Gilroy’s community increased by 1,463 to 51,544 in 2012 according to data released by the California Department of Finance in its annual population report.
The 2.9 percent increase for the city is the second largest in Santa Clara County, just behind the 3.1 percent population growth experienced by Los Altos Hills.
Mayor Don Gage is pleased to see numbers returning to pre-2007 levels.
“When the crash came we lost numbers,” Gage said. “It went down to around 49,000.”
The 213-home development underway at Monterey Road and Luchessa Avenue – reported by the Dispatch last Friday – is a clear sign that economic confidence is returning, according to Gage.
“People are coming back,” Gage observed. “Houses are available.”
While Gage wouldn’t speculate on the demographic makeup of his new constituents without seeing hard data, he thinks that increasing home sales in the $400,000 price range indicate an economic resurgence for Gilroy’s middle class.
The quick spike in numbers surprised the mayor, but he has no qualms about the City’s ability to handle the influx of people seeking to make the Garlic Capital their home.
“Obviously they do their homework,” Gage said, referring to developers and City staff.
Gilroy’s population rebound is part of the push that has propelled Santa Clara County to be the fastest growing county in the state with an overall 1.6 percent increase, according to the report. Gage sees the Bay Area tech industry as the economic driver underpinning everything.
“Silicon Valley is where the jobs are,” he noted.
The population estimates are produced annually by the California Department of Finance and run from January to January. Federal, state and local agencies use the estimates for research and planning purposes, according to the Department of Finance.
