Georgia Population Figures

[andremurra]

Uhh...You're from New Orleans? Wanna talk about a place that's dirty & unlivable?

Took the words right out of my mouth. And Im talking about Pre-2005.

[socaguy]

But he has a valid point no matter where he lives. It's not like he was comparing NoLa to Ga! Georgia HAS NOT done a very good job at regulating growth and controlling pollution. Personally I wouldnt take a dip in any of Georgias lakes either!

[alon504]

Took the words right out of my mouth. And Im talking about Pre-2005.

Don't take it so personal....as far as New Orleans, it was filthy pre-Katrina. Thank God the city wisened up and got this city cleaned up properly post-Katrina. Granted the waste contract had to literally double in price, but, it's worked. I love Georgia, but, it's just not the Georgia I once knew. Sorry, that is how I feel. I still visit pretty often, but, when I go N. of Atlanta and see what has happened, it breaks my heart. It will never be the same.

[Spartan]

Louisiana has completely different issues than Georgia. Atlanta's endless sprawl is consuming more and more real estate, and it may be beyond anyone's control as to what can be done to fix it. Growth is not bad, but bad growth is not good. Its preaching to the choir on UP.... but the ARC needs to be given more power ASAP. Thats the only way I can see to make things change.

[Martinman]

I'm not exactly sure how Atlanta's sprawl irrevocably harms the waters and land in the other 85% of the state.

[augga706]

Does anybody know somebody with a 762 area code.

706 area code residents Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Cornelia, Dalton, LaGrange, Rome and Toccoa

Alot of people are moving to georgia. I expect the state to add another area code in the near future.

[j.midtown]

Does anybody know somebody with 762 area code.

706 area code residents Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Cornelia, Dalton, LaGrange, Rome and Toccoa

Alot of people are moving to georgia. I expect the state to add another area code in the near future.

The next area code for Georgia has already been assigned and enabled; 470 is an overlay for metro Atlanta (678). No other GA area codes are planned at this time. Current projections don't even have 470 needing to be used until 2021.

The number demand curve has flattened for a variety of reasons:

• Email has killed fax lines
  
• Mobile phone usage in the US population is almost completely saturated
  
• Mobile phones have killed pay phones
  
• Mobile phones (text messaging, Blackberries, iPhones) have killed pagers
  
• People are choosing to use mobile phones only and not get residential landlines
  
• VoIP is becoming more prevalent both for business and residential
  
• Mobile users moving from other areas often keep their number/account
  

With 9 area codes (~80,000,000 numbers) and a population of 9.5M, Georgia should be ok for a quite a while.

[PJA]

There is supposed to be a 762 area code for the 706 areas as well. That's why we had to go to 10 digit dialing for local calls when we used to only have to dial seven digits.

[augga706]

762 area code was introduce to GA in 2006. 762 is a overlay for the 706 region. I was just wondering have they started to give it out in large numbers yet. In cities like augusta, athens, and columbus. I can see why 706 ran out. It covers north ga, columbus & augusta

[j.midtown]

There is supposed to be a 762 area code for the 706 areas as well. That's why we had to go to 10 digit dialing for local calls when we used to only have to dial seven digits.

Sorry, I thought everyone knew about 762 since Augga706 was asking if people knew anyone with that area code yet. 762 was assigned and the network equipment coded for it (which is why you had to start 10 digit dialing) but they do that in advance of having to actually start assigning numbers. The rule on the new area code is that no assignments for it should be made until 706 was exhausted which may not have happened as soon as originally anticipated based on those factors I mentioned above.

The total of nine I mentioned includes both 762 and 470:

• 404, 770, 678, 470
  
• 706, 762
  
• 229
  
• 478
  
• 912
  

[DaltonGA]

The local telephone company sent out an information pack regarding the 762 area in 2006, but I am not aware of anyone having been assigned the area code yet. I would cellular phones to be assigned the AC first as Cellular providers buy up the entire block of exchange prefixes, which is roughly 10,000 possible numbers in the exchange. For example 706-260-xxxx and 706-847-xxxx represent AT&T/Cingular Wireless numbers, 706-313-xxxx Sprint PCS, 706-618-xxxx is a Verizon number for Dalton. Most of the area served by 706 had to adapt to 10-digit dialing before the 706 AC was created from the old 404 AC when it all of North Georgia and most of Middle Georgia. Residents in Catoosa, Dade, and Walker Counties were able to call Chattanooga/Hamilton County as a local call with only 7 digits until Tennessee's 423 AC began requiring 10-digit dialing.

404 is Georgia's original AC, once covering the entire state when Area Codes were introduced in the 1940's. The 912 AC came several years later and was applied to South Georgia. 706 was introduced in 1992, 770 in 1995, 678 in 1978, and in 2004 AC 912 was split into 229 for the SW and 478 for the region around Macon, with 912 being left for the Coast. 470 and 762 have yet to be assigned any numbers.

BTW, area codes were assigned based on the amount of time it took to dial the Area Code on the old rotary phones. Originally the middle digit could only be a zero or a one, different numbers for the middle digit was enabled in the 90's. Back to rotary dialing, high density regions recieved the low area code numbers on the dial, 212,313, etc., low density areas received high numbers-912 for South Georgia, as it took time for the rotary to return from nine for the one to be dialed. Medium range numbers-404 for North and Middle Georgia originally and 615 for East and Middle Tennessee originally required a medium wait time for the rotary to return to position. Of course with touch tone dialing, such a convention was no longer necessary.

I would have rather seen 706 divided than 762 be overlayed, as 706/762 cover a large geography. I think an east-west axis would have been the best. Augusta, Athens and Northeast Georgia in one of the two and Columbus, LaGrange, Rome, Dalton, and suburban Chattanooga receiving the other AC.

It seems 912 was split with geographic orientation over the overlay plan. Overlay AC's seem best reserved for larger metros with several AC's such as the 404/678/470 and 770/678/470 overlays for metro Atlanta.

[j.midtown]

I would have rather seen 706 divided than 762 be overlayed, as 706/762 cover a large geography. I think an east-west axis would have been the best. Augusta, Athens and Northeast Georgia in one of the two and Columbus, LaGrange, Rome, Dalton, and suburban Chattanooga receiving the other AC.

It seems 912 was split with geographic orientation over the overlay plan. Overlay AC's seem best reserved for larger metros with several AC's such as the 404/678/470 and 770/678/470 overlays for metro Atlanta.

I think an argument could be made that 706 should have been split geographically although more along the lines of the contiguous and non-contigous parts (Columbus/LaGrange vs. everything else) but geo-splits are very unpopular with businesses complaining heavily about the cost and disruption. Overlays seem to be the preferred option these days.

[912]

Just out of sheer curiosity, I wonder how Augusta & Columbus would stack up against Macon & Savannah if you measured their populations within their pre-consolidation boundaries......

[teshadoh]

What in the hell are you all beotching about? What does this have to do with population statistics in Georgia?

[gah]

What in the hell are you all beotching about? What does this have to do with population statistics in Georgia?

quite right -- anyone know when the 2007 estimates for counties will be out? Seems like it is usually in March-April period.

[Spartan]

I'm quite irritated at the downward spiral of discussion in this thread. Please use real facts and intelligent discussion when comparing cities.

1) The opinion of some random entertainer is not relevant at all, nor is the number of skyscrapers a city has.

2) If you have a problem with another member, feel free to contact me or ironchapman.

3) This is not going to become a city vs city thread. We generally do not allow those on UrbanPlanet, and you now know why.

[augga706]

Georgia

Total Population

July 1, 2007 9,544,750

July 1, 2006 9,342,080

July 1, 2005 9,107,719

Population Estimates

July 1, 2007 (July 1, 2006)

9,544,750 (9,342,080)

Change, 2006 to 2007

Number (Percent)

202,670 (2.2)

Only california and texas gain more people than GA from 2006 to 2007.

[mitchella81]

Just out of sheer curiosity, I wonder how Augusta & Columbus would stack up against Macon & Savannah if you measured their populations within their pre-consolidation boundaries......

I thought this was an intresting enough question to research and this is what i found.

*Columbus-Muscogee County was the 1st Consolidation in the state of Georgia which happened in the 1970's prior to Consolidating the 1970 census reported Columbus(city limits only) population as 154,168 people then following consolidation the 1980 population jumped to 169,441. This shows the developed area of Columbus was always the majority population factor for that city. Communities like Upitaoi and Fortson really do not effect the population of Muscogee county because they are so rural. Columbus would still rate in the top cities for population even if not consolidated because the cities pop in 1970 was passed that of what Macon & Savannah are at now.

1970 population of largest US cities Columbus is #90

1980 Population for Columbus after consolidation Columbus is 88

Then we have Augusta-Richmond County the city and county consolidated in the mid-late 90's therefore to see where it stands we have to take a look at the population from the 1990 census then compare it to the 2000 census. In 1990 Augustas population within it's city limits was 44,639 people according to the census website(LINK BELOW) Then after consolidation with Richmond county the cities population soared to 195,182 people. Despite what the numbers say in the mid 90's Augusta really did not feel or appear to be a city of 44,639 people it felt much larger

Augustas population in 1990 scroll down to Georgia and AUG will be listed

Augustas population as of 2000 after consolidation

Consolidation helped both cities grow in numbers and this is just a brief view to answer your question about how they would compare with supporting census facts

[socaguy]

Truthfully I never look at city population when trying to determine how large a city actually is. Augusta had 44,000 people in its small city limits back in the 90's but it also had 10 times as many people in its metro area. Same as Atlanta or even Greenville SC.

[aboutmetro]

762 area code was introduce to GA in 2006. 762 is a overlay for the 706 region. I was just wondering have they started to give it out in large numbers yet. In cities like augusta, athens, and columbus. I can see why 706 ran out. It covers north ga, columbus & augusta

Since January 2007, Marion County, GA has been included in the Greater Columbus GA-AL MSA. Likewise, western Lee County, AL (Auburn-Opelika) are merging closer with the Greater Columbus area with the growth of central Lee County around Smiths. How and when are these area included in local calling in the Greater columbus area which already includes southeast Lee County in Alabama and Chattachoochee County in Georgia?

[Topher1]

2007 County Census estimates were released today. To get the full tables, go to census.gov and follow the link for "Releases." The news release is there, and it contains links to the data. The calculations were done by me, so feel free to correct any mistakes. Also, I didn't do Atlanta because I didn't feel like compiling a list of 487 counties (or however many there are in Atlanta now) One other note, the estimates for 2006 have been slightly updated from the ones released a year ago, so the 2006 numbers may not look completely familiar.

Observations: Savannah still is owning all other tier 2's in consistent growth, both in Chatham and the surrounding counties. Also, After a great year in 2006, Columbus' estimates for this year are down a lot... Is this due to troop deployments? In Macon and Augusta, the core counties are holding fairly steady, with suburban growth in Warner Robbins, Columbia County, and Aiken County propping up the growth.

2007 Census Estimates:

Augusta MSA:					 528,519

Columbus MSA:					287,756

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA		435,608

Macon MSA:					   229,846

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA   386,534

Savannah MSA					 329,329

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	 401,132


2006-2007 Numeric Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 5,911

Columbus MSA:				   - 7,592

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   - 5,330

Macon MSA:					  + 820

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 4,246

Savannah MSA					+ 7,839

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 7,975


2006-2007 Percent Change:

Augusta MSA:					 + 1.13%

Columbus MSA:					- 2.61%

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA		- 1.21%

Macon MSA:					   + 0.36%

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA   + 1.11%

Savannah MSA					 + 2.44%

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	 + 2.03%


2000-2007 Numeric Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 28,866

Columbus MSA:				   + 623

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   + 13,859

Macon MSA:					  + 7,445

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 29,039

Savannah MSA					+ 35,651

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 35,656


2000-2007 Percent Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 5.78%

Columbus MSA:				   + 0.02%

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   + 3.29%

Macon MSA:					  + 3.35%

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 8.12%

Savannah MSA					+ 12.14%

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 9.76%

[ATLman1]

2007 County Census estimates were released today. To get the full tables, go to census.gov and follow the link for "Releases." The news release is there, and it contains links to the data. The calculations were done by me, so feel free to correct any mistakes. Also, I didn't do Atlanta because I didn't feel like compiling a list of 487 counties (or however many there are in Atlanta now) One other note, the estimates for 2006 have been slightly updated from the ones released a year ago, so the 2006 numbers may not look completely familiar.

Observations: Savannah still is owning all other tier 2's in consistent growth, both in Chatham and the surrounding counties. Also, After a great year in 2006, Columbus' estimates for this year are down a lot... Is this due to troop deployments? In Macon and Augusta, the core counties are holding fairly steady, with suburban growth in Warner Robbins, Columbia County, and Aiken County propping up the growth.

2007 Census Estimates:

Augusta MSA:					 528,519

Columbus MSA:					287,756

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA		435,608

Macon MSA:					   229,846

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA   386,534

Savannah MSA					 329,329

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	 401,132


2006-2007 Numeric Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 5,911

Columbus MSA:				   - 7,592

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   - 5,330

Macon MSA:					  + 820

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 4,246

Savannah MSA					+ 7,839

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 7,975


2006-2007 Percent Change:

Augusta MSA:					 + 1.13%

Columbus MSA:					- 2.61%

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA		- 1.21%

Macon MSA:					   + 0.36%

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA   + 1.11%

Savannah MSA					 + 2.44%

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	 + 2.03%


2000-2007 Numeric Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 28,866

Columbus MSA:				   + 623

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   + 13,859

Macon MSA:					  + 7,445

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 29,039

Savannah MSA					+ 35,651

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 35,656


2000-2007 Percent Change:

Augusta MSA:					+ 5.78%

Columbus MSA:				   + 0.02%

Columbus/Aub-Ope/Tusk CSA	   + 3.29%

Macon MSA:					  + 3.35%

Macon/Warner Rob./Ft. Val. CSA  + 8.12%

Savannah MSA					+ 12.14%

Savannah/Hines-Ft. Stew. CSA	+ 9.76%

Columbus is down due to the troop deployments. Columbus's number isn't really representative of what it actually is. Good news is that a lot of troops are coming back in stages by this summer. Also, BRAC is starting to slowly take affect now, but won't hit good until sometime in 2009.

[PJA]

Thanks for putting this together Topher.

[Martinman]

2007 County Census estimates were released today. To get the full tables, go to census.gov and follow the link for "Releases." The news release is there, and it contains links to the data. The calculations were done by me, so feel free to correct any mistakes. Also, I didn't do Atlanta because I didn't feel like compiling a list of 487 counties (or however many there are in Atlanta now) One other note, the estimates for 2006 have been slightly updated from the ones released a year ago, so the 2006 numbers may not look completely familiar.

Observations: Savannah still is owning all other tier 2's in consistent growth, both in Chatham and the surrounding counties. Also, After a great year in 2006, Columbus' estimates for this year are down a lot... Is this due to troop deployments? In Macon and Augusta, the core counties are holding fairly steady, with suburban growth in Warner Robbins, Columbia County, and Aiken County propping up the growth.

This graphic from the AJC illustrates the strong growth rate in the Savannah area with 2 counties in the top 100 nationally.

[Topher1]

An interesting observation (for those interested in Augusta):

The census bureau made fairly significant changes to the Augusta population estimates. Previous estimate releases had the Richmond Co. population dipping down to around 194,000 in 2005 and 2006. However, with the release this year (197,342) they went back and revised the rest of the estimates to reflect a much smaller drop-off. The revised estimates have the lowest population as 196,904 in 2005.

However, this didn't reflect a magical increase in metro population. The bureau simply grabbed those additional people from the estimates in Columbia and Aiken Counties... Columbia Co's 2006 estimate dropped by about 1200 and Aiken Co's dropped by about 1600...

Not a huge deal, but a bit of nice news for a county that appeared to be hemorrhaging people to the burbs.