— When Anderson Grace Hughes was born at WakeMed before noon on Friday, she became more than just the apple of her parents’ eyes. She was also the 1 millionth resident in Wake County.

County officials had been "counting up" to the milestone since Monday, when they posted a digital ticker on the county’s website to mark the mathematical moment when the population reached 1 million. The number is a projection using census data, which shows the county adds 62 new residents per day.

Of those new residents, 31 move in from elsewhere in the state or country, nine come from foreign countries and 22 are babies born in Wake County. Although there’s no official recognition, baby Anderson was born in the right place at the right time – 11:36 a.m. – to claim some of the fame.

She shares that claim with boy born about the same time Friday at Rex Hospital. Hospital staff said the boy's mom, Shobha Sridhar, and her husband, Sridhar Narasimhan, moved to Wake County from India in May. The couple hasn't yet chosen a name for their son but are hoping to do so in the next day or two after talking with family in India.

Anderson Grace came into the world at 8 pounds, 11 ounces. Her parents are Jamie and Whitney Hughes.

“We are very excited that Anderson Grace will have the opportunity," her grandmother, Michele Hughes, said as she waited for the arrival of her third grandchild.

When Anderson Grace and the Narsimhans' son finish high school, they won't have to worry about paying for their first two years of college. Wake Technical Community College announced Friday it would offer full scholarships to both children.

"While we can't see the future, we can rest assured that education will remain a critical factor in future success," Wake Tech President Stephen Scott said in a statement. "We want (them) to be able to take full advantage of what we offer, whether she chooses to earn a two-year degree and enter the workforce or transfer to a university for more education."

Michele Hughes said her family has lived in Wake County for 30 years and remembers when it wasn’t so big.

“There were 150,000 in Raleigh, in Wake County, back when we first moved here,” she said.

The county has long been one of the fastest-growing in the nation. The population was estimated at about 901,000 in 2010.

Wake County population, by age group

North Carolina county-by-county population growth



