FORT WAYNE, Ind. — New projections show that central Indiana’s fast-growing Hamilton County in suburban Indianapolis could pass Fort Wayne’s Allen County to become Indiana’s third largest county within about a decade.

State population estimates prepared by the Indiana Business Research Center show Hamilton County has grown by 17 percent since 2010 to 323,000 people, while Allen County has grown 5 percent to 373,000.

Experts predict that Hamilton County is expected to surpass Allen County around 2030.

Marion County with just over 1 million residents and northwestern Indiana’s Lake County with 482,000 people are expected to stay in first and second place.

Meanwhile 59 of Indiana’s 92 counties are expected to continue to lose population.