This is the fastest growing county in Michigan

DETROIT – New numbers from the US Census this week show one area of Michigan growing faster than others.

Here's some info from Eric Guthrie, Michigan's state demographer: 

The top rankings change when we look at the county population increases on a percent basis. Ottawa County saw the largest proportional increase over the period with a gain of 6.9 percent.

Kent retained the second spot with an increase of 6.5 percent, and Grand Traverse County rounded out the top three with an advance of 5.9 percent. On the other end of the spectrum, Ontonagon and Gogebic saw the largest percent population declines over the period with losses of 12.4 and 7.0 percent, respectively.

This data also allows for analysis of population change during the most recent annual period of 2015- 2016. During 2016, Kent County saw the largest absolute single year increase of just over 6,000 residents while Missaukee saw the largest percentage advance over the year of nearly 1.2 percent.

ALSO SEE: Why is Northern Michigan seeing a decrease in population?

Washtenaw saw the second largest increase in absolute and proportional terms with an addition of over 3,800 residents or just over 1 percent. Unsurprisingly,

Wayne County recorded the largest absolute reduction in population over the year losing nearly 7,700 residents. Schoolcraft County saw the largest proportional decline between 2015 and 2016 with a loss of 1.9 percent.

MORE ON STATEWIDE CENSUS NUMBERS HERE