Springfield and Branson are Missouri’s Fastest-Growing Areas
Springfield and Branson are the fastest growing metropolitan and micropolitan areas in Missouri, respectively, from 2000 to 2008, according to recently released data from the U. S. Census Bureau. Both the Springfield and Branson areas have increased in population by 15 percent or more since the 2000 Census.
The fastest-growing growing metro area between 2000 and 2008 was Palm Coast, Florida with an increase of 83.1 percent. Missouri's number one growing metro area was Springfield with a 15.7 percent increase and a 57,770 rise in population. Columbia followed with a 12.8 percent increase, adding 18,617 to its population.
| Missouri Metropolitan Population Changes 2000 to 2008 | |||||||
| Metropolitan Area | 2000 | 2007 | 2008 | % Chg 2000 to 2008 | Chg 2000 to 2008 | % Chg 2007 to 2008 | Chg 2007 to 2008 |
| Springfield, MO | 368,374 | 419,607 | 426,144 | 15.7% | 57,770 | 1.6% | 6,537 |
| Columbia, MO | 145,666 | 161,916 | 164,283 | 12.8% | 18,617 | 1.5% | 2,367 |
| Joplin, MO | 157,322 | 171,043 | 172,933 | 9.9% | 15,611 | 1.1% | 1,890 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 1,836,038 | 1,981,480 | 2,002,047 | 9.0% | 166,009 | 1.0% | 20,567 |
| Jefferson City, MO | 140,052 | 145,170 | 146,363 | 4.5% | 6,311 | 0.8% | 1,193 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,698,687 | 2,805,465 | 2,816,710 | 4.4% | 118,023 | 0.4% | 11,245 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | 122,336 | 125,831 | 126,359 | 3.3% | 4,023 | 0.4% | 528 |
Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina and Austin Round Rock, Texas were the fastest-growing metro areas between 2007 and 2008, with a population rise
of 4.3 percent and 3.8 percent respectively.
From 2000 to 2008 four metro areas in the nation added more than 1 million people to their areas. These included Dallas-Ft. Worth (1.14 million), Atlanta (1.13 million), Phoenix (1.03 million) and Houston (1.01 million).
Missouri's fastest growing micropolitan areas from 2000 to 2008 were Branson (14.9%) adding 10,213 to its population and Farmington (13.6%) with an increase of 7,573.
Between 2007 and 2008, the Branson micropolitan area also had the most rapid growth among Missouri micros at 1.8 percent, followed by Kirksville with a 1.2 percent increase. Nationally, Safford, Arizona and Andrews, Texas were the fastest growing micropolitan areas during this time, increasing by 4.1 and 4.0 percent respectively.
| Missouri Micropolitan Population Changes 2000 to 2008 | |||||||
| Micropolitan Area | 2000 | 2007 | 2008 | % Chg 2000 to 2008 | Chg 2000 to 2008 | % Chg 2007 to 2008 | Chg 2007 to 2008 |
| Branson, MO | 68,361 | 77,168 | 78,574 | 14.9% | 10,213 | 1.8% | 1,406 |
| Farmington, MO | 55,641 | 62,762 | 63,214 | 13.6% | 7,573 | 0.7% | 452 |
| Lebanon, Mo | 32,513 | 35,346 | 35,524 | 9.3% | 3,011 | 0.5% | 178 |
| Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 41,165 | 44,300 | 44,546 | 8.2% | 3,381 | 0.6% | 246 |
| Warrensburg, MO | 48,258 | 51,898 | 52,016 | 7.8% | 3,758 | 0.2% | 118 |
| Rolla, MO | 39,825 | 42,443 | 42,205 | 6.0% | 2,380 | -0.6% | -238 |
| West Plains, MO | 37,238 | 38,604 | 39,000 | 4.7% | 1,762 | 1.0% | 396 |
| Moberly, MO | 24,663 | 25,635 | 25,723 | 4.3% | 1,060 | 0.3% | 88 |
| Sedalia, MO | 39,403 | 40,748 | 41,006 | 4.1% | 1,603 | 0.6% | 258 |
| Cape Girardeau-Jackson, MO-IL | 90,312 | 93,006 | 93,385 | 3.4% | 3,073 | 0.4% | 379 |
| Poplar Bluff, MO | 40,867 | 41,230 | 41,383 | 1.3% | 516 | 0.4% | 153 |
| Mexico, MO | 25,853 | 25,829 | 26,049 | 0.8% | 196 | 0.9% | 220 |
| Maryville, MO | 21,912 | 22,059 | 22,054 | 0.6% | 142 | 0.0% | -5 |
| Sikeston, MO | 40,422 | 40,705 | 40,673 | 0.6% | 251 | -0.1% | -32 |
| Hannibal, MO | 37,915 | 38,003 | 38,057 | 0.4% | 142 | 0.1% | 54 |
| Kirksville, MO | 29,147 | 28,704 | 29,053 | -0.3% | -94 | 1.2% | 349 |
| Quincy, IL-MO | 78,771 | 76,807 | 76,848 | -2.4% | -1,923 | 0.1% | 41 |
| Kennett, MO | 33,155 | 31,609 | 31,454 | -5.1% | -1,701 | -0.5% | -155 |
| Marshall, MO | 23,756 | 22,614 | 22,505 | -5.3% | -1,251 | -0.5% | -109 |
A metropolitan area is defined as an area containing at least one urbanized area of 50,000 people or more in population. Micropolitan areas are defined as areas of urban cluster of at least 10,000 but under 50,000 people. Both micropolitan and metropolitan areas consist of one or more county equivilents.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau
