LandWatch State of Monterey County Report 1999

4.1 Population and Population Forecasts



As of 1999, Monterey County is the third fastest growing county in California. The county's population has increased 35% since 1980 (Table 17), and the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) projects that it will grow another 37% by 2020 to a population over 536,000 (Table 18). Buildout of city and county general plans would allow for an increase of 53%, to about 600,000 people. AMBAG's population forecast predicts that 83% of the forecasted growth will be in cities. The general plans, which typically do not have a time frame for "buildout" (the condition expected to occur when general plans are fully realized and reach their planned maximum population), show that 75% of the growth will be in cities. Depending on whether AMBAG's forecast or the general plans' estimation is accurate, between 17 to 25% of new growth will occur in the unincorporated area, rather than in existing cities where services are available and can be provided most efficiently.


Table 18--Population Forecasts, 1999-2020 and 1999 to Buildout

Jurisdiction

1999

2020(12)

Percent Increase

Buildout(11)

Percent Increase

Cities

287,600

408,949

42%

443,664

54%

Unincorporated

103,700

127,660

23%

155,100

50%

Total

391,300

536,609

37%

598,764

53%


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