Cape Girardeau has grown more in the first seven years of the 1990s than it did throughout the entire 1980s decade.

New population estimates, prepared by the U.S. Census Bureau through a cooperative program between state and federal governments, also indicate an increase of almost 1,000 residents in the City of Cape Girardeau, during the first seven years of the 1990s.

That compares to almost non-existent growth during the 1980s, when the city population grew from 34,361 in 1980, to only 34,474, according to the 1990 census.

Cape Girardeau County is also on the rise and has increased in population by more than 4,300 people, from 61,633 in 1980 to 66,019 in 1997.

"These are not firm figures," said John Mehner, president and CEO of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, which keeps tabs on movements of people within the greater Cape Girardeau area. "But, it does reflect growth."

The latest estimates, based on births, deaths and in-state and out-state moves, show more than 35,500 people in the city and about 66,010 in the county.

These figures indicate a national trend -- moving from urban areas to rural and less populated areas, said Mehner.

What the new estimates reveal is more than 4,300 new people in Cape Girardeau county but with less than 1,000 new residents in the city of Cape Girardeau.

Meanwhile, Jackson's population has increased, from 9,256 counted in the 1990 census, to an estimate of almost 11,000, an increase of more than 1,600. Jackson officials claim the actual total is even higher than the U.S. Census totals.

That leaves another 1,700 new residents who have settled in other areas of the county.

The Census Bureau estimates for 1996-97 show increases in 11 of the 14 Southeast Missouri counties ranging from 2.3 percent of Stoddard County to double-digit increases in St.. Francois and Wayne counties. In between are the 7.1 increase in Cape Girardeau County and the 8.4 percent increase in Bollinger County.

Bollinger County has increased by 893 people since the 1990 census, to about 11,500 in the July 1, 1997 estimate. Perry County has also experienced a large increase. About 830 new residents have been added to the Perry totals, for a July count of almost 17,500, up five percent from 1990.

St. Francois County is one of the fastest growing counties between Cape Girardeau and St. Louis, with an 11.6 percent increase (5,694 people) for a total of almost 55,000 in the county.

A look at 26 Southeast Missouri cities and towns from A (Advance) to Z (Zalma) revealed half of them on the plus side of populations from 1990.

Advance shows a gain of 59, from 1,139 to 1,198. Zalma went from 83 to 89. Caruthersville, however, dropped, from 7,309 to 7,096, while Marble Hill increased, from 1,447 to 1,511.

Minor increased by 68, and Sikeston, which adjoins Minor, is up by more than 225.

Since 1990, the state has gained 285,000 residents, a growth rate of 5.6 percent. St. Charles County, adjoining St. Louis County and city, is one of the fastest growing areas in the state, apparently bleeding St. Louis County of residents.

Much of the growth has been due to in-state migrations. About 19,000 more people moved into the state than moved out during the past year. Natural growth -- births minus deaths -- was about 20,000 people, accounting for about 39,000 new residents in the state during the past year, to an estimated population of 5.4 million.

This tabulates into an 0.7 percent growth for the one-year, 1996 to 1977 period, slightly less than the national growth rate of 0.9 percent over the same period.

St. Charles County has added more than 50,000 people since 1990, a 24.2 increase to about 284,200. St. Louis County is still the largest county in the state at 1,003,595 residents, but has gained only one percent since 1990.

Although Illinois has experienced a 3.6 increase in overall population since 1990, many Southern Illinois areas have seen declining populations, including Carbondale, Ill., which has dropped from 27,000 to 26,676 since the 1990 census. Declines have also been noted at Cairo, Anna, and Jonesboro.

Kentucky has also experienced an increase, of about 5.3 percent. But the population of Paducah, one of the largest cities in Western Kentucky, is down, from 27,256 in 1990 to 26,768.

Jonesboro is a big gainer in Arkansas, from 46,535 in 1990, to an estimated 51,600. Statewide, Arkansas population has increased, about 6.8 percent, since the 1990 census.