Data from the 2020 Decennial Census reveals the shifting geography occurring in Georgia.
Census data are also provided for cities and towns in Georgia,
including what the Census classifies as Census Designated Places (CDPs), which
are settled areas, although not incorporated as cities or towns.
From 2010 to 2020, the number of people living in cities,
towns, and CDPs in Georgia has grown by more than 800,000 or more than 18%,
much faster than the growth of the state’s overall population.
In 2010, the state had 624 cities, towns, and CDPs. By 2020,
that number had grown to 675 settled areas including newly incorporated cities
such as Stonecrest and South Fulton.
Of the 675 settlements in the state, 563 had populations
under 10,000, and another 93 had populations between 10,000 to 50,000. Eleven
areas recorded populations between 50,000 to 99,000 while 7 areas showed populations
between 100,000 to just over 200,000 leaving the City of Atlanta as the only city
in the state with more than 210,000 people.
The City of Atlanta showed the greatest numerical growth of
any settled area in Georgia, adding more than 78,000 people over the 10-year
period, with a growth rate of greater than 18% for a 2020 population of almost
499,000.
The number of people living in the state but outside settled
areas grew by 1870,000 over the decade, or only 3.6%.
Shifts in county populations
Eight counties in the Atlanta metro area – Cherokee,
Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Henry – recorded the
largest numerical increases of all Georgia counties with a combined population
increase of 651,000 people, or 16.5%. Of those eight, Forsyth County showed the
fastest growth with a 43% increase over the decade.
Although Columbia County (Augusta, Ga., MSA) reported a 25%
growth rate, its addition of almost 32,000 more people still fell behind the
numerical increases in the eight Atlanta metro counties.
Chatham County (Savannah, Ga., MSA) also recorded significant
growth with the addition of 30,000 more people that resulted in an 11% growth
rate.
At the other end of the spectrum, 67 counties saw population
losses over the decade with Dougherty County recording the largest numerical
loss of more than 8,000 people or 9% of its 2010 population. Dooly and Telfair
counties recorded the largest percentage losses of 24% each followed by
McIntosh County with a 23% population loss.
News media has already reported that from 2010 to 2020,
Georgia’s population grew by 1 million people or 10.7%.
Information from the 2020 Census will inform Georgia lawmakers as they redraw legislative districts before the 2022 state elections.
