Population Growth

Population Growth

Why is it important?

People significantly affect trends and conditions in the Sierra’s social, natural and financial capital. They may build capital if they are entrepreneurs who create good jobs or they become employees in growing businesses. New residents also support local businesses when they buy houses or hardware, enroll in exercise classes or eat out. They also build social capital whey they volunteer for Rotary, Soroptimists, PTAs or building trails.

On the other hand, more people also create problems when they demand limited resources. When land and housing prices fly skyward, communities can unravel. Traffic may choke interstates and intersections. Crowds may ruin a visit to Yosemite or Desolation Wilderness. Conflicts can increase when urban residents move into rural communities. Ranchers may have to curtail their operations to not offend new neighbors next door. And the tussle over who gets Sierra water -- residents or remote cities, fish or farmers, rafters or hydropower producers – is eternal.

Our challenge as business and community leaders is to make decisions so that the population grows in ways that build at least two forms of capital without diminishing the third. How we develop private land, build transportation infrastructure, recreate outdoors, and conduct public processes all influence who lives here and how strong our economies and communities are.

How are we doing?

Population in the Sierra Nevada has grown to 819,000 residents, making it the fastest growing region in California since 1990. In fact, the Sierra is growing faster than was predicted in the 1999-2000 Wealth Index, especially after the recession began in 2003. Almost all the additional growth is in the North Central counties, although the South Central is growing rapidly as well. At this pace, the Sierra will surpass 1 million residents by 2020.
Bear in mind that these numbers account only for residents, not the growing “shadow population” of recreationists and second homeowners who also enjoy our region.