The largest population gains among cities and towns in Indiana within the last year were concentrated in the Indianapolis metro area and in Lake County, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

The town of Winfield in Lake County is the fastest growing city or town in Indiana, with a 120.1 percent increase since 2000, bringing its 2008 population estimate to 4,484.

Following Winfield are Kempton (86.1 percent), Fishers (80.6 percent), New Palestine (64.8 percent) and Pittsboro (61.6 percent).

Portage (16th), Mishawaka (18th), Lafayette (19th) and Goshen (20th) were within the top 20 largest gainers outside the Indianapolis metro area or Lake County.

Meanwhile, four of the state’s six largest cities have seen population declines since 2000.

Four Indiana cities had populations greater than 100,000 in 2008: Indianapolis (798,382), Fort Wayne (251,591), Evansville (116,309) and South Bend (103,807).

Only Indianapolis has experienced consistent population growth since 2000 with a 2.1 percent increase. Fort Wayne lost population earlier in the decade but has since rebounded to have essentially the same population total in 2008 that it had in 2000. Evansville and South Bend have each had population declines of 4 percent since 2000.

Among Indiana’s 20 largest cities, Fishers is the fastest growing with an 80.6 percent increase between 2000 and 2008. Others include Noblesville (43.4 percent), Greenwood (30.9 percent), Carmel (25.2 percent) and Lawrence (11.1 percent).

Out of the top 20 largest cities, those with the greatest population rate of decline since 2000 include Hammond (-7.6 percent), Gary (-6.6 percent), Muncie (- 4.7percent), Evansville (-4.4 percent) and South Bend (-4.2 percent).

Fishers also had the largest numeric growth of all Indiana cities with a gain of 30,803 residents since 2000. This gain is substantially larger than second-place Indianapolis, which grew by 16,515. However, Fishers’ increase of 2,929 residents between 2007 and 2008 was its lowest mark since 2005.

Indianapolis had the largest numeric population gain between 2007 and 2008 with 3,517 new residents.