Deschutes County seventh fastest-growing metro area in U.S.

Deschutes County’s population grew to an estimated 170,388 people last year, making it the seventh-fastest-growing metro area in the country, according to new U.S. Census Bureau figures released Thursday.

The population increased by 2.67 percent between July 2013 and July 2014. The influx of new residents has made Deschutes County the fastest-growing county in Oregon for the second year in a row. Between 2012 and 2013, the county grew by 2.6 percent.

Multnomah County, the largest county in the state, grew 1.4 percent last year. Crook and Jefferson counties grew 1 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively.