The North Olympic Peninsula’s population increased by 1,100 between 2008 and 2009, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Jefferson County grew by about 84 people between July 2008 and July 2009, according to the estimates, which are based on the 2000 census.
In 2009, the bureau estimates there were 29,676 people living in Jefferson County.
Clallam County grew by 1,016 people in the 2008-2009 period.
The bureau estimates 71,413 people were in Clallam County.
That means the North Olympic Peninsula was home to about 101,089 people.
It is the last population estimate that will be based on the 2000 census, the organization said.
Since the first year of the census in 2000, Clallam County grew from 64,285 people to 71,413 in 2009.
In that 10-year period, Jefferson County grew from 26,418 to 29,676 in 2009.
The estimates use the numbers of people in 2000 and combine that with births, deaths and those migrating in and out of the county to determine the population.
Both counties have slowly grown in that time period and never dropped below the previous year.
The 2010 numbers will be estimated based on the census that has already been mailed and is being returned now.
The numbers provided by the U.S. Census are not broken down by city.
State also tallies
The numbers differ slightly from the state Office of Financial Management, which also calculates population numbers in Washington.
In those numbers:
• Clallam County’s population rose from 69,200 in 2008 to 69,500 in 2009. Over the decade, the county gained 5,321 residents.
• Jefferson County’s population rose from 28,800 in 2008 to 29,000 in 2009. Since 2000, Jefferson County has gained 2,701 inhabitants.
The total population of both counties was estimated at 98,500.
Yi Zhao, senior forecaster for the state, said a discrepancy between the numbers is fairly common.
“When you look at it, it is only just a little more than 2 percent,” she said.
“That is a fairly low percentage of difference.
“They are one month ahead of us, and we also have very slightly different sources for information, so that accounts for the difference.
“It is small enough that we are not worried about that.”
When applying for federal grants, the U.S. Census Bureau numbers are the ones that are used.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
