Even before the consolidation with two other towns, the population growth here was remarkable; a report from the national census in 2005 says the growth rate ranked sixth out of all towns and villages in Japan (at that time), and the population exceeded 40,000 on March 10, 2006.
合併以前から人口増加が著しく、平成17年実施国勢調査速報値によると、増加率は日本国内町村の中で6位（当時）であり、2006年3月10日に4万人を越えた。