Brunswick drops to 93rd fastest growing county in U.S.

Brunswick County’s growth is showing signs of slowing, according to new population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

New population estimates clocked the county’s growth between April 2010 and July 2011 at 2.5 percent, making Brunswick County the 93rd fastest growing county in the nation — that’s down from 65th in 2009.

The county’s spot in the list of 100 fastest growing counties in the nation has continued to slide since 2006 when it was the 14th fastest growing county in the nation. In 2007, it was the 17th fastest and in 2008 it was ranked No. 28.

The 2010 Census recorded 107,431 residents living in North Carolina’s southeastern-most county. Now, the latest figures estimate that number has swelled to 110,097 — an additional 2,666 residents within the last year.

Four other North Carolina cities grew faster than Brunswick County from April 2010 to July 2011: No. 8: Hoke County with 49,272 residents; No. 22: Harnett County with 119,256 people; No. 49: Wake County 929,780 total residents; and No. 77: Mecklenburg County — home of the Queen City — with a whopping 944,373 residents.

While not ranked, other Cape Fear counties posted population gains.

During the year in question, New Hanover County actually added more people than did Brunswick County, rising to an estimated population of 206,189 residents — up from 203,264 people recorded during the 2010 Census. Pender County posted an additional 959 residents, to bring its new population head count to 53,399 residents.