Spokane has added a little cushion to its lead over Tacoma as the second most populous city in Washington, according to the latest state population estimates. The Lilac City increased its edge over the City of Destiny from 1,700 souls to 2,100.

The annual figures released Monday by the Office of Financial Management show growth across the state slowing to 1.2 percent due to the economic downturn.

Fewer people are moving to Washington from other states, the state’s chief demographer, Theresa Lowe, said in a statement. The number of annual in-migrants fell from a recent peak of 81,000 in 2006 to 39,000 for 2009.

“The continued housing contraction nationwide and poor economic conditions appear to be limiting the mobility of the population usually influenced by labor market opportunities,” she said in the statement. Many people were having a hard time selling their homes or encountering other barriers to relocation, she said.

From 2000 to 2009, Pierce County had 95,584 births, 49,303 deaths and 66,501 people move in from elsewhere – resulting in a 16 percent population increase.

The state estimates the population as of April 1 by using various sources: school enrollment figures, along with housing, voter and driver’s license data. The estimates are used to dole out state funds and to help governments determine the need for services.

OFM highlighted the drop in people surrendering out-of-state driver’s licenses in Washington verses those giving up Washington licenses in other states. The data showed a slight, short-term uptrend, but a healthy decline from 2006 and a steep drop from a peak in 1991.

Where are most migrants coming from?

California – 26,400 of them between April 2008 to April 2009. But that’s down from a peak of about 40,000 in the early ’90s.

Washington is also becoming more urban. About 60 percent of the total population of 6.7 million lives in cities and towns, up by about half a million since 2000. Annexations account for about a third of that increase.

More information can be found at www.ofm.wa.gov.

Ian Demsky: 253-597-8872

ian.demsky@thenewstribune.com