Sunrise Mountain in Las Vegas. (Photo: AdobeStock)
LAS VEGAS — A university study is predicting the population in and around Las Vegas will continue to boom over the next four decades.
The Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas released a report on Wednesday projecting that from today's 2.4 million residents, Clark County should grow to 3 million in less than 15 years and reach 3.4 million by 2060.
The center creates its annual population forecast on behalf of local government planning and transportation agencies.
Center director Andrew Woods noted the Southern Nevada population count is just a forecast.
But he said it showed a 17% increase in projected population from just four years ago and called it vital to have information for decisions about schools, public safety and health, utilities, affordable housing and water.
"It's important that our community leaders are making decisions utilizing the most recent data," Woods said.
The report said people are moving to the region primarily from West, Midwest and Northeast states.
It said Nevada has seen the same migration since the end of the Great Recession and predicts the trend will continue despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
