An increase in housing development is a sign of population growth.
While the signs that your community is growing may be subtle, you can usually recognize them if you pay close attention. It's difficult to say if the increased population is a good or a bad thing. Some of the increased population indicators can have either positive or negative effects on your community.
Urban Development
As a city expands, you may notice some expansion in its urban centers. An increased number of businesses and other new buildings can indicate that there is a population spurt in your area. You may notice big name companies moving in to your town to capitalize on the increased population. The growth won't be exclusively business related though. You should also notice a boom in home construction in your area. More residences means there is a higher demand for housing.
Sparse Resources
While you may not feel the crunch in a well-developed community with many imports, an increased population puts a strain on the food and water resources of an area. When more people flock to a location, the food suppliers receive a higher demand. Water reserves can even run dry when stretched between too many people. Third world countries or isolated communities with little outside contact are the ones most likely to feel the resource strain that comes with an increased population.
Medical Advances
An increased population means an increase in disease. Growing populations call for more doctors and breakthrough medical advancements to cure disease. A disease, if unchecked, can tear through a large population and destroy it (for example, the bubonic plague desecrated a large portion of the highly populated world). The increase in population also allows citizens to pursue endeavors outside of manual labor, so there are more people available to work as doctors in highly populated areas.
Increased Student Population
Schools can be a helpful indicator in determining the growth of a community. As more people in the community reproduce or more families move in, the number of students increases. This can have positive or negative results depending on the state of your current school system. If the school is under populated, the influx of students could bring in much needed funding. If your school already has a suitable amount of students, though, population growth can result in an overstressed situation that puts strain on students and teachers.
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