CHAPTER
16
AT CENTURY'S END: A LOOK TO THE FUTURE AND TO THE PAST
R
>y the mid-1990s, it became apparent that all of the previous growth estimates for Utah County were incredibly low. Due to the increasing in-migration and the high birthrate (among the top in the nation), the county's population increased rapidly—moving from 137,777 in 1970 to 218,106 in 1980. By 1990, it stood at 263,590, and within four years it had increased to more than 300,000. According to projections in 1989, the population was not going to reach 280,000 until the year 2000.' By 1997, however, the estimated population in each incorporated community showed continued growth since 1990: Provo, to 100,016 people (10 percent rate of growth); Orem, 80,111 (18 percent); American Fork, 20,094 (28 percent); Pleasant Grove, 19,466 (44 percent); Springville, 16,009 (14 percent); Spanish Fork, 15,444 (37 percent); Lehi, 14,309 (68 percent); Payson, 11,442 (20 percent); Highland, 6,654 (33 percent); Lindon, 6,224 (63 percent); Alpine, 5,309 (52 percent); Mapleton, 4,801 (34 percent); Salem, 3,301 (44 percent); Santaquin, 2,776 (16 percent); Elk Ridge, 1,581 (105 percent); Cedar Hills, 1,340 (74 percent); Woodland Hills, 975 (223 percent); Genola, 877 (9 percent); Goshen, 581 (0.5 percent); 384
