University of California Transportation Center

The Los Angeles metropolitan region has grown to be the second most populous in the United States, surpassed only by the New York City region. Forecasts are for growth to continue at a rate almost twice the national average. Estimates are the population will grow from 12.4 million people in 1984 to 18.3 million people in he year 2010. About 5.9 million additional people will be added to the six county region -- more people than lived in the entire State of Indiana at the time of the last census. While immigration to the region will account for about a third of the population increase, two-thirds will come from natural increase, making the population forecasts somewhat less likely to be impacted by unforeseen events. Whatever the actual population reached by 2010, it is clear that there will be a major increase in population barring a catastrophic earthquake. Jobs are expected to increase by 3 million to a total of approximately 9 million.