Population boom

 Somerton is one of only five communities in Arizona to show a double-digit increase in population in the last year, according to new figures released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Somerton's population totaled 12,346 as of July 1, 2008, a 10.5 percent increase over the previous year. In comparison, its population grew by 4.8 percent in 2007.

"The growth is good and it pleases us, because it means that more people are choosing Somerton as a place to live," Somerton Mayor Martin Porchas said. "But it is also a challenge because we need to have the infrastructure that those residents need."

Statewide, the Census' figures show the shrinking economy is taking its toll on growth and urban sprawl in most Arizona communities. In some cases, the pace between July 1, 2007, and a year later is only half that in the 12 months preceding.

The city of Yuma grew by 1.7 percent in 2008, down from a population increase of 2.1 percent the previous year. According to the Census, the city had a population of 90,041 as of July 1, 2008.

Meanwhile, San Luis, Ariz., had 24,909 residents as of July 1, 2008, an increase of 4.5 percent over the previous year. In comparison, the border community grew by 6.4 percent in 2007.

Wellton had nearly a flat rate of growth, increasing by only 0.8 percent in 2008 to reach a population of 1,911. The previous year it grew even less, an increase of 0.2 percent.

Porchas said the city's new residents are people who were born in Somerton, then left and then chose to return.

Porchas said that before 2004, an average of 30 to 50 houses were built in Somerton each year, but "after 2004, there was an explosion of growth, and in 2006 and 2007, up to 300 houses or more were being built. Therefore, we were seeing those numbers in 2008."

The city currently is providing essential services to the public but "what worries us is sewer service and public safety, but sewer service above all because we know that the treatment plant is reaching its maximum capacity, and we need to complete its expansion."

Buckeye, a sprawling community on the far west edge of the Phoenix area, increased its size by nearly 26 percent. Even with that, though, the population on July 1, 2008, was just 47,261.

Other communities with increases of at least 10 percent include Maricopa at 19.7 percent, Sahuarita at 10.9 percent and Goodyear at 10.1 percent.

The pattern of slowing growth is especially evident in what had been the "hot'' growth communities of the first half of the decade, those in what had been the exurbs.

For example, Fountain Hills saw its year-over-year growth rate cut in half. A nearly similar decline was logged in Queen Creek.

In some cases, the drop was even sharper.

Litchfield Park found just a 1 percent year-over-year growth, a third of what it was the year before.

Even outside the two big metro areas there were some sharp declines.

Lake Havasu City, for example, found its 1.1 percent growth rate between 2006 and 2007 slashed to just 0.2 percent. And Pinetop-Lakeside grew at just a fifth of the rate it had the prior 12 months.

Even Flagstaff grew at just half the rate in 2008 as the prior period.

A few communities bucked the trend. Oro Valley managed to maintain its growth rate. And Phoenix actually posted an increase.

Several small communities actually lost population. The one that was not surprising was Colorado City on the Arizona-Utah border, vacated by many members of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints after Warren Jeffs, its leader, was arrested.

On the other hand, Gilbert added more than 10,000 people in a single year. That is a five percent increase in one year, somewhat slower than the 5.3 percent annual increase the prior year.

Even with that, though, the community continues to show remarkable growth. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that Gilbert grew at the second-fastest rate of other communities of more than 100,000 in the nation. In fact, it added more than 100,000 residents since the decennial census, putting its population on July 1, 2008, at 216,449 for an 88 percent increase.

Two other Arizona cities also were in the top 20 nationwide of rapidly growing communities of more than 100,000: Peoria with a 45 percent growth rate since 2000 and Chandler at 39.5 percent.

Overall, Arizona grew at a rate of 2.3 percent in the year ending July 1, 2008, compared to 2.8 percent the year before. And the state population is up close to 31 percent since the 2000 census.

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BY THE NUMBERS
Community    7-1-08 pop    growth 08 vs. 07    growth 07 vs. 06
Arizona    6,500,180    2.3 percent    2.8 percent

Flagstaff    60,222    0.9 percent    1.8 percent

Phoenix    1,567,924    2.2 percent    1.9 percent

Quartzsite    3,481    0.0 percent    2.3 percent

San Luis    24,909    4.5 percent    6.4 percent

Somerton    12,346    10.5 percent    4.8 percent

Tucson    541,811    0.9 percent    1.3 percent

Wellton    1,911    0.8 percent    0.2 percent

Yuma    90,041    1.7 percent    2.1 percent