Although the housing bubble has burst in many areas of the country, it's still holding up in a few places, and Utah is one of them.

According to the latest census data, the Beehive State has four of the top 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States.

Tops for growth in Utah is Utah's Dixie, where communities like St. George have helped Washington County grow a whopping 44 percent from April 2000 to July 2006 — ranking 16th nationwide over that period.

Also making the Census Bureau's top 100 are Wasatch County (53), Utah County (81), and Tooele County (84). The Census Bureau report ranks housing unit estimates for the 100 Fastest Growing Counties with 5,000 or more housing units in 2006.

The bureau's 2006 American Community Survey shows even better results for a recent one-year period. Washington was ranked the 11th fastest-growing county from July 1, 2005, to July 1, 2006, with Wasatch County and Utah County ranked Nos. 42 and Nos. 92, respectively, for that same period.

Additionally, the report notes:

• Utah ranks among the top 10 in home ownership nationwide (No. 9).
• One-third of Utah homeowners spend at least 30 percent of their household income on mortgage payments.

The annual report fills in information gaps between each 10-year census reporting cycle for communities with populations of greater than 65,000 residents.

Despite the positive picture painted of Utah's housing market by the Census, many parts of the country are experiencing a severe housing downturn.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Realtors forecast a 9.2 percent decline in existing home sales in the nation during 2007. It would mark the lowest homes sales in five years. The NAR also predicts the national median home price will drop nearly 2 percent to $218,200. For 2008, the NAR predicts existing home sales will climb but expects new home sales to drop 24 percent.

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E-mail: jlee@desnews.com