JACKSON LEADS AREA IN GROWTH, CENSUS SHOWS

People have flocked to Jackson over the past 10 years, building homes and opening businesses in the city and spurring population growth that other cities can only dream about.

Jackson's population grew by a staggering 29 percent in the 1990s, making it the fastest growing town in Southeast Missouri, 2000 census figures show. The Census Bureau Thursday released population figures for Missouri cities and counties.

Jackson's population is approaching 12,000. It grew by nearly 2,700 people in the last 10 years, the biggest population gain of any city in Southeast Missouri.

The city of Cape Girardeau, in contrast, grew by only 874 people or 2.5 percent. The census lists Cape Girardeau city's population at 35,349, a figure that local officials contend is too low.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said clean neighborhoods, reliable city services and a good school system make Jackson an attractive place to live. "We don't have any slum areas," he said.

Jackson's population explosion fueled much of the population growth for Cape Girardeau County as a whole, census figures show.

Cape Girardeau County grew by 7,060 people over the past 10 years.

The growth has spilled over into northern Scott County as well.

The cities of Jackson, Cape Girardeau and Scott City combined show a population of 51,887 in the 2000 census, nearly 4,000 more than in 1990.

Having a population of more than 50,000 increases the possibility the region could be designated an urban area by the federal government, said Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce President John Mehner.

Such a designation would lead to establishment of a metropolitan planning organization, Mehner said. That would give the area a larger say in planning for major road projects and other transportation improvements.

Cape Girardeau County remains the most populated county in Southeast Missouri, with 68,693 residents, an 11.5 percent increase over the 1990 census.

Ten of 13 Southeast Missouri counties showed population gains. But there were losers too.

The Bootheel counties of Mississippi, Pemiscot and New Madrid combined declined by more than 4,000 people. Pemiscot County's population plummeted by 1,874, leaving it with just over 20,000 residents.

The cities of Chaffee, Charleston, Dexter, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston saw their populations decline.

Census dispute

Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III believes the census undercounted Cape Girardeau city residents. "It seems to me somebody has made a major miscalculation," he said.

Spradling said annexations of residential areas such as Twin Lakes within the past 10 years should have given a bigger boost to the city's population.

The Census Bureau last fall released its July 1999 population estimates, which listed the city of Cape Girardeau with a population of 36,687, an increase of 1,758 people since 1990.

Spradling questions how the estimate could be so far off from the 2000 count. "The numbers just don't make sense," said the mayor. City officials plan to review the census figures in detail in an effort to see if errors were made.

That's happened before. Cape Girardeau city officials strongly questioned the 1990 census, arguing that census takers failed to count nearly 500 housing units. The Census Bureau ended up increasing the city's population figure, but only slightly.

Mehner believes 2000 census takers may have missed as many 1,000 people in the county's largest city.

Census Bureau officials couldn't be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

Ryan Burson, state demographer, said his office would work with Cape Girardeau or any other city that wants to challenge the census figures.

"I know, as in every census, there is going to be a method for challenging and questioning the count," he said. "Certainly, everybody knows no census is perfect."

THE NUMBERS

MISSOURI POPULATION

1990 2000 CHANGE %

5,117,073 5,595,211 478,138 9.3

County 1990 2000 Change % Change

Bollinger 10,619 12,029 1,410 13.3

Butler 38,765 40,867 2,102 5.4

Cape Girardeau 61,633 68,693 7,060 11.5

Dunklin 33,112 33,155 43 0.1

Madison 11,127 11,800 673 6.0

Mississippi 14,442 13,427 -1,015 -7.0

New Madrid 20,928 19,760 -1,168 -5.6

Pemiscot 21,821 20,047 -1,874 -8.5

Perry 16,648 18,132 1,484 8.9

Ripley 12,303 13,509 1,208 9.8

Scott 39,376 40,422 1,046 2.7

Stoddard 28,895 29,705 810 2.8

Wayne 11,543 13,259 1,716 14.9

CITY 1990 2000 Change % Change

Cape Girardeau 34,475 35,349 874 2.5

Caruthersville 7,369 6,760 -629 -8.5

Chaffee 3,059 3,044 -15 -0.5

Charleston 5,085 4,732 -353 -6.9

Dexter 7,506 7,356 -150 -2.0

East Prairie 3,416 3,227 -189 -5.5

Jackson 9,256 11,947 2,691 29.1

Kennett 10,941 11,260 319 2.9

Marble Hill 1,447 1,502 55 3.8

Perryville 6,933 7,667 734 10.6

Poplar Bluff 16,841 16,651 -190 -1.1

Scott City 4,292 4,591 299 7.0

Sikeston 17,641 16,992 -649 -3.7