Georgetown Population Growth Rate

The estimates for the population over time in Georgetown are quite variable. Most estimates start with the official census numbers that were tabluated in 2010. However, the estimates from different sources for 2016 often vary by several thousand. There are other indirect measures of population growth that are quite accurate. For instance the growth rate in water connections and electrical hookups within the city. Consider the following charts:

This chart is based on census bureau estimates of population. This shows a growth rate of 5.83% annually.

The number of electrical hookup within the city have grown at a rate of 4.42% annually.

The number of water connections have grown at an annual rate of 4.5%. This excludes the additional hookup resulting from the Chisholm Trail acquisition that ocurred in 2015.

Thus, we see that the growth rate of the Georgetown population has grown at a rate of 4.42% to 5.83% annually over the last 5 years. There is no definitive answer as to which rate is correct, but, it seems logical that the water and electrical hookups offer a better current estimate of the growth of Georgetown.

Using the hookup rate of growth of 4.5% makes the budget growth over the same 5 years of 12.8% even more problematic. What is the justification for the City Council allowing the budget to grow 2.8 times as fast as the population? Taxpayers would like to know the answer.