Arizona #2 in Rapid Housing Growth

ARIZONA - The U.S. Census Bureau has just released new stats. At the state level, four of the five states with the most rapid housing growth are in the West: Nevada (with a growth rate of 4.5 %,) Arizona (3.5%,) Idaho (3.4%,) Florida (3.3%,) and Utah (3.1%.). Nevada's rate of growth was more than triple the national average. The South dominated the states adding the highest number of housing units. Florida gained 273,000 homes during the period to lead all states, followed by Texas (198,000), California (181,000), Georgia (101,000) and North Carolina (89,000). Louisiana was the only state to experience a decline, with the number of housing units falling by 110,000, or 5.7%. The estimates are based on Census 2000 counts supplemented by administrative records such as building permits. Pinal County, of the Phoenix metro area, had the highest growth rate of housing units of any county in the nation. Meanwhile, neighboring Maricopa County was the biggest numerical gainer.