WASHINGTON - Hall County's population increased by 29 percent between 2000 and 2010 to 179,684, according to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau Thursday, while the state's increased 18.3% and the number of Hispanics in Georgia doubled.
The City of Gainesville grew by 8,226, or 32.2 percent, to 33,804.
These data provide the first look at population counts for small areas and race, Hispanic origin, voting age and housing unit data released from the 2010 Census.
Data for Georgia show that the five most populous incorporated places
and their 2010 Census counts are Atlanta, 420,003; Augusta, 200,549;
Columbus, 189,885; Savannah, 136,286; and Athens-Clarke County, 116,714.
Atlanta grew by 0.8 percent since the 2000 Census. Augusta-Richmond County
grew by 0.4 percent, Columbus grew by 1.9 percent, Savannah grew by 3.6
percent, and Athens-Clark County grew by 15.0 percent.
The largest county is still Fulton, with a population of 920,581. Its
population grew by 12.8 percent since 2000. The other counties in the top
five include Gwinnett, with a population of 805,321 (increase of 36.9
percent); DeKalb, 691,893 (increase of 3.9 percent); Cobb, 688,078
(increase of 13.2 percent); and Chatham, 265,128 (increase of 14.3
percent).
The report shows the city of Atlanta grew by less than 1 percent over the last 10 years, but surrounding counties saw their population growth skyrocket.
The results, released Thursday, show Forsyth, Carroll and Henry counties leading growth in the metro area, adding 78.4 percent (175,511), 74 percent and 70.9 percent respectively. Gwinnett County (805,321) added 36.9 percent and Cobb County grew by 13.2 percent.
Frank Norton, Jr., president of the Norton Agency in Gainesville, who closely tracks economic trends and population growth in north Georgia, said Thursday the spectacular growth in the region was expected by him and others who closely track these numbers. (See separate story.)
Metro Atlanta's main counties showed more modest growth, with Fulton County adding 12.8 percent and DeKalb County growing by 3.9 percent.
Of Georgia's five largest cities, only Athens showed considerable growth, adding about 15 percent. Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus and Savannah all added less than 4 percent over the last 10 years. Alpharetta, an Atlanta suburb, saw enormous growth, adding 65.1 percent.
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ATLANTA'S GROWH
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said the numbers concern him.
"We're going to look at the data," Reed said in a telephone interview. "We believe that there are probably some challenges, but this is contrary to all the data they've been releasing for the past nine years. Every statement we've made about the city's population has been informed by the data provided by the U.S. Census Department. We have to figure out whether there is a method for disagreeing with their count."
For years, Atlanta has touted its reputation as a mecca for young professionals, especially educated African-Americans. Harvey Newman, an urban policy expert at Georgia State University who has studied Atlanta demographics for four decades, said he was skeptical of the 2010 count.
"All the evidence was to the contrary," Newman said, adding that some observers estimated the figure would be closer to 500,000. "I suspect an undercount. That would be my guess at this point. I think what we don't know is how many people moved into the city, lost their jobs, and moved out. It's possible that we had larger numbers than that who simply couldn't retain their residency."
The Census' American Community Survey population estimate for the city - reported in the years between the decennial count - was more than 515,000 between 2005 and 2009.
The gains outside of metro Atlanta are significantly lower - what Georgia State University political science professor Steve Anthony called uneven.
"You now almost have three Georgias," he said. "We've still got people in south Georgia, but how do you take care of what's down there if there's no people or tax dollars to take care of it?"
University of Georgia demographer Doug Bachtel called the report "a mixed bag" for the state.
"Georgia's experiencing a tremendous amount of growth," Bachtel said. "But that growth isn't all roses because those people require infrastructure and somebody's got to pay for that."
HISPANIC POPULATION
Georgia's Hispanic population nearly doubled over the last 10 years - from 435,227 in 2000 to 865,689 in 2010 - and now represents just under 9 percent of the state's population. That growth is largely concentrated in metro Atlanta counties, with Gwinnett's Hispanic population jumping from 64,137 to 162,035, or just over 250 percent.
Bachtel said Hispanics have come to Georgia for the same reasons as everyone else, for jobs. Many of the Hispanics who contributed to the recorded growth likely are not new arrivals to the country but rather people whose families have lived elsewhere in the country, perhaps for generations, and who recently moved to Georgia in search of jobs. But he added that he believes the Hispanic population estimate is grossly underestimated, at least in part because Hispanics who are in the country illegally may have shied away from the count.
The state's changing demographics will also factor heavily into the state's politics, particularly with regard to the upcoming redistricting battle. The Census is mandated by the Constitution to determine how to divide the seats in the House among the 50 states, and because of Georgia's growth, the state picked up a seat in the House of Representatives.
The House delegation now numbers 14 members. In 1970, Georgia had 10 congressmen.
Numerically, whites continue to make up the majority of Georgians, at nearly 5.8 million people, or 60 percent of the statewide population - down from 65 percent in 2000 and a change of nearly 9 percent. Because the minority populations are concentrated, districts will be overwhelmingly partisan and racially homogenous - which bodes well for Georgia Republicans, said Anthony.
"There are no swing districts anymore," he said. "Most of the people moving to Georgia are white and they're bringing their voting patterns with them from the North and the Midwest. And those voting patterns are Republican."
More than 600,000 blacks moved to Georgia in the past decade, and African-Americans now total nearly 3 million statewide, or 31 percent of the population. Edward DuBose, president of the Georgia chapter of the NAACP, said blacks have been drawn to the suburbs in recent years for some of the same reasons whites have flocked there.
"There are still challenges that exist, but it is safer," DuBose said. "It could be that times are changing, or African-Americans are saying this is where the economic and educational opportunity is. We're taking advantage of it, too."
Still, DuBose said the black population growth - a change of nearly 27 percent from 2000 - could be a mixed blessing.
"This is an opportunity for us to increase the voting population age for African-Americans in Georgia, but there's a danger that goes with this, too," DuBose said. "Georgia also has one of the highest prison populations, so we have to educate people on the challenges of racial profiling."
"All the growth is in north Georgia," Anthony pointed out. "That will have a significant impact on the federal monies that are distributed. It's going to have a huge effect on reapportionment and the balance of power in the General Assembly."
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
Monday
October 14th, 2024
4:23AM
