State demographer: Nevada’s population begins to grow again

By Michael Squires

Monday, March 12, 2012 | 12:35 p.m.

Nevada’s population started to grow again last year, adding 17,152 residents, according to the state demographer’s latest estimates.

Clark County added 13,462 residents, an increase of 0.7 percent.

State Demographer Jeff Hardcastle said the increases are another indication that Nevada’s economy is emerging from the Great Recession. “Just as other economic indicators are showing, we’re sort of leveling off,” Hardcastle said in a written statement.

The state population increase of 0.7 percent from July 2010 to July 2011 is about what the state should expect from natural growth — births. It follows 12 months in which the state lost 27,677 residents, or about 1 percent of its population.

“The data doesn’t support that large numbers of people are moving out of the state at this time, Hardcastle added. “And, if some are moving out, we are having enough people move in to the state or having enough children to offset those moving out.”

The estimates are based on household, school enrollment and employment data.

Hardcastle estimates that Clark County gained 7,900 gaming jobs from July 2010 to July 2011, but overall lost 2,400 jobs because of a 3,800-job drop in government employment.

In the rural counties, Nye County saw an estimated 1.7 percent increase in population. In Northeast Nevada, counties grew by about 1.5 percent, which Hardcastle attributed that to the mining boom.

“Gold prices have been sustained, and that industry has continued to grow, while ‘traditional’ industries such as the financial sector, construction, manufacturing and retail continue to lose jobs,” Hardcastle said.