Maricopa County leads nation in annual population growth

PHOENIX — Maricopa County became the county with the highest annual population growth in the nation in a report released from the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday.

The Census Bureau reported Maricopa County received 222 people a day in 2016. From July 2015 to July 2016, the county added more than 81,000 people.

The Arizona county knocked Texas’ Harris County from the top of the list. Harris County had the highest population growth for eight consecutive years.

Maricopa County’s population was estimated at 4.2 million. Clark County in Nevada followed at No. 3.

“While net international migration has not reached prior levels, net domestic migration and natural increase have continued to rise, making Maricopa County this year’s largest numeric gainer,” Census Bureau demographer Peter Borsella said in a press release.

Other factors were natural growth with higher birth than death rates and from international migration.

Maricopa County includes Phoenix and its suburbs.

In the next few months, the bureau is planning to release a report on population estimates of cities, counties and more by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.