Pop goes the world

• The Census Bureau estimates that Butte County’s population grew by about 6,000 people in the last two years.

• The Chico Chamber of Commerce estimates that Chico has grown at a steady rate of about 2 percent for the past two decades or so. The chamber sent 271 relocation packets to the Bay Area in the last two years.

• The California Department of Finance projects Butte County will add 50,000 residents by 2010. By 2020, it projects the population will exceed 300,000; by 2030, 363,050; and by 2040, 419,865.

• Santa Clara County lost the most residents of any of the biggest counties in America in the last two years, shedding 12,511 residents. Next on the list is San Francisco County, which lost 11,929 people. Neighboring Alameda and Marin counties also lost residents, but Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Sonoma gained. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau.)

• California’s present population is roughly 35 million. By 2050, California will likely be home to more than 60 million people.

• The U.S. population is roughly 285.3 million.