Population in valley larger than estimated

Tuesday, March 3, 1998 | 9:57 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The population of the fastest growing city in the nation is larger than originally thought.

Henderson has won its appeal to the state to have its estimated population increased from preliminary figures distributed last year. The population figures for Las Vegas and Mesquite also have been raised.

Gov. Bob Miller last week signed the final population figures for Nevada in order to distribute tax revenues. The population, computed by state demographer Dean Judson, puts the state count at 1,779,850 as of July 1, a 5 percent gain from July 1996.

Clark County is home to 1,115,940, or 67 percent of the state's residents.

Judson said Friday the U.S. Census Bureau believes Henderson is the fastest growing city in the country. There's speculation the Las Vegas suburb will surpass Reno in the next few years as the second largest city in Nevada.

After Judson issued a preliminary estimate last year that Henderson's population was 146,200, city officials appealed the estimate because they felt it was too low.

Judson said Henderson, along with Las Vegas and Mesquite, "provided evidence there were more housing units than the preliminary numbers." He said the final figures use certificates of occupancy rather than county assessor's figures.

Final figures show Henderson with a population of 147,870 -- a 13 percent increase from 1996. Las Vegas has 425,270 residents, up 7 percent, and Mesquite has 9,270 residents, up 19 percent.

Boulder City has an estimated population of 14,493, up 33 residents from 1996, while North Las Vegas reports 93,010 residents, an 11 percent increase.

Every county showed a jump in population with the exception of Esmeralda, which fell to 1,460, or 30 residents less than 1996.

Sales tax collections are distributed to local governments based on population, so increased numbers means more money.

Judson said these are final figures, except in the case of Lyon County which may carry its appeal to the Nevada Tax Commission. The preliminary population count for Lyon was 29,850, which later was adjusted to 30,370. County officials, however, feel they have an even larger number of residents.

Clark County grew at a 7 percent clip in the year-to-year comparison, and Washoe County, the second largest in Nevada, increased 2 percent to 308,700. Its two cities -- Reno, with a population of 164,600, and Sparks, with 61,370 residents -- also grew by 2 percent.