A strong economy is attracting more people to the Puget Sound region, continuing a pattern of accelerating population growth, according to data from the Puget Sound Regional Council.

The four-county Puget Sound region added 54,550 people last year, growing the total population to an estimated 3,835,450 in 2014.

Forecasts show the region will likely top 4 million people in 2016.

King County was home to most of the growth last year, with 35,350 more people. Snohomish County grew by 10,500 and Pierce County by 6,800.

Kitsap grew by 1,900 (0.7%) making it the first time that it experienced increased growth after several years of declining growth.

It was big news last spring when the Seattle Times reported that Seattle was the nation’s fastest growing major city.

Between 2010 and 2014, Seattle grew by 31,840 people or 5.2%.

Other cities in the region are also growing fast. Auburn gained 4,450 people in the last four years, a growth rate of 6.3%.

Kirkland had the biggest total population gain between 2010 and 2014 — 33,803 people — mostly due to annexation.