Their numbers more than doubled from 2,302 in 1990 to 5,450 last year. They represented 8.9 percent of Volusia public school enrollment in 2000 compared to 6.5 percent of the county's overall population. Little impact The people who decide where to build new businesses may be slightly surprised at the new population totals. Still, Sandra Pettit, research director for Enterprise Volusia, said she doesn't expect business prospects to storm the county now that they know there are more people here than they thought. Retail and service industries are more affected by population totals than the industrial sector, she said.
Industry looks more closely at the composition of the labor force.
Exxon-Mobil will be looking closely at the numbers. Last year, the company bought several area sites for convenient stores. To choose its markets, the company uses its own formula that measures households, employees and traffic, spokeswoman Jeannie Miller said. Environmental concern Even though local environmental leaders have seen the growing evidence, they were stunned to hear the actual numbers on Tuesday. Our water resources are already stretched.