THE population of Carmarthenshire is growing faster than Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, new figures have shown.

They reveal Carmarthenshire, along with Conwy in North Wales, have edged out Cardiff as the areas in Wales people most desire to live.

Between 2008 and 2009, the county saw twice the net number of migrants Cardiff did, with 400 more people setting up home there than moved out.

The lowest migration rate was recorded in Rhondda Cynon Taf, according to the findings, which were published by the Local Government Data Unit Wales.

Carmarthenshire Council leader Meryl Gravell said she believed it was regeneration that had led to the rise.

She said: "We're getting a lot of people coming into Carmarthenshire to retire because it seems like a nice environment to live.

"The county has a lot of leisure facilities like the racecourse, golf courses and the new £74 million cinema and shopping development in Carmarthen.

"We have been concentrating on regeneration so we can keep young people and their own families here and our schools and economy can thrive.

"We're also becoming a university town which I expect will bring more young people in."

The figures, were based on data supplied by the Office for National Statistics.

They showed that during 2008-09 Carmarthenshire saw 5,500 people moving out of the county and 5,900 moving in.

Conwy had 4,500 people moving in and 4,100 moving out.

Cardiff in comparison had a total of 18,700 people moving in from other parts of Wales and Britain, but a total of 18,500 left the city during that same time period.

But in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the number of people who left the county was 600 more than the inflow of new people.

In Swansea, 9,100 people moved in and a total of 9,000 moved out of the city, while in Neath Port Talbot the same level of people — 3,700 — moved in and out of the county.

The figures do not take into account Welsh people emigrating abroad or those who have moved in from other countries from outside of Britain.

Mrs Gravell said she believed it was vital to encourage youngsters to remain living in the county.

"We are hoping to help people with social enterprises and European grants so they stay here to set up businesses and work," she added.

"Having people come here to retire is obviously a good thing but it can be a double-edged sword because of the pressure it will put on social care so we need to be aware of it."

elizabeth.perkins@swwmedia.co.uk