areas of surging growth were St. George, Utah; Raleigh, N.C; Gainesville, Ga.; and Austin, Texas.
The Denver-Aurora area grew 2.2 percent to 2,468,866, up 13.1 percent since 2000. Colorado Springs was up 1.1 percent for the year and 13.3 percent for the decade to 609,906, and Fort Collins-Loveland was up 2.1 percent for the year and 14.3 percent for the decade to 287,574. The Denver Post
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