Population ITP?

[Hybrid0NE]

Does anyone know how many people live inside the 285 Perimeter of Atlanta? I wonder what the city's population would be like if they took all the unincorporated areas and maybe some of the smaller towns into it's limits. I guessing maybe 700-900k at least, but i could be over-inflating.

[paulblackgsx]

You could probably take the census tracts and add the numbers up. I'd guess it's the lower end of your estimate. The western side of 285 doesn't extend out of the city very far and isn't overly dense. Though, based on the number of developments going in ITP right now, I do expect that number to rise, which is a nice trend.

[teshadoh]

I think I remember adding them up to around 700k. It's unfortunately not one million, but if you can wait this afternoon - I might take a look.

[teshadoh]

Atlanta's inner perimeter has 770,000 people as of 2000 census. Based on block data.

[JunktionFET]

I calculated this one time roughly on another forum where an overboosterous Atlanta forumer posted an article on population and edited the content to state that like 2 million people lived within the perimeter. I'm not laughing so much at the claim--I'm laughing at the fact he quoted an entire article and inserted his own sentence as though it was part of the article. DallasTexan likely remembers the whole story.

I remember several of us and I estimated it somewhere around 800,000--and my rough calculation was actually right in the ballpark. The actual figure ended up being something like 787,000. I wish I could dig up the thread but I'm sure it is long gone now.

EDIT: I don't know if "TheBrad" posts here but he likely remembers the same discussion.

[RiversideGator]

When you count Atlanta's population that way, it doesnt exactly look so high and mighty as many would have us believe. So, when you dont count half of the State of Georgia as the metro area of Atlanta, they only have as many people as Jacksonville.

[JunktionFET]

Using simple geometric equations to determine the area of land within the I-285 perimeter, and an estimated population of 787,000, the average population density within the perimeter is 2530.343 persons per square mile. In the grand scheme of things this is nothing to write home about, though it is certainly not bad for a car-centric city.

Of course, like any city, there will be sections much higher than that, lower than that, and very near that figure. I suspect that outside of the perimeter this density figure drops quite a bit.

[teshadoh]

Oh jeez - I know 'TheBrad', that jerk. And you know who else I hate? Ihatebirds, those two assholes really annoy me

[JunktionFET]

^Hahahaha

[teshadoh]

For whatever reason I chose a different user name for this board, maybe I was thinking I would provide a more 'respectable' side of me. Oh well, fudge that...

[paulblackgsx]

When you count Atlanta's population that way, it doesnt exactly look so high and mighty as many would have us believe.  So, when you dont count half of the State of Georgia as the metro area of Atlanta, they only have as many people as Jacksonville.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your kidding right? 787,000 people in just above 300 square miles compared to Jacksonville at 758 sq miles? I'm by no means knocking Jacksonville, but I wouldn't exactly run around threads dumping on Atlanta with that as your comparsion.

Also, for your "half of the state" commment, remember, even at 28 counties (29 in the CSA but 1 is in Alabama) out of 159 (no that's not a typo) in Georgia. That's less than 18% of Georgia

[Spartan]

Its about half of the population though. GA has roughly 8 million citizens- of which about 4 million (for the slower folks, that's half) live in the Atlanta metro.

How many of those 28 counties have any part of it within the perimeter? Fulton, Dekalb, parts of Cobb and Henry? Its mostly 2 counties that have that 787,000. I'd says that is a good number considering how spread out Atlanta is.

[monsoon]

There can't be that many inside the perimiter considering the actual city of Atlanta is about 450K. If there were, it would indicate the outer suburbs are more dense than the core of the city itself. (at least if you go by the boundries of this map.) I would say that 700-800K is a good guess.

