For the second year in a row, Denton is among the 10 fastest-growing cities in the country with populations of 100,000 or more, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released to­day.

Denton ranked 10th, with a growth rate of 4.7 percent, among the nation’s fastest-growing cities from July 1, 2006, to July l, 2007, according to the Census Bureau.

The data indicates that Denton is still growing despite the housing slump and economic woes.

“Growth is really the best of times for cities,” said Mayor Mark Burroughs in a telephone interview from Cairo, Egypt.

“I’m very, very pleased to be at the helm of Denton” in working to create a long-term plan for the future, he said.

Last year with a 5.1 percent growth rate, the city captured the No. 9 slot in the Census Bureau estimates from 2005 to 2006.

“Being in that category [top 10] is exciting,” said Mayor Pro Tem Pete Kamp, who added that people are still finding out that Denton is a great place to live. 

While Burroughs and Kamp are pleased with the growth, they ac­knowledge the challenges that accompany it.

Kamp said it’s important to make sure the city’s infrastructure and services are in place to keep up with growth.

With that growth and implementing plans to support it, Burroughs said, it’s also important to protect the parts of Denton that make it unique.

McKinney also was bumped down one slot by going from the second fastest-growing city at midyear 2006 to the third in 2007, according to the figures. Its growth rate slowed from 11.1 percent in 2006 to 8 percent in 2007.

Denton and McKinney shared the top-10 list this year with Killeen (No. 6).

Fort Worth (No. 11) falls just below Denton with a growth rate of 4.5 percent.

Ranking first is New Or­leans, which saw a growth rate of 13.8 percent from an influx of 28,926 residents.

The Census Bureau estimates Den­ton’s population at 115,506, which is significantly different from the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ estimate of 106,050 re­leased last month.

While the numbers from the Census Bureau and council of governments typically vary, there seems to be a significant difference this year.

According to the Census Bur­eau estimates, Denton grew by more than 5,000 people from July 2006 to July 2007, while the council of governments estimates the city grew by 500 people from January 2007 to January 2008.

Duane Dankesreiter, re­search manager for the council of governments, said that without looking at the figures the Census Bureau used, differences in methodology and in time frame might explain the discrepancy between the estimates.

The council of governments determines its estimate similar to the Census Bureau at the municipal level, and part of it is figured by building permit data, he said. In mid-2006, there was a peak in permits issued and the Census Bureau numbers may reflect half of the growth boom and half of the slowdown, Dankesreiter said.

While Burroughs had no explanation for the differences in the two organizations’ figures, he said he favors the census estimates based on the school district’s increase in students.

There may be a group that the Census Bureau includes and the council of governments doesn’t, and a great majority of the school district’s student population increase is within the city, he said.

The school district continues to experience significant growth in all portions of the district, which includes within the city and in the Aubrey, Corinth and Argyle areas, said Deputy Superintendent Jamie Wilson.

“What it says is we have a great community, and people are looking forward to moving into the city and the school district,” Wilson said.

AMY DODD THOMPSON can be reached at 940-566-6876. Her e-mail address is athompson@dentonrc.com .

Below is the top 15 population change estimates released today by the U.S. Census Bureau for cities or towns with more than 100,000 people from July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2007, ranked by percent change:

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau Population Division