Elk Grove, a Northern California city that didn't even exist ten years ago, was the country's fastest growing "large" city last year, according to the latest government estimates.

Located south of Sacramento, Elk Grove's population grew by 11.6 percent during the 12-month period between July 2004 and July 2005, to 112,338, the Census Bureau reports. The city incorporated less than six years ago.

Three other California cities made the Census Bureau's annual list of the fastest growing "large " cities -- Moreno Valley, Rancho Cucamonga and Irvine. All three are located in Southern California, and were sixth, seventh and 10th on the list, respectively.

North Las Vegas, the second fastest growing big city, also is relatively new. And it grew by 11.4 percent during the period, to 176,635.

Florida placed three cities on the Top Ten list: Port St. Lucie was the third fastest growing large city. Cape Coral in the Ft. Myers area was fifth, and Miramar, eighth. And two cities in Arizona -- Gilbert, fourth, and Chandler, eighth, both in the Phoenix area -- rounded out the list.

(These estimates are based on Census 2000 population counts that has been updated using information on building permits and other estimates of change.)

On a purely numerical basis, Phoenix registered the largest population jump during the 12-month, July-to-July period, increasing by nearly 45,000 people.

The other biggest numerical gainers were San Antonio, up by 21,420, and Ft. Worth, which grew by 21,000.

Despite these gains, however, New York City continues to be the country's most populous, with 8.1 million inhabitants at last count. That's more than twice the population of Los Angeles, which, with 3.8 million residents, is the second largest.

Chicago is the third largest city in the country with 2.8 million people, followed by Houston with 2.02 million, Philadelphia with 1.463 million and Phoenix with 1.461 million.

San Antonio has replaced San Diego as the seventh most heavily populated city in the nation. San Antonio has 1.256 million residents as of July 2005, while San Diego had 1.255 million.

Dallas is the ninth largest city in the country with 1.213 million residents and San Jose is 10th -- and the only one in the Top Ten with less than a million inhabitants -- with 912,332.

(Source: Census Bureau)

Published: July 19, 2006

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When Lew Sichelman first started writing about housing in 1969, he was the youngest real estate writer in the country. Now, 37 years later, he's one of the oldest -- and most decorated. He has been rated the top housing columnist in the country by the National Association of Realtors as well as by his peers in the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Indeed, NAREE has recognized his work on numerous occasions. One year - due to his advancing age, he can't recall which one - he earned top honors in the annual NAREE Journalism Contest in three out of the four major writing categories. It was the first time one writer has won so many NAREE awards in a single year. Known for his ability to make even the most difficult topics understandable, Sichelman also has been honored by the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association. He began providing in-depth coverage of and consumer-oriented information about housing and housing finance at the Washington Daily News, where he was real estate editor. He held that same position for nine more years at the Washington Star, which purchased the News in 1972. The Star, a so-called "writer's newspaper" which also had the misfortune of being an evening paper, was put out of its misery in 1981, and Sichelman, who had begun self-syndicating his column in 1978, decided to become a full-time columnist. Today, his column, "The Housing Scene," is distributed by United Media to newspapers throughout the country. He also is on the staff of National Mortgage News, an independent newspaper which is considered the bible of the mortgage business. And he writes for numerous other publications, including MarketWatch.com, where he answers readers questions once a week, Sports Illustrated (don't ask), RealtyTimes.com, BigBuilder and others. Sichelman is married, the father of five and grandfather of eleven.

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