Have you noticed the freeways in the Phoenix area feeling a little more congested than usual? Maybe your morning (or afternoon) commute seems to take longer than it has in the past and everything just seems to be more packed. Well, you’re not crazy and you’re not alone. It turns out Maricopa County has become an extremely popular place to live these days.

The U.S. Census Bureau just released data of population estimates in metropolitan areas and counties across the country. Arizona actually topped parts of that list! Maricopa County and the Phoenix metropolitan area both saw a spike in population growth between 2016 and 2017.
Arizona Department of Transportation/Flickr
In fact, according to the estimates, Maricopa County has grown to be the fourth most populous county in the country with a population now reaching more than 4.3 million. Compared to 2016, when the county's population was over 4.2 million, it was an increase of more than 73,000 people — a 1.7 percent increase. Wow!
Alan Stark/Flickr

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Based on the numbers, Maricopa County now sits behind Los Angeles County in California (10.1 million), Cook County in Illinois (5.2 million), and Harris County in Texas (4.6 million) respectively.
Jeff Turner/Flickr
Meanwhile, the Phoenix metropolitan area saw a huge increase in population, ranking the fourth largest-gaining metro area in the country based on numeric changes. Between 2016 and 2017, the metropolitan area saw an increase of more than 88,000 people. This puts the metro area just behind Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta in population growth.
Kevin Rutherford/Flickr
In the meantime, it seems like those of us who live in or commute to Maricopa County or the Phoenix-metro area could use a little more quiet time in the great outdoors, especially while they're still secluded and serene.
CEBImagery/Flickr

If you’re currently living in Maricopa County, how do you feel about it growing larger every year? What do you miss about life before the population exploded here? Or, alternatively, what do you love about the county growing?

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