Bonita nears 40K, Cape No. 5 in growth

Cape Coral is the fifth fastest growing city in America, according to reports released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday.

In addition to Southwest Florida’s largest city getting 9.2 percent larger between July 2004 and July 2005, Lee County grew by just less than 5.8 percent. That’s 29,835 new residents in those 12 months.

“That’s a daunting figure,” said Pete Winton, assistant county manager.

The numbers aren’t quite so daunting for the city of Bonita Springs, but the city saw 2,141 new residents during those 12 months, According to the census, Bonita Springs has 37,992 residents, good for a 5.97 percent increase.

The Bureau of Economic and Business Research differs slightly and says the city had a population of 42,300 in April 2005.

“In some places we’re pretty close,” said BEBR research demographer Scott Cody. “We’re higher than them for the county in general, lower for the unincorporated portion.”

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Royal Taylor, who is vacationing with his wife and daughter from Pittsburgh, Pa., floats on his back in the water off Bonita Beach on Tuesday afternoon. With Bonita Springs’ beaches still being a driving force behind the population growth in southwest Florida, the latest Census Bureau information shows that, as of July 2005, Bonita Springs grew to just fewer than 40,000.

The BEBR figures are key for the cities, who like to see them come in high. That’s because they’re used to calculate state revenue sharing, and more people means more money.

Cape Coral Economic Development Director Mike Jackson said the city is one of the last bastions of canal frontage.

“It’s a large platted city with an effective city government,” he said. “And we’re still very affordable compared to many places in the country.”

Jennifer Dunn, spokeswoman for the Lee County economic development office, said the county has seen strong population growth for years, especially in the past few years. That’s gone along with strong growth in the job market, she said.

“We’ve gotten strong marks in job growth and in business climate,” she said. “There’s a great quality of life. This area has a lot to offer.”

Other Lee cities fall below Cape Coral’s rapid growth rate, and below the county rate. In Fort Myers those 12 months saw 1,367 new residents, making a total population of 58,428. That’s less than 2.4 percent more than in 2004.

The county has two small barrier island cities as well, one of which actually saw its population drop. Sanibel had a total population of 6,072 on July 1, 2005. That was 40 fewer residents than the year before, a drop of less than 1 percent.

Fort Myers Beach had 42 more people, a total of 6,834. The town grew by less than 1 percent.

The fastest growing city in America is Elk Grove, Cal., which saw an 11.6 percent increase to 112,338. Four of the 10 fastest growing cities are in California and three are in Florida. Port St. Lucie saw an 11 percent increase to 131,692, good for third fastest, and Miramar had a 5.2 percent growth to 106,623, good for eighth.

The fastest growing city list includes only those with populations of 100,000 or more. Otherwise Bonita Springs, and likely several others, might have cracked the top 10.

“In general whatever method you use when there’s rapid growth it’s harder to estimate,” Cody said.

It’s also easier for a smaller city to post a big percentage increase, Cody said. That’s not the case with Cape Coral, which has grown by 37 percent in the past five years.

“For a city of over 100,000 that’s pretty fast growth,” he said.