Centre County boasts second highest population growth
Data show Cambria lost 10,620 residents
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The Blair County region is home to one of the fastest growing and one of the fastest shrinking counties in the state, new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show.
Centre County had the second highest population growth in percentages between 2010 and 2017, the bureau's American Fact Finder website said.
Centre County grew by 5.6 percecent between 2010 and 2017, going from 154,030 to 162,660 residents, a gain in population of 8,630. Estimates show Centre gained an average of 1,238 people a year.
The only county that had a higher percentage of growth was Cumberland at 6.2 percent.
However, the story was flipped for Blair County's western neighbor.
Cambria County had the second largest percentage population drop during the same seven years. Cambria saw its population fall from 143,674 after the 2010 census to the July 2017 estimate of 133,054. That's a net loss of 10,620 people or a 7.4 percent drop.
Only Cameron County saw a higher percentage drop of 9.7.
Cambria saw its population fall by about 1,518 people per year, with the biggest drop of 2,769 occurring between July 1, 2012, and July 1, 2013.
Blair, Bedford, Clearfield and Huntingdon all saw declines but by smaller amounts.
Blair County saw its population drop by a 3,619 people from 127,076 in 2010 to an estimated 123,457 as of July 1, 2017. That's a 2.8 percent decline. On average over the seven years, Blair County lost 519 people per year. It's biggest single drop, a loss of 891, occurred between mid-2015 and mid-2016.
Bedford County saw its population fall by 2.6 percent over the seven-year period, going from 49,768 after the 2010 census to 48,480 in the 2017 estimates. On average, Bedford lost an average of 183 period, with its biggest drop of 397 occurring from mid-2014 to mid-2015.
The number of people residing in Clearfield County fell by 1,909 or
2.3 percent between 2010 and 2017. In the last census, 81,594 people called Clearfield County home. That fell to 79,685 in the 2017 estimates. On average, Clearfield County lost nearly 280 people a year, with the biggest drop of 616 coming between mid-2015 and mid-2016.
Huntingdon County saw its population drop by 540 or 1.2 percent between 2010 and 2017. It had 46,031 residents in 2010 and 45,491 in the 2017 estimates. On average, Huntingdon lost 60 people per year, with its largest drop of 229 occurring between mid-2014 and mid-2015.
Statewide, Pennsylvania's population grew 0.8 percent between 2010 and 2017, ending at 12,805,537.
Forty-six counties reported a population gain of at least 0.1 percent over that period. Nineteen saw population losses of more than 0.1 percent.