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| POPULATION GROWTH AND EXPANSION |
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Population growth and expansion information - There are over 1.5 million residents in the Inland Northwest.
- Spokane County, Washington, and Kootenai County, Idaho, with a combined population of nearly 550,000, is the largest metropolitan area.
- As the region’s primary economic, service, retail, and cultural center, the metropolitan area is dominated by trade and service industries.
- The two communities, located approximately 30 miles apart, are connected by Interstate 90.
Population trends Population trends illustrate slower growth in the 1980s followed by a faster growth pace in the 1990s. City of Spokane Valley: The incorporation of the City of Spokane Valley in early 2003 impacted the unincorporated county population. With 82,005 residents, the new 39 square mile city is the 9th largest in the state with a taxable assessed value of approximately $4 billion. City of Spokane and Spokane County: Although the City of Spokane grew by over 10% in the 1990s, the smaller incorporated areas in the county together grew at a rate of over twice that with an increase of over 24%. The county’s total population increased by over 15%, compared to the 20% growth in the unincorporated areas during the same time frame, largely due to the greater availability of land for residential and commercial development in unincorporated areas. Where people are coming from: Foreign competition and environmental-related government regulation stifled growth in the area’s timber and mining industries in the 1980s. The sluggish population increases during the decade reflects a natural increase of births over deaths, rather than an influx of population from other areas. Spokane, along with other areas in the Inland Northwest, enjoyed relatively rapid in-migration throughout the first half of the 1990s. The recession in California sent large numbers of employers in search of a better business climate, a safer environment and a higher quality of life, more desirable workforces, and less taxation and regulation by state and local government. Another driver behind the population growth was purely demographic as the region experienced an influx of retirees and families motivated by lower-cost living and a better quality of life. Population reporting sources: Population projections released by Washington State in January 2002, in compliance with Washington’s Growth Management Act, predict a 34% increase from 2000 to 2005, slightly more than 1.3% per year. Avista Corporation, a major energy provider, published its area population forecasts, prepared by Global Insight Inc., in May 2003. Avista’s forecast is more aggressive in the short term, reflecting the corporation’s need to satisfy anticipated energy demands. Avista’s more conservative long-term projection estimates the county population will increase by slightly more than 30% from 2000 to 2025, or slightly more than 1.2% per year on average. By either estimate, anticipated population growth in the 1.2% to 1.3% per year range is estimated, which is consistent with historic growth patterns. Back to Regional Info.
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