By DAVID PIERCE
Pocono Record Writer

Yet another government report confirms that Monroe County is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S., fed primarily by home purchases by New Jersey and New York commuters.

The U.S. Census Bureau calls the East Stroudsburg Micropolitan Area -- a designation encompassing Monroe County -- the third fastest growing medium-sized region in the country for 2000 through 2003. During the three-year period, Monroe's population grew by an estimated 11.4 percent to 154,000.

The Census report documents population changes in defined metropolitan statistical areas -- which include at least one concentrated urbanized area of at least 50,000 people -- and micropolitan areas with at least one urbanized cluster of 10,000 to 50,000 people.

Pike County, whose population was placed at 52,000, is defined as a small portion of the New York metropolitan area -- the nation's largest metropolitan region -- that includes Northern New Jersey and Long Island.

Among the micropolitan areas, Monroe County (called the "East Stroudsburg" area in the Census report) is ranked behind the 24.8 percent growth of Palm Coast, Fla. and the 15 percent growth in Heber, Utah.

Following Monroe County's third-place ranking, Kill Devil Hills, N.C., and the Kingman, Ariz., area are tied for fourth with a 10.5 percent growth rate. Lexington Park, Md., with a growth rate of 7.6 percent, is the only other area in the northeastern U.S. to rank among the nation's top 20 micropolitan areas.

Monroe County also is the nation's sixth most populous micropolitan region.

Migration of new residents here from outside Monroe County resulted in a population gain of 29.7 per thousand, says the report, with only 2.5 per thousand of the growth resulting from a "natural increase" of births minus deaths.

"That migration rate is what surprised me," said Michael DeFrank, data manager of the Pennsylvania State Data Center in Harrisburg. "We don't see any change for the foreseeable future."

But Pats Neelakantan, an economics professor at East Stroudsburg University, says the high migration rate also was documented in a 2002 county workforce survey the ESU economics department performed for Pocono Mountains Industries.

"We're primarily a commuter county," said Neelakantan. "A lot of people live here and work in New York and New Jersey."

That survey determined that about one-quarter of the county's 68,000 workforce -- or 17,000 people -- commute to work outside Monroe. About 9,000 residents work in New Jersey, another 4,000 work in New York state, and others commute to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre or the Lehigh Valley.

He describes the commuters as generally middle-aged, married with children, and better educated and better paid than residents who work inside Monroe County.

About 35 percent of Monroe County commuters earn salaries between $50,000 and $75,000. About 17 percent of commuters earn at least $75,000, while only about 8 percent of in-county workers reach the $75,000 threshold.

"These are very well paid families," Neelakantan said. "These are long-term commuters, and they're likely to have children in school. So they have money to spend on our local economy."

The commuter building boom has created 1,000 additional construction jobs during a three-year period, Neelakantan said. Commuters also buy furniture, appliances and other items in Monroe County.

"Most of their money is spent here," said Neelakantan.

He says commuters move here for relatively inexpensive housing and a low cost of living. But he discounts the notion that commuters are attracted by better schools.

"The schools in New Jersey are generally better," he said, pointing to rigorous education standards in the Garden State.

Danuda Zawisza-Wilewski, a cartographer/planner in the Monroe County Planning Department, expects local new-home growth to continue as long as interest rates remain low.

"If the interest is going up very slowly, I think the homes will continue to go up," she said. "People want their homes and the privacy of the land, yards for their kids and the quality of the schools."

Zawisza-Wilewski and Neelakantan agree that improvements on major transportation corridors in the county is a top priority.

Monroe County Commissioners Chairwoman Donna Asure agrees, but says local officials are dependent on state and federal representatives to allocate road dollars. She pointed to the county's $350,000 contribution to a study of needs along the Interstate 80 corridor, followed by Sen. Rick Santorum's recent announcement of a $15 million grant for minor improvements along the corridor.

"We have to look at where we can put bits of money into interim projects until the big money comes through for the big projects," Asure said.

Population growth has led to a long waiting list for mental health services, difficulties for low-income people in finding medical doctors who will accept government payment plans, and the need for new schools, she said. She said demand for services has put a strain on the county jail, the probation department and the courthouse.

Despite the needs, said Asure, county officials also must economize so the spending impact on property tax bills is minimal.

She said the county is trying to improve infrastructure and is working with private developers to entice employers to bring better paying jobs to Monroe County.

"We're hoping that commuters who commute for those kind of jobs won't have to," she said.

The recent Census report documenting population growth through 2003 already is outdated, said Asure. Though the report places Monroe's population at 154,000 as of 2003, more recent studies place the total at about 164,000.