Allen County touts continued population growth

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — Officials in Allen County are celebrating an increase in new residents for the third consecutive year. Citing statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, Greater Fort Wayne Inc. says the county added just under 1,500 residents in 2019, which is the highest single-year total since the bureau began tracking net migration in 1991.

“Net domestic migration” refers to the number of people who have moved into a community minus how many have moved away. GFW says overall, Allen County’s population grew by 4,220 in 2019, which includes net domestic migration, as well as natural population change and net international migration.

“The numbers over the last five years show the incredible growth that is occurring in the Allen County community,” Allen County Commissioners Rich Beck, Therese Brown, and Nelson Peters said in a joint statement. “Each successive year has illustrated movement from a negative growth in the population to one of the very few communities in the Midwest that are actually adding to their ranks. We will continue the great work that is occurring here to ensure that the entire country sees our county as a great place be.”

GFW says the county’s one-year growth rate of 1.1% marks its strongest population growth in more than 20 years. The national population growth for 2019 was only 0.5%.