It’s no surprise Sequim has been the fastest growing city on the North Olympic Peninsula from 2000 to 2009, and new estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau make it official.
Sequim’s population within the city limits jumped 1,335 residents, or 29.63 percent, going from 4,505 in 2000 to an estimated 5,840 in 2009.
Port Townsend went up 803 residents, from 8,333 in 2000 to an estimated 9,136 in 2009, an increase of 9.64 percent.
Port Angeles and Forks had much slower growth.
Port Angeles, the largest city on the Peninsula, grew by 2.51 percent, or 463 residents, going from 18,449 counted during the 2000 Census to an estimated 18,912 last year.
Forks added 71 residents within its city limits for a 2.17 percent increase, going from 3,278 to an estimated 3,349.
New population figures for 19,507 incorporated towns and cities across the United States from 2000 (actual count) to 2009 (estimate) were released Friday by the Census Bureau.
Port Angeles ranked 1,702th of the 19,507 cities in 2000. It slipped to 1,783 in 2009.
Port Townsend went up 40 cities in the count — from 3,145 to 3,105.
Sequim had the largest change in rank — jumping 506 other cities — going up from being 4,698 in the tally in 2000 to 4,192 last year.
Forks went down, slipping below 90 other cities. It went from being 5,607 in 2000 to 5,697 in 2009.
Census officials also released an estimate by county of housing units — houses, apartment houses and mobile homes.
Clallam County climbed from 30,683 in 2000 to 34,312 in 2009.
Jefferson County jumped from 14,144 to 16,439.
These are the last Census estimates before the 2010 count is released next year.
Other cities
With a population growth rate of 332.4 percent from 2000 to 2009, Snoqualmie is the fastest-growing city in Washington, percentage-wise.
Snoqualmie, in east King County, added 6,682 people to Snoqualmie, in east King County, added 6,682 people to grow to a total 8,692 people last year, according to the Census estimate.
DuPont, in Pierce County, with a growth rate of 198.4 percent, is the state’s second-fastest growing city, adding 4,866 people since 2000 to grow to 7,318 people last year.
Roy, also in Pierce County, added 435 people to grow to 695 residents in 2009, a growth rate of 167.3 percent.
It was the state’s third-fastest growing city.
Seattle added the largest number of people from 2000-2009, adding 53,250 to grow to a population of 616,627 in 2009.
Seattle is the nation’s 23rd-largest city in terms of population, according to the Census Bureau.
Pasco, in southeast Washington, added 24,802 people from 2000-2009, growing more than 73 percent to 58,647 people last year.
