County still ranks among tops in U.S. for growth

Another year brings yet another list of fastest-growing counties that includes Culpeper.

This time Culpeper fell a bit, ranking 61st among the 100-fastest growing U.S. counties with a population of 10,000 or greater, according to figures released last week by the U.S. Census.

The list looked at population change from April 2000 through July 2007, during which time Culpeper experienced a 33.4 percent increase. The county’s population in 2000 was 34,263 compared to last year’s census estimate of 45,723, an increase of 11,460.

The most recent projection from Culpeper County Planner John Egertson put the population slightly higher at 46,008.

That includes the population of the town of Culpeper: 15,600.

The town’s population in 2000 was 9,664, equating to a 61 percent increase overall in town in just seven years.

In that time as well, Culpeper County’s housing stock increased by 5,800 units, according to the census figures. In 2000, there were 12,949 homes in Culpeper County compared to 18,749 recorded through last July.

Egertson was not surprised that Culpeper County made the fastest-growing list again, but emphasized that the ranking takes into account Culpeper’s highest growth years, 2004-2005.

“We peaked at 6 percent (growth rate) one of those years,” he said. “We went from 2.3 percent in the 1990s to an average over the past seven years of probably 4 percent.

So, yes, that would be very fast growing.”

According to the census figures, the most houses built in Culpeper County in a single year occurred from July 2005 through July 2006 — 1,448 new units were added. The previous year saw 1,379 new homes added.

However, if one figured the growth rate in Culpeper County from 2006 to now, it would be low, Egertson said.

“We really have trailed off to nothing,” he said. “I guarantee now we are not on the top 100 of anyone’s list.”

Building permits issued recently in Culpeper are “minimal,” Egertson said.

Other Virginia counties making the most recent 100 fastest-growing list included Loudoun (5), King George (49), Spotsylvania (71), Stafford (77) and Prince William (96).

The No. 1 fastest growing was Flagler, Fla. followed by Sumter, Fla.

In the 2000 to 2006 time period, Culpeper ranked 52 on the census list.

In 1930, the town of Culpeper had just 2,379 residents. By 1940, the town had lost some people with a recorded population that year of 2,316.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or

How Virginia’s counties rank on a national scale

According to the U.S. Census, six Virginia counties were among the top 100 in the nation when it came to percent population growth from April 2000 to July 2007:

No. Locality             Pct.
5 Loudoun             64
49 King George 34.7
61 Culpeper           33.4
71 Spotsylvania 31.9
77 Stafford           30.6
96 Prince William 28.3