The latest census figures show Orange is the fastest-growing county in New York, and it is also home to the fastest-growing village in the state.

Kiryas Joel is the fastest-growing municipality in New York, reaching more than 20,000 people in 2006, according to census numbers. Village leaders say Kiryas Joel is the only recognizable Jewish community in Orange. They credit the census figures to the fact that the community lives in one dense area, which is only 1.1 square miles.

Village officials say members of the community typically marry from within. They say the average age of marriage is 18 and most couples have five children. Leaders in the Hasidic community say space isn?t a concern, even though the population has increased by nearly 2,000 people in one year.

Others disagree, saying a densely populated place like Kiryas Joel puts a strain on the community utilities and school districts.