The Town of Lexington has grown the fastest of all county community. And Lexington County has become the fastest-growing of the 7 counties in the Midlands.

Those are key findings of new data from the US Census Bureau that shows:

• Since 2010, the county exprienced a 12% increase in population to 293,991 residents. That’s less than the 300,000 residents earlier projected and ranks 12th for the most growth of the state’s 46 counties.

• Much of that growth was in the Town of Lexington, which grew 32% from 17,870 to 23,568 residents. Spanning over 12 miles, Lexington has a population density of 1,962 people per square mile.

Here is the total population of Lexington County communities and the percentage change from 2010.

Batesburg-Leesville — 5,469, +2.0%

Cayce — 13,971, +11.52%

Chapin — 1,685, +1.57%

Gilbert — 571, +1.1%

Irmo — 11,569, +4.3%

Lexington — 23,568, +31.9%

Gaston — 1,719, +0.59%

Pelion — 631, -6.4%

Pine Ridge — 2,167, +5%

Red Bank — 10,924, +13.6%

South Congaree — 2,504, +0.75%

Springdale — 2,953, +1.04%

Summit — 423, +5.2%

Swansea — 722, -12.7%

West Columbia — 17,416, +16.2%

The next closest Midlands county in growth to Lexngton County was Richland County (Columbia), which grew 8%.

Calhoun County grew 7% and Kershaw County (Camden) grew 6%.

Fairfield, Orangeburg and Saluda counties lost population.

The census counts every 10 years are important because they help determine where federal money goes. They are particularly important to a donor state such as South Carolina which sends more money to Washington than we get back.

It also determines how Congressional, state Senate and House, county and municipal council district lines are drawn.