Population growth high in suburbs

[thelakelander]

By Steve Patterson, The Times-Union

Suburban St. Johns County's population added more people in 2007 than its much-larger neighbor, Duval County, according to just-released U.S. Census Bureau estimates.  Clay and Flagler counties both had gains approaching Duval, according to the census report released today, which estimates population changes for the 12 months ending July 1, 2007.

full article: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032008/met_259750976.shtml

Estimated population increase from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007

1. St. Johns County - 7,114 (5 = growth rank statewide)

2. Duval County - 6,643 (42)

3. Clay County - 5,713 (11)

4. Nassau County - 1,932 (14)

5. Baker County - 693 (16)


Jacksonville Metropolitan Area County Populations as of July 1, 2007

1. Duval - 849,159

2. Clay - 182,023

3. St. Johns - 175,446

4. Nassau - 68,450

5. Baker - 25,745

Jacksonville MSA - 1,300,823

[Jason]

Moving on up.

Does anyone have the numbers of residential units downtown that are recently or nearly finished??  I'm wondering how many new residents we now have downtown.

[Steve]

I see this as a trend that we (the administration) needs to wake up about.  If you read the article, nobody moved to Duval County - the growth was from births outnumbering deaths.

[Jason]

Here is what I could drum up in a few minutes...


Strand: 295 units
San Marco Place:  141 units
Peninsula: 234 units  (Nearly complete)
Metropolitan Apts:  116 units

= 786 units


Berkman 2:  222 units  (Finished this year?)
Churchwell Lofts: 21 units  (Finished the year?)
20 West (Lerner Shops): 20 units (Will be finished this year?)



= 263 units

Total = 1049 units  approx: 1500 - 2000 residents


Am I missing any recently or nearly completed?

[thelakelander]

20 West (Lerner Shops): 20 units (Will be finished this year?)

Assuming Downtown had about 2,000 residents before hand, we now have two years to add 6,000 residents to get to Peyton's goal of 10k by 2010.

[Jason]

Thanks Lake, I updated my numbers.

Brooklyn Park (as originally proposed) would put us close to that.  Do you know what the revised residential unit count is?

What is the status of 218 West?

[thelakelander]

277 apartments.  218, like the St. John & The Shipyards, is stalled until the market improves.

[vicupstate]

has Brooklyn Park construction started, or is it stalled ?

[thelakelander]

Someone made a post earlier this week that it appears site utility work is finally underway.

[RiversideGator]

Are the numbers for Duval really that bad?  They show 8% growth for Duval per decade or 66,430 more people here after 10 years if extrapolated out.  These are numbers many communities would kill for, not even counting the exploding growth in the suburban counties. 

And, growth from births exceeding deaths is a healthy statistic IMO which means that the culture will remain roughly the same and the people here are confident enough about the future to procreate.  I would like to see a little more net domestic migration to Duval, but the numbers arent terrible.  They will get better hopefully when we replace Mayor Do-Nothing.

[Steve]

Are the numbers for Duval really that bad?  They show 8% growth for Duval per decade or 66,430 more people here after 10 years if extrapolated out.  These are numbers many communities would kill for, not even counting the exploding growth in the suburban counties. 

And, growth from births exceeding deaths is a healthy statistic IMO which means that the culture will remain roughly the same and the people here are confident enough about the future to procreate.  I would like to see a little more net domestic migration to Duval, but the numbers arent terrible.  They will get better hopefully when we replace Mayor Do-Nothing.

No, the data is not terrible, but I'd like to see Jacksonville capture the traffic of newcomers that are headed to St. Johns and Clay (I can't believe people still move to Clay).  I think the key in many cases is the school system.  Duval County Schools are not that bad, but JTA has a better PR than them.   Every time you hear about them, it's something either bad or having nothing to do with actually educating students.

[thinknik]

I'd like to see the residential growth stay in Duval county too.  The whole north side of St. Johns county is now just a sleeping suburb of Jacksonville.  I doubt its the schools that they move for. Its more like the lure of cheap houses. But what they save in buying those cheap houses they spend in gas and car maintenance.  As long as oil is cheap and they can commute into and out of Duval to work and shop, they will continue to buy in any exurb in droves - Clay, St. Johns, Nassau.  The difference is St. Johns County's government has been bending  over up-the-ass-backward to lure the residential growth. 

[Jason]

Honestly Nik, I'd say schools are the number 1 reason people take up residence in St. Johns and commute to Jax.  Add to that relatively inexpensive and brand new homes and neighborhoods, coupled with brand new schools to send their kids to and a relatively short commute (by national standards) for work.

[JeffreyS]

Right on Jason. Schools are I have no doubt the number one reason for the move to St. Johns and Clay.  Duval can't get a handle on the schools and it has caused this town so much grief.  The people who  would move for better schools we need to keep in Jax.