Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Portland State University Population Research Center has released preliminary estimates for this year's growth in Oregon.

Now local areas have a month to update the numbers.

Ethan Lindsey reports from Bend.

Bend residents were concerned the local population might  decline, with unemployed workers leaving.

But Deschutes County is again the fastest growing region in the state. It grew by 3600 people, or more than 2 percent. Suburban Washington County was the second-fastest growing county.

Still, even though central Oregon did grow, it did so more slowly than in years past.

Risa Proehl is with PSU's Population Research Center.

Risa Proehl: "Usually, in the past, Oregon's population growth has been attributed more to the number of net migrants, you know, movers in, rather than natural increase – births minus deaths. But this year, it's about half-and-half."

The state requires researchers to produce a final population estimate by December. Those numbers will be used to disburse some state funding.