[teshadoh]

There can't be that many inside the perimiter considering the actual city of Atlanta is about 450K.  If there were, it would indicate the outer suburbs are more dense than the core of the city itself.  (at least if you go by the boundries of this map.)  I would say that 700-800K is a good guess. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I may be so bold, 770,000 is indeed the population inside the perimeter as of 2000. And I can assure you it isn't a guess

Also, here is an updated metro & consolidated map of Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta-Roswell-Snellville-whatever the hell else...

[Spartan]

Using Census 2000 figures, this is the break down of the population ITP by the block level:

• 440,269 - Fulton

• 313,210 - DeKalb

• 16,630 - Cobb

• 194 - Clayton

TOTAL: 770,303

[teshadoh]

Thanks for double checking my figures Spartan

GIS-izzle in da hizzle

[monsoon]

Nice map Spartan.

Does anyone how many sq miles this amounts to?

[JunktionFET]

Nice map Spartan.

Does anyone how many sq miles this amounts to?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Approximately 311 square miles.

[Unifour]

Wait, I don't get it. In the other forums, everyone agrees that "city" populations don't matter, and metro populations do. Now it's the other way around... Trying to say Atlanta is a small city is a little ridiculous as anyone whose ever been through it knows otherwise. The UN "urban agglomeration" lists the cities of the world based on the TOTAL POPULATION LIVING IN THE CONTIGUOUSLY BUILT UP AREA, which is the definition of developed land area. Atlanta has now reached 4.5 million and will top 5 mil in the next few years. The new CSA has topped 5 million already, the new 33 county area that is. Atlanta extends far beyond the perimeter... FAR. You could chop the legs off many cities by only counting the population inside a beltway. (Wash. dc/Balt. ie)

[ironchapman]

Are you mad or something Unifour?

The reason people are so concerned with ATL's ITP pop. is because of the size of the city relative to the MSA. When you think of it that way, ATL is a small city. (430,000 vs. 4.5 mil.).

Personally, I have learned not to really care about how one sees a city's pop, so long as it is not less than it should be.

[Unifour]

Are you mad or something Unifour?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not at all, I'm just confused on how we are looking at things here. First we say city populations are irrelevant, now we're saying forget the suburbs, the city is all that matters... Most people regard the Metropolitan area of a city the real one, not imaginary boundaries. It is true that Atlanta is a small city, but it has a large metropolitan area, and that really makes it a large area. They don't build skyscrapers in puny towns and small cities don't have subways usually LOL. You can argue whether or not the constant march of it's suburbs farther and farther into the countryside is good or bad, but it's still there nonetheless. NO, I am not mad... Just confused

Luvs

[monsoon]

unifour, people like to point out a region's metro population without understanding exactly what that population includes. Metro population does not necessarily have anything to do with a city being a sustainable nice place to live. There are many here that are concerned with unchecked sprawl, and automobile centered culture, and declining center cities plagued with crime and low income areas that close down after business hours.

A very large metro with a relatively small urban core can be considered the sign of a city suffering from all of these problems.

[alexr15]

Yup, only thing is Atlanta's inner city is not declining.

[Unifour]

I gotcha monsoon, and that is true... Atlanta is at a disadvantage for one because they can't annex land. Charlotte wouldn't be as large as it is without massive annexation, but now everyone agrees Atlanta has had a shocking turnaround in the 1990's. I remember reading an article in the AJC called "The White People are Coming." City leaders stated that middle class/wealthy white people were buying up old houses and driving poorer whites and minorities from thier old neighborhoods, the ugly side of "gentrification." The city peaked in population in 1970 at about 496,000, declined sharply in the 70's and 80,'s, but miraculousy reversed itself in the mid to late 90's, and has now rebounded to at or above what it was in 1980. It's core should have more people than it does, I will agree, as most cities of Europe hold at least half of the metro population.

[Spartan]

The point of this thread was to analyze the core part of the Atlanta Metro. Most people take the UA and spread it evenly, without figuring out where the lumps are. The Perimeter is something referenced daily by Atlantans, so it makes for an interesting discussion point don't you think?