Sisters population up 18.6 percent

Sisters' population grew by 18.6 percent between 1990 and 1999, according to final 1999 Oregon population estimates produced by the Center for Population Research and Census (CPRC) at Portland State University.

The city added 132 residents over the course of the decade. However, between 1998-99, Sisters reportedly lost a net 10 residents.

The population of Central Oregon is increasing at a slower rate than from 1997 to 1998, according to calculations by CPRC.

Deschutes County's population growth during the 1990s continues to be the highest in the state in percentage terms, rising from 39.9 percent between 1990 and 1998 to 42.3 between 1990 and 1999.

Population growth in the county between 1998 and 1999 expanded at less than half the rate experienced between 1997 and 1998, ranking it third among Oregon counties at 1.7 percent.

In terms of actual growth, the county added 31,742 residents from 1990 to 1999, thus maintaining its ranking of sixth among Oregon counties for actual population growth.

Between 1998 and 1999, Deschutes County also ranked sixth among Oregon counties, adding 1,800 additional residents.

According to CPRC all 1,800 newcomers took up residence in the county's incorporated cities. County officials are calling into question CPRC's population estimates for its unincorporated areas. According to Deschutes County associate planner Damian Syrnyk, the estimates are off by about 2,000 because they do not accurately reflect growth in unincorporated areas.

Bend experienced a growth rate of 147.7 percent between 1990 and 1999, followed by Redmond at 78.8, ranking them fifth and 19th among Oregon's incorporated cities.

In the period 1998 to 1999, Bend (+42.1 percent) had the second-highest growth rate statewide right after Banks. Redmond's population grew by 3 percent while Sisters' population reportedly declined by 1.2 percent during the same period.

Bend's high growth rate is a reflection of both contin- ued growth and its recent annexation of its urban growth boundary, which was estimated to have added about 13,648 residents to the city as of June 1999.

In terms of actual growth from 1990 to 1999, Bend added 30,203 new residents, ranking it third among Oregon cities for actual population growth. Redmond added 5,645 additional residents, ranking it 19th.

Between 1998 and 1999, Bend added 15,015 residents ranking it first among Oregon's incorporated cities. Redmond added 375 additional residents.