Manatee County Population Booming

MANATEE - Unincorporated Manatee County's population boom continued last year, far outpacing growth in the county's towns and cities, according to new estimates released today.

An estimated 228,197 people lived in Lakewood Ranch, Parrish and other unincorporated areas of Manatee last July 1, the U.S. Census Bureau said. That's 9,631 more people than a year earlier, and eight times greater than the 1,174 residents the county's six municipalities added during the same period.

Local officials said Tuesday the disparity was no surprise, given that there's more undeveloped land outside Manatee's cities than within.

"They're building houses about as fast as they can out there," Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston said.

"Boy, around Parrish, it just boggles my mind," added Palmetto Mayor Larry Bustle.

Bradenton remained Manatee's largest city, with an estimated 53,917 residents last year. Palmetto's population estimate was 13,510 people, followed by Holmes Beach (5,100), the Manatee portion of Longboat Key (2,627), Anna Maria (1,867) and Bradenton Beach (1,561).

Overall, Manatee grew by an estimated 10,805 people from mid-2004 to reach 306,779 in mid-2005, the Census Bureau previously said. The estimates released today were for almost 19,500 towns, cities and other incorporated places.

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These projections for future growth in Manatee County is good news for our real estate market. Even though we are currently experiencing a market correction, future demand is anticipated. Once our excess inventory is absorbed we should see strong appreciation rates return.