FORT WAYNE – LaGrange and Noble Counties are growing slower than the rest of the state.

The Census Bureau says they grew by three-tenths of a point last year...compared to the statewide average of five-tenths of a point.

LaGrange County’s population stood at 39,330 and Noble County at 47,532.

Steuben County grew at the statewide average to reach 34,586.

DeKalb County and the counties closes to Fort Wayne grew faster than the state average. DeKalb rose nine-tenths of a point to 43,226. Whitley County also grew nine-tenths of a point to 34,074.

Michael Galbraith, director of the Road to One Million for the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, connected population growth to the workforce shortage the region is currently experiencing.

John Sampson, president and CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, said the numbers released today illustrates that the region’s strategies to attract talent are working.