Placer continues to boom

Placer County population growth continues to rank among the leaders in California, with Lincoln responsible for much of it, according to new estimates by the state Department of Finance.The county's population grew 2.2 percent in 2006, from 317,498 to 324,495, the Department of Finance said in a report released last Tuesday. That percentage increase ranks Placer tied for seventh in California with Merced, Kings and Yuba counties. Imperial County, with 3.4 percent growth, and Riverside County, with a 3.3 percent leap, were Nos. 1 and 2. Lincoln's head count jumped 11 percent, to 37,410 from 33,695 - making it the No. 6 fastest-growing city in the state. Beaumont, east of Los Angeles, led the state's cities, with a 21.2 percent boost in population.While the county as a whole grew by 2.2 percent, Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln and unincorporated rural areas outside city boundaries grew less than a percentage point last year. Auburn's population increased 0.7 percent, from 13,017 to 13,112, the Department of Finance reported.