Growth
Growing By The Numbers
April 5, 2006 
Here are some interesting figures the Chamber of Commerce is circulating to those at the top of their food chain regarding population figures.
These figures serve, among other things, to attract more businesses into the area bent on making a buck. Once the population reaches a certain point, we become targets for various retail chains, new shopping malls, etc. They look at the numbers and determine “there is enough population to support it” whatever IT may be.
Your mainstream media loves these numbers because they translate into viewers and readers–neat if you already own a paper or broadcast outlet! MSA for you non library types is “Metropolitan Statistical Area.” Loosely, it means the market area where people “go to town” to shop or where they get their news. Examples are Salt Lake, Seattle, Portland–all encompass more than their namesakes.
2006 Boise-Nampa MSA Population Estimates
Ada County – 383,314 (up 82,410 since the census)
Canyon County – 175,781 (up 44,340 since the census)
Source: Adopted by COMPASS, March 2006
Gem County – 15,963
Owyhee County – 10,998
Boise County – 7,362
Source: Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor, 2004 County Population Estimates
MSA Total 593,418
(metropolitan statistical area)
Estimate for cities:
Boise 211,473
Nampa 76,436
Meridian 66,565
Caldwell 38,028
Eagle 20,131
Kuna 12,647
Garden City 12,074
Emmett 5,987
Star 4,594
To insure more advertising-free Boise Guardian news, please consider financial support.
Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Apr 6, 2006, 6:51 am
383,314 (the population of Ada County) doesn’t sound like much (we could all fit in about 12.8 Bronco Stadiums) until you try to drive around town. The really scary number is 82,410, the increase since the last census. If that growth continues at that rate, Ada County will grow by more than 50% during the decade.
Shouldn’t we be offering free sterilizations to all just out of self-preservation?