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March 29, 2001Benzie growth ranks first in local counties13-county region has grown 22 percent since 1990 count; population reaches 345,490 markBy BILL ECHLINRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY -Downstate's population loss probably was northern Michigan's gain. Led by Benzie and Otsego counties, the number of people in the 13-county northwest lower Michigan region grew a whopping - but not unexpected - 22 percent since the 1990 national headcount. The area population stands at 345,490 - 62,913 more people than in 1990. The state's overall population growth was 7 percent, with Lansing, Flint and Detroit reporting losses. Four area counties - Benzie, Otsego, Leelanau and Emmet - were among the state's 10 fastest-growing counties. Benzie had the region's highest growth rate at 31 percent, ranking fourth among the state's top 10. Otsego, just shy of 30 percent, was the second-fastest growing in the region and fifth among the state's top 10. Leelanau, with a nearly 28 percent growth rate, was third-fastest growing in the region and seventh for the state, while Emmet, with nearly 26 percent growth, ranked fifth in the region and 10th in the state. Minority populations within the region are still tiny in comparison to white residents, who make up 96.1 percent of the total. However, the white proportion was down from 97.8 percent in 1990. Native Americans, at 1.5 percent, remain the region's largest racial minority and increased their proportion slightly from 1.3 percent in 1990. Their population now totals 5,027. People of Hispanic origin, at 1.4 percent, are the region's largest ethnic minority - which can include people from several racial categories - with a total of 4,699 and were the fastest-growing group, rising from a mere .0.6 percent in 1990. "The census results were pretty much what had been expected based on preliminary estimates, but I was kind of surprised that Benzie was the fastest growing in the region," said Charlene Schlueter at Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, which keeps track of area demographics. She said Benzie's relatively small population, compared with Grand Traverse or Wexford, contributed to its high percentage rate. "I'll be looking at the detailed information at the local level, but my suspicion is that a lot of Benzie's growth is urban sprawl from Traverse City. Otsego coming in with 30 percent was no surprise because everybody knew they had very strong growth over the 1990s." The slowest-growing county in the region was Manistee with a growth rate of nearly 16 percent, ranking it 31st among the state's 83 counties. Schlueter said the growth in Manistee is much more impressive in light of the fact that it actually lost 7.6 percent of its population in the 1980-1990 decade. In 1980 Manistee's population was 23,019. It dropped to 21,265 by 1990 and rose again to 24,527 by last year. "What we've seen there is a strong recovery, where they got back everything they lost in the 1980s plus added more," Schlueter said. Wexford County, with a growth rate just shy of 16 percent, had the second-lowest gain in the region. Grand Traverse County, with a population now totaling 77,654, posted a nearly 21 percent growth rate, ranking ninth among the region's 13 counties. The addition of 13,381 people to its population, however, was by far the largest numerical increase. That was well over double Otsego's increase of 5,344 people, which had the second-largest numerical increase in the region. Benzie's increase was 3,798 people. Bill Echlin is the reporter for business and tourism. He can be reached at (231) 933-1493, or at bechlin@record-eagle.com Read more about the census: • 13-county region has grown 22 percent since 1990 count • Michigan’s top 10 population gainers, losers (map) • Michigan suburban migration accelerates • Region’s racial characteristics (chart) • Region’s population change (chart) • Cities' losses are townships' gains • Family enjoys life in small town • What's at stake with changing population • Large cities that lost or gained population (chart) • City and village populations (chart) • Quiet life entices familes to 'burbs • Native American numbers on rise • Aging citizens outpace younger generation • Population changes in region by county, city and township (chart) |
