Census: Region getting smaller

By population, Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties rank 1-2-3.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cleveland and its Cuyahoga County suburbs have been losing population at a pace only exceeded by Detroit's Wayne County and the Gulf Coast region devastated by hurricane Katrina in 2005.
U.S. Census Bureau population estimates also show Cincinnati's Hamilton County shrinking, and Columbus and Franklin County growing slightly.
Cuyahoga's population dropped 1.2 percent, from 1,330,428 to 1,314,241, between July 2005 and July 2006. Hamilton County's dropped 0.7 percent, from 828,487 to 822,596.
Franklin County's population grew 0.6 percent, from 1,089,365 to 1,095,662, during the same period.
Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties rank 1-2-3 in size in Ohio and, respectively, 28th, 34th and 61st in the nation.
Cuyahoga County's loss of 16,187 people was exceeded only by Wayne County, which lost 19,079 people, and four Gulf Coast counties, with the biggest loss 228,782 in New Orleans and Orleans Parish, La.
The census bureau's recent survey of the 3,141 counties with populations greater than 10,000 was released Thursday.
"Clearly the trend is not at all favorable or positive," said Paul Oyaski, director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Development. "But given the number of vacant homes in the city and the county, the numbers are not surprising."
What's planned
He said ideas such as a proposed new interchange off Interstate 90 in Avon, west of Cleveland, only would encourage sprawl and speed people out of Cleveland and its older suburbs.
The Cuyahoga County commissioners are co-sponsoring a forum in May that will bring to Cleveland some of the leading experts on immigrant groups replenishing cities, including Chicago and Indianapolis.
Oyaski, the former mayor of Euclid, sees other promising responses. He noted local governments have taken steps toward greater collaboration, with agreements to share resources and promises not to poach each other's businesses.
Delaware County, north of Columbus, has added 46,700 residents since 2000, making it the 13th fastest-growing county in the country. The Ohio Department of Development predicted Delaware County will continue to grow through 2030, although not at the recent pace.
Seven of America's 10 fastest growing counties between 2000 and 2006 were in the South or Southwest, and Maricopa County, surrounding Phoenix, Ariz., grew faster than anywhere else, the census bureau reported.
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