Nevada population declines for first time since 1920

11/8/10, "Downturn douses Nevada's growth streak," USA Today, H. Nasser

"The recession and housing bust have accomplished what no other economic slump has managed to in the past century: end Nevada's population-growth streak.

The USA's fastest-growing state for 19 consecutive years until 2006 will see its population drop an estimated 70,000 or 2.6% this year to 2.64 million, Nevada's state demographer predicts. It would be the largest annual drop for a state since thousands of Louisiana residents were displaced by Hurricane Katrina, slicing that state's population 5.7% to 4.2 million in 2006.

The last time Nevada suffered a decline was in 1920, when its population totaled 77,407 or about the number the state expects to lose this year. The drop reflects the toll the recession and foreclosure crisis is taking on

• once rapidly growing communities in states such as Arizona, Florida and California.

"The major loss (in Nevada) is happening between now and 2013," says Jeff Hardcastle, state demographer at the University of Nevada-Reno. "In a state that has two main industries — gaming and construction — people realize we're not in a good situation."

• Nevada has had the highest state foreclosure rate for 15 quarters.

One in every 29 housing units received a foreclosure filing in the third quarter of this year — almost five times the national average, according to RealtyTrac.

• Nevada also tops all other states in unemployment — 14.4% compared with 9.6% nationwide.

Construction employment, which peaked at 148,800 in June 2006, fell to 60,400 in September. Total employment dropped from 1.3 million in May 2007 to about 1.1 million earlier this year. "It was really startling and striking ... the magnitude (of the losses)," Hardcastle says. "To not be growing is a shock.""

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The sub-prime scandal is entirely the fault of George Bush. Of course Obama has done much worse. If there is anything funny about this, I heard someone interviewed today say Jeb Bush definitely wants to run for president (not saying when). He must be delusional.

• George Bush trashed this country, ruined our lives, and put George Soros in the White House. His brother Jeb would be worse. He was so popular he couldn't even deliver the state of Florida to his brother in 2000.

Job #1 is getting rid of everyone in the GOP with ties to Bush. That means no more Bushes ever. None. Never. Jeb, it's not "your turn" now or ever.

Get a life.