Hernando's population holds steady while other counties slip

While other counties in Florida are facing losses in population, Hernando County is holding its own with each year.
Highlands County is one of those counties in the losing bracket. The county's overall population, out of its three municipalities, lost a net of .11 percent or 96 people between 2008 and 2009, according to a report recently released by the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
However, that same report showed that Hernando County's overall population between 2008 and 2009 grew .11 percent from 164,907 to 165,048 or 141 people and the unincorporated population gained 148 people or .12 percent between 2008 and 2009.
Similar trends have been occurring since 2007. Unincorporated Hernando County gained 2,384 people between 2007 and 2008 and Brooksville's overall population grew from 7,309 to 7,640 in that same year.
However, there have been some loses for Hernando County. Between 2008 and 2009 Brooksville lost seven people or .10 percent. The city of Weeki Wachee with a population of 8 in 2007 went to 7 in 2008 and remained the same for 2009.
According to the Florida Health Statistics and Community health data, births and deaths are two factors that keep the population hovering around the same number.
Births per 100,000 population increased between 2007 and 2008 from 1,582 to 1,611. However, deaths have also increased from 2,339 in 2007 to 2,446 in 2008. Births and deaths between 2008 and 2009 were not available.
Mike McHugh, Hernando County development services director, said the development business is a good reflection of the fluctuating population.
"We have seen a slight decrease in demand but we are still adding more multi family and single family residences," McHugh said. "We don't build homes if there's not a demand for them."