Poll: Is Maryland Growing Too Fast?

Did you hear? The world's “seven-billionth” baby was born in the Philippines this week, a symbolic event designed to mark the population milestone.

The news triggered debates on how many resources we consume, how India is faring under the crush of population growth, and how much of the world’s population is “going gray,” The Washington Post reports.

Maryland’s population is also increasing, and elected officials across the state are discussing and what to do about .

In 2010, the state had a population of 5,774,000, and is expected to grow to 6,921,200 by 2040, almost a 20 percent increase, according to the Maryland Department of Planning.

The Baltimore region, which includes Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties, as well as Baltimore city, currently has a population of 2,676,850 and is expected to grow to 3,000,550 by 2040, a 12 percent increase.

The Washington, D.C., suburbs (Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George's counties) are also on track to grow, from 2,061,550 in 2010 to 2,512,700 in 2040, a 22 percent increase.

Southern Maryland is among the fastest growing regions of the state, Maryland Department of Planning estimates show, and is expected to see a 45 increase by 2040, which equals nearly 500,000 people.

Maryland state officials said they are concerned about the rate of land that is being developed, which, according to Department of Planning spokesman Andrew Ratner, is triple the rate of population growth. 

The state is in the midst of carrying out a plan that aims to slow development and protect farmland, and it has sparked controversy among some county officials, particularly in Carroll County, were some have said it strips control away from local elected officials in favor of funneling it to

Weigh in with comments and on our poll: Are you concerned about the rate of population growth in Maryland?