Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Latinos Fuel Growth in Santa Maria | California

Santa Maria’s population increased by 28.6 percent over the past 10 years, with most of the city’s growth fueled by the Latino community, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Santa Maria’s population climbed from 77,423 in 2000 to 99,553 in 2010, according to statewide data on the 2010 Census.

The city became the most populous in Santa Barbara County in 2006, reaching 89,917 and surpassing Santa Barbara for the first time.

The Latino community was responsible for most of the city’s growth, representing 70.4 percent or 70,114 of the city’s residents, compared to 59.6 percent in 2000.

Read the full article.