Growing County Population Tops 2.5 Million

San Diego County’s population topped 2.5 million as the county gained 92,300 residents during 1989, according to state estimates released Wednesday.

Department of Finance population estimates show that 2,509,900 people were living in the county as of January, up 3.8% from the previous January’s 2,417,600.

The biggest share of the newcomers--either through birth or relocation--went to the city of San Diego, which added 30,500 residents. The San Diego city population is now 1,118,300, the estimates say.

Rural and unincorporated areas of the county now have 414,600 residents, reflecting a gain of 23,400. Unincorporated areas now account for 16% of the county’s population.

After San Diego, cities with the biggest growth were Escondido (5,400), Chula Vista (3,700), San Marcos (3,200), and Encinitas (2,000). Among the cities with the least growth were Solana Beach (50), National City (200), and El Cajon (200).

Overall, the state’s population increased from 29.7 million to 29.47 million, or 2.7%. The gain of 772,000 people was the largest annual increase since the state’s beginning.