The population growth stats are really where they need to be for REI.  

Far along in my real estate investing career, I envision owning larger apartment/dorm complexes near universities with a high international student population, and making a business of facilitating the study and exploration of foreign students in the US.I look forward to meeting all of the BiggerPockets members in the Brevard County (Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville) area, and hope to learn the skills and confidence necessary to be successful in the business!

You should be looking at whether the populations are growing, whether there is job growth and if income is growing.

The population decreased drastically since 2000, although the decline seems to have stopped in recent years.

In running through numbers on direct mail marketing pieces I see the advantage to playing in larger populated areas.

The US Government's estimates of population growth are off.

Your right I should of been more specific      Primary and secondary markets3 to 30 acresStrong submarket fundamentals with low vacancy rates and high population growthUrban infill sites preferredZoning/entitlements may or may not be in placeBrownfield sitesLand assemblage

Know that areas with a high number of single parent households and unusually high concentration of minority populations can be challenging and the areas do not appreciate well.http://www.movoto.com/demographics/I use this property analysis tool on my iPhone 6+ to track my properties but did not care for their accounting software when I tried it years ago.

The growing Latino population is where I would invest if my strategy was strong in MF. 

It's getting pricey downtown (almost insane in some aspects) but job growth, diversity of industry and population growth is strong w/not much signs of letup yet.