Waukee continued to lead the state in growth between 2000 and 2002, gaining 1,181 new residents since the nation’s 2000 head count, the U.S. Census Bureau said in an announcement last week.

Technically, the eastern Dallas County community wasn’t the fastest-growing in Iowa – that distinction belongs to Tiffin in Eastern Iowa, whose 357 new residents gave it a 36.6 percent growth rate – but Waukee’s 21.9 percent population increase involved significantly more people. In the city-by-city growth rankings, Waukee was No. 5.

The growth in Waukee accounts for about one-third of the total population increase in Dallas County between April 1, 2000, when the official head count was compiled, and the July 1, 2002, estimate. Dallas County grew an estimated 8.5 percent to 44,222 residents, making it the fastest-growing county in Iowa, as it was between the 1990 and 2000 censuses.

Madison County was the second-fastest-growing county, increasing in size by 3.4 percent to 14,499 residents. Benton County in North Central Iowa was third, followed by Polk and Johnson counties.

Population gains were estimated in only 30 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Of those, only a third of those posted gains greater than 1 percent. The state’s population grew about 0.4 percent between 2000 and 2002 to 2,936,760.

The census information released last week showed growth in most metro area communities. One exception was Des Moines, which lost an estimated 633 residents. The new population estimate in Des Moines is 198,076. The number of residents in Windsor Heights slipped by 49 to 4,756.

In Greater Des Moines, Johnston grew the fastest, gaining 15.5 percent, or 1,341 new residents. Johnston was followed by Ankeny, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, West Des Moines, Urbandale and Clive.