Ask Counting Question, Get Many Answers

Just what is the population of Santa Clarita?

Depending on who you ask, the city has about 113,000 residents. Or 127,000. Or 147,000.

State, county and Santa Clarita officials admit that the real answer may be none of the above.

Until the 1990 census is complete, government agencies can only estimate the population of the city that will celebrate its second anniversary in December, officials say. The figures vary because each agency uses a different method to estimate population growth.

Donald M. Williams, an associate planner in Santa Clarita, said he believes that the most accurate figure is from a marketing firm that recently estimated the population at 127,000.

On Monday, the Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning released a report that called Santa Clarita the fastest growing city in the county during the first six months of 1988. In that time, the population grew to 113,048, the report said.

George Malone, head of the department’s population research section, said the figure is based on the number of building permits and the size of the average household.

The county figure is close to an estimate by the state Department of Finance, which said the city had 115,700 residents as of Jan. 1.

But the official state estimate--the one that appears on city boundary signs--is 147,000. That figure, from the state controller, is based on a formula used to determine the populations of newly incorporated cities. The controller multiplies the number of registered voters by three to get an estimate.

City, county and state officials do, however, agree that the controller’s figure is simply wrong. “That’s a little high,” said John Malson, a researcher with the Department of Finance. “That 147,000 number shouldn’t be bandied around. It shouldn’t be quoted.”

But until the census, 147,000 is the official state figure, city and state officials said.