Raleigh's population grew 3% in 2008

Raleigh, N.C. — The city's population grew 3 percent last year, to 385,507, according to an estimate released Monday.

The Growth Management Division of the city Planning Department bases its estimates on the number of dwelling units, the average number of people per household and average dwelling occupancy and vacancy rates.

Since last January, the city added 11,187 residents, officials estimated. More than half of the increase came in the first half of 2008, they said.

“While the growth rate dropped slightly and the economy slowed in late 2008, Raleigh still added the same number of people in 2008 that it added in 2006,” Planning Director Mitchell Silver said in a statement. “The economy has affected Raleigh’s growth rate, but the area still remains one of the fast-growing regions in the country.”

The areas with the majority of newly added population since 2000 continue to be in northeast Raleigh, including Wakefield, northwest Raleigh, including Brier Creek, and southeast Raleigh outside the Interstate 440 Beltline, officials said.