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Georgia Population Figures


teshadoh

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Regarding Savannah... every county in that metro is doing great, Chatham included... Surprisingly, tiny little Effingham has added more than 10000 residents since 2000... Thats a pretty serious growth rate for a small county... Chatham added almost 9000 in that time...

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I see Savannahs growth everytime I pass through the burbs on the way to Florida or the Golden Isles. Its evident all along the smaller towns near 95.

Anyone know exactly what counties are included in Augustas MSA? My figures came out a little different than the ones shown but I was guessing on the counties. Is Mcormick county SC in the MSA? If not it should be since just about everyone there works in Augusta.

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McCormick is not included (yet at least)... Also surprised that Barnwell hasn't ever been added to the CSA... I mean the region's largest employer is about 1/3 in Barnwell county...

The counties are Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie, Burke, Aiken, and Edgefield.

You can get definitions for all MSA's, CSA's and Micro's at this link:

http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metrodef.html

Just check out the tables under "Definition Files"

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I have recently seen the updated census estimates for states and counties and what a shock they were. Georgia's massive growth is almost unbelievable. Georgia is adding a million residents every 5 years. Between 1990 and 2000, it grew from 6.4 million to 8.1 million, and has now grown to 9.3 million. It's incredible, and by 2010, the state could show to have added 2 million or more people. I think it is safe to say you will have then a state of 10 million or more. Atlanta's growth continues to boggle the mind. Few cities in world history have grown as fast as Atlanta has been growing since 1950. But even this is too long a window. Atlanta's growth has reached explosive proportions only since about 1970. The metro area has grown by more than 25% each decade since then-28% in the 70's, 33% in the 80's, and nearly 40% in the 90's. Since 2000, it has grown by more than 15% already, and these estimates are usually too low, as Atlanta almost always shows more people than they estimated. According to the AJC, the metro took 122 years to grow to a million from it's founding. It then took only 21 years to add another million to arrive at 2 million and 13 years to add another million to get to 3 million. It took only 7 years to add another million to get to 4 million and only 6 years to get to 5 million. Metro Atlanta now holds more than 5,100,000 people, and the CSA holds almost 5,500,000. It is amazing, and I think it is obvious that you will have a metropolis of 6,500,000 or near it by next census.

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Many predict that Georgia and Atlanta won't be able to grow much more. They cite all kinds of studies, statistics, etc. to show how it will all come crashing down. It's all mostly nonsense. Water is usually held up as what will end Atlanta's long running high growth. Atlanta is one of the wetter metros in the U.S. It's rainfall far exceeds that of fast growing western cities. Atlanta has the springs, groundwater, and the Chattahooche and it's many creeks and tributaries to supply it. If it comes down to it, a desalination plant at the coast could be used which would pipe the water to Atlanta. There will be new technology by the time this is an issue. Most experts predict the area will grow to 9 million even with current water supply, notwithstanding new technology or conservation practices. Air pollution is also held up as a fear, without merit. Contrary to environmentalist claims, Atlanta's air is getting cleaner, not worse-it's out of compliance days have fallen over 2 decades. From here on out it is a very short leap to a city of 10 million. They say Rome wasn't built in a day, but Atlanta sure is trying-Rome is many centuries older than Atlanta, but Atlanta is almost twice as big as Rome already.

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The Atlanta metro region is also trying to work something out with SC concerning obtaining water from the Savannah River in the future.

Don't steal my water Atlanta!!! I already have to endure odd-even water days and little police units that roam the city looking for violators and this town thinks because they send me my water bill with a little water droplet on the cover with a smiley face and legs that it makes it all okay................

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Don't steal my water Atlanta!!! I already have to endure odd-even water days and little police units that roam the city looking for violators and this town thinks because they send me my water bill with a little water droplet on the cover with a smiley face and legs that it makes it all okay................

Columbus is in the unfortunate position of being downstream from Atlanta. Meaning that they steal our water AND replace it with their sewerage! The growth of Atlanta threatens Columbus immediately -- a proposed marina on the river has already been back-burnered due to uncertainty about water flow. And I am concerned that the white water project may be in jeopardy. Cant have a white water rafting/canoe course without water!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's the official census data for all GA MSA's

2006 estimate 2000 population

Atlanta					 5,138,223  4,248,012   

Augusta-Richmond County	   523,249	499,653	

Savannah					  320,013	293,299	

Columbus					  288,847	281,768	 

Macon						 229,326	222,385	 

Athens-Clarke County		  185,479	166,079	

Gainesville				   173,256	139,315	

Albany						163,961	157,866	 

Dalton						134,397	120,061	

Warner Robins				 127,530	110,765	

Valdosta					  126,305	119,566	 

Brunswick					 100,613	 93,044	 

Rome						   95,322	 90,565	 

Hinesville-Fort Stewart		74,023	 71,914
Population Change
Atlanta					  +890,217	21.0%

Gainesville				   +33,941	24.4%

Savannah					  +26,714	 9.1%

Augusta-Richmond County	   +23,596	 4.7%

Athens-Clarke County		  +19,400	11.7%

Warner Robins				 +16,765	15.0%

Dalton						+14,336	11.9%

Brunswick					  +7,569	 8.1%

Columbus					   +7,079	 2.5%

Macon						  +6,941	 3.1%

Valdosta					   +6,739	 5.6%

Albany						 +6,095	 3.9%

Rome						   +4,757	 5.3%

Hinesville-Fort Stewart		+2,109	 2.9%

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Columbus is pretty low on that list in percentage change but Im sure the next few years will lead population growth with all the new soldiers coming.

I know it is not a good indication of the true area. Lee County, Alabama, which sits right across from Columbus, is the Auburn/Opelika MSA. Columbus looks a lot smaller than what it truly is. Hopefully by 2010 Lee County will have enough commuters to be included in the Columbus MSA. That would add over 130,000 to the MSA. I am not sure if they count Ft. Bennings population in with the MSA too. By 2010 there will be a significant jump, especially in city population. I would imagine that the city population will have between 210,000 - 215,000.

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Columbus is pretty low on that list in percentage change but Im sure the next few years will lead population growth with all the new soldiers coming.

If you look at the further broken down numbers I posted a few weeks back, all of the estimated growth in Columbus occurred between 2005-2006. The was virtually no growth in the 2000-2005 estiimates. Extrapolating just the 2005-2006 estimated growth, Columbus looks poised to do very well in the next few years.

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I know it is not a good indication of the true area. Lee County, Alabama, which sits right across from Columbus, is the Auburn/Opelika MSA. Columbus looks a lot smaller than what it truly is. Hopefully by 2010 Lee County will have enough commuters to be included in the Columbus MSA. That would add over 130,000 to the MSA. I am not sure if they count Ft. Bennings population in with the MSA too. By 2010 there will be a significant jump, especially in city population. I would imagine that the city population will have between 210,000 - 215,000.

"Group quarters" like college dorms and military bases are not included in census estimates. But they are in the 100% data every 10 years. Columbus is heavily influenced by the military population, so it there won't be an accurate number until 2010

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If you look at the further broken down numbers I posted a few weeks back, all of the estimated growth in Columbus occurred between 2005-2006. There was virtually no growth in the 2000-2005 estiimates. Extrapolating just the 2005-2006 estimated growth, Columbus looks poised to do very well in the next few years.

Very accurate. 2000-2005 was still a period in which texile-industry was bleeding jobs. After a 30-year decline, the mills are now almost gone (other than as condos/apartments), so economy started to stabilize and actually grow. New industry now does not simply replace closing one. Retail is booming (in anticipation of BRAC). The trajectory seems upward rather than horizontal. Now, if we could just get the road connections the future would be really rosy. GDOT needs to get cracking on the W Ga Freeway (Chattanooga/LaGrange?Columbus/Fla) to take some of the snowbird traffic out of Atlanta. Ditto the Fall Line Freeway and the new I-14. Just look what I-20 did for Augusta and I-16 and 75 for Macon and it is not hard to imagine Columbus really popping with similar access.

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  • 2 months later...

Columbus is slowly but surely on its way to claiming the #2 spot in terms of population in Georgia. According to the latest Census estimates, as of July 1, 2006, Columbus stood at 188,660 and Augusta stood at 189,366. I'd say that it's probably likely that Columbus is already ahead of Augusta, as these figures are a year old.

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Columbus is slowly but surely on its way to claiming the #2 spot in terms of population in Georgia. According to the latest Census estimates, as of July 1, 2006, Columbus stood at 188,660 and Augusta stood at 189,366. I'd say that it's probably likely that Columbus is already ahead of Augusta, as these figures are a year old.

I see that there is a slight difference (~5000) between figures for City of Augusta and Richmond County. Thought that city-county was consolidated. Is there is small enclave of Richmond Couty that is not included in the city?

Not sure how BRAC affects Augusta (think that Ft Gordon set for increase?) but suspect that you are right that the 2d city status will soon be reclaimed by Columbus (if not already). However, Augusta's claim to 2d place in terms of metro population is not in any immediate danger -- though that gap too is closing. Columbus/A-O CSMA ~ 425,000. Augusta SMA population significantly greater (includes a few more counties than Columbus/A-O CSMA).

So I guess that means that there will be a division of "bragging rights" -- Columbus as the 2d city and Augusta as the 2d metro.

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^ Hephzibah accounts for the missing people in Augusta's totals. I don't know the politics, but they chose to remain an independant town rather than succumb to consolidation. It's kind of an isolated area anyway, so it makes sense.

I'm just happy Augusta finally saw an small uptick in population this estimate. We were on quite a freefall for a while. I don't expect explosive growth in Richmond Co for a while. The desirable areas are pretty built out (downtown to Columbia Co borders), and South Augusta still has a few more years to mature before it will see big growth. I'd suspect that a good portion of Fort Gordon's small BRAC growth will be absorbed in Columbia Co near booming Grovetown. I'd expect more of the same growth patterns in the area overall for a few years, with the biggest difference being a gradual slowing in Columbia Co and an acceleration in Aiken Co (primarily in North Augusta and Graniteville). A stronger North Augusta will likely have serious positive implications on Augusta itself.

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^ Hephzibah accounts for the missing people in Augusta's totals. I don't know the politics, but they chose to remain an independant town rather than succumb to consolidation. It's kind of an isolated area anyway, so it makes sense.

I'm just happy Augusta finally saw an small uptick in population this estimate. We were on quite a freefall for a while. I don't expect explosive growth in Richmond Co for a while. The desirable areas are pretty built out (downtown to Columbia Co borders), and South Augusta still has a few more years to mature before it will see big growth. I'd suspect that a good portion of Fort Gordon's small BRAC growth will be absorbed in Columbia Co near booming Grovetown. I'd expect more of the same growth patterns in the area overall for a few years, with the biggest difference being a gradual slowing in Columbia Co and an acceleration in Aiken Co (primarily in North Augusta and Graniteville). A stronger North Augusta will likely have serious positive implications on Augusta itself.

very interesting -- leads me to wonder whether Augusta is the mirror image of Columbus. If Aiken County is where the growth is going to be concentrated, then will Aiken County become it own MSA so that the Augusta MSA will then shrink by 150,000 (ie, like Macon when Houston became its own MSA).

Speculation is that Lee County AL (Auburn-Opelika) may become part of Columbus MSA post-BRAC (communting into Ft Benning from Smith Station), in which case Columbus MSA would grow by 125.000.

So that would make Columbus the 2d largest MSA -- but of course then I suppose that Augusta and Aiken would become a CMSA and the debate would become whether "my CMSA is bigger than your MSA!" :-)

BTW, there was a small enclave in Columbus (Bibb City, where the Biib Mill is located) that was not included in consolidation. It was surrounded by the city (like the Vatican) and eventually capitulated and was absorbed. That may happen with Hepzibah

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It's higly unlikely that Aiken Co. will become it's on MSA. North Augusta's city limits touch Augusta's city limits making them very reliant on each other..with North Augusta probably more reliant on Augusta than ther way around. Even though North Augusta is in Aiken County...it's much closer to Augusta than to the actual city of Aiken.

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I would have to see the commuting figures for Aiken County, but the county has been doing a great job lately of landing jobs within its borders. If less Aiken County residents are traveling across the river for employment, it could very well result in Aiken County becoming a one-county MSA in the future.

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^ As of 2000, the % of Aiken workers commuting into GA was between 15% and 25%. That already falls below the census' one-size-fits-all criteria for MSA (but not CSA). However, a large