King County's newly released 2007 Annual Growth Report shows that the county is growing more diverse and more densely populated, with more rich and poor people.

The increase in diversity is most pronounced in suburban cities beyond Seattle, the study found.

Communities in south and east King County have experienced doubling and tripling of Latino, Asian and African-American populations since 1990 while Seattle's population of color has held relatively steady.

The annual reports, which first began publication in 1983, provide population, economic and housing information on each of King County's 39 cities, as well as statistical profiles on potential annexation areas of unincorporated King County.

The new growth report will be a key tool used in the new Equity and Social Justice Initiative announced recently by King County Executive Ron Sims. Under the initiative King County is looking to identify and address the conditions at the root of inequities, and actively seek out and promote decisions and policies aimed at increasing equity and social justice for minority and poor residents.

"This report gives us hard numbers on what's working in King County and where inequities and difficulties may exist for some people in our region," said Sims.

"By keeping this information top of mind during policy discussions and decision-making, we can start shaping more equitable policies and delivering services more effectively to improve the diminished quality of life that currently exists for some residents."

The report also presents a summary of findings from the 2007 King County Buildable Lands Report, which outlines the county's capacity to accommodate growth.

It shows that residential densities have increased throughout the urban area of King County, allowing more efficient land use.

Because of that, King County's urban area has enough room to absorb forecasted growth, according to the lands report.

In fact, King County jurisdictions found more than 22,000 acres of buildable land with room for up to 289,000 added housing units - more capacity than a similar report found in 2002, mainly due to the higher achieved densities.

Despite the improved use of land and continued strength in the housing construction sector over the first half of this decade, the annual growth report found that King County's middle class is shrinking while numbers of rich - and poor - households have increased.

Income growth has been concentrated in families who make more than 150 percent of the county's median income and among those making less than half the median.

Even while average income has been increasing overall, the proportion of King County persons below poverty has steadily increased, especially outside of Seattle. Between 1990 and the most recent Census measure in 2006, the number of persons below poverty outside Seattle increased from 56,500 to 103,000.

"The numbers show us the hard facts behind what we've suspected: not everyone is benefiting from economic rebound we've enjoyed in recent years," said Sims.

"We can do better and we will, by working with partners, taking action, and chipping away at the social inequities that we all end up paying for, one way or another."

The 2007 Annual Growth Report can be found at www.metrokc.gov/budget/agr/agr07/.