Arizona Tops List as Fastest-Growing State

Daily Real Estate News December 28, 2006

Arizona Tops List as Fastest-Growing State

Nevada’s 19-year tenure as the country’s fastest-growing state ended in 2006 as Arizona edged out the Silver State by just one-tenth of a percentage point. From July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006, Arizona’s population increased by 3.6 percent compared with 3.5 percent for Nevada, according to recent U. S. Census Bureau data. Population gains in the West and South continued to outpace other regions, reflecting the ongoing influx to these regions. The South now accounts for 36 percent of the country’s total population, gaining 1.4 percent or 1.5 million people in the 2005-2006 time frame. The West, which comprises 23 percent of the U. S. population, grew by 1.5 percent, adding 1 million residents. By contrast, the Midwest, which accounts for 22 percent of the nation’s overall population, added 281,000 people.

The Northeast only added 0.1 percent or 62,000 people, and now accounts for only 18 percent of the overall population. By the NumbersCalifornia remains the most populous state with a population of 36.5 million. F ollowing California, the states with the largest populations are Texas (23.5 million), New York (19.3 million), Florida (18.1 million), and Illinois (12.8 million).

In terms of actual population numbers, the top states for growth stack up a little differently. Arizona ranked first for the highest percentage growth rate, but it was fifth in terms of the actual number of new residents. Louisiana’s population on July 1, 2006, was down 220,000 from a year earlier. The state lost nearly 5 percent of its pre-Katrina population.

Top 10 Highest Percentage Growth Rate

1. Arizona: 3.6%
2. Nevada: 3.5%
3. Idaho: 2.6%
4. Georgia: 2.5%
5. Texas: 2.5%
6. Utah: 2.4%
7. North Carolina: 2.1%
8. Colorado: 1.9%
9. Florida: 1.8%
10. South Carolina: 1.7%

Top 10 Actual Population Growth

1. Texas: 579,275
2. Florida: 321,697
3.California: 303,402
4. Georgia: 231,388
5. Arizona: 213,311
6. North Carolina: 184,046
7. Washington: 103,899
8. Colorado: 90,082
9. Nevada: 83,228
10. Tennessee: 83,058

— By Camilla McLaughlin for REALTOR® Magazine Online

The Best Places to Own Real Estate in 2007

Daily Real Estate News December 27, 2006

The Best Places to Own Real Estate in 2007

The housing market looks particularly healthy in the Southeast, according to Fortune and Moody’s Economy.com.

The top market, McAllen, Texas, is predicted to rise 8.5 percent in 2007, and another 9.8 percent in 2008. In all, four of the magazine’s hottest U.S. home markets forecast for next year are in Texas. Also on the list are two markets in upstate New York: Syracuse and Rochester.

Here are the 10 housing markets projected to rise the most in 2007 and 2008:

McAllen-Mission, Texas
El Paso, Texas
Albuquerque, N.M.
Salt Lake City
Syracuse, N.Y.
San Antonio
Rochester, N.Y.
Baton Rouge, La.
Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
Birmingham, Ala.

Source: Fortune (12/21/06)