Maricopa soon to be 3rd largest county in U.S.

The Arizona Republic
Mar. 15, 2006 08:30 PM

How goes Maricopa County's growth? There are 375 answers a day, or one for every person arriving throughout the year.

Maricopa County will soon be the nation's third-largest county - behind Los Angeles and Chicago's Cook. 61.2% of the state's population lives there.

Census estimates to be released Thursday rank Maricopa No. 1 nationally in population gains for both the year ending July 1, 2005, and since the 2000 census.

Here's the story in numbers:

3,635,528. That was the estimated population in July 2005.

Think that's a lot? Let's put it this way - it's equivalent to the entire state's population in 1990.

563,193. That's the largest increase of any county in the U.S. since 2000 census - more than the combined populations of Scottsdale, Tempe and Gilbert.

136,941. The number of people who have been arriving annually - enough to fill Sun Devil Stadium twice in a year.

375. The number of people who arrive in the Valley daily. Enough to fill about six busloads.