Pike's state growth leadership challenged ... but not lost

WASHINGTON — Pike County has been replaced as the fastest growing county in Pennsylvania over the last seven years — but it’s still number one recently. According to mid-year US Census Bureau projections released last week, Pike has slipped to second place, behind tiny, but fast-growing Forest County in the northwest corner of the state, near Erie. The projected July 2007 population in Forest County was only 6,955, but that is up 40 percent, more than 2,000 persons. Pike with 58,633 people, grew 26.6 percent for the same period, that’s 12,331 persons. However, the numbers change in the last single year comparison. In July of 2006 Forest County had an estimated 7,028 residents, so the following year’s total of 6,955 meant negative growth in Forest County. In the same 2006-07 period, the census estimates Pike’s population continued to grow by some 1,381 people, putting it back in the number one percentage slot for growth over the last measured one-year period. Still, the multi-year change dropped Pike out of the top 100 fastest growing counties nationwide, falling to 115. In the state, Monroe County had third place, with an 18.8 percent growth since 2000, and an estimated July 2007 population of 164,722, while Wayne County at an estimated 51,708, has a growth rate of 8.4 percent, and ranks ninth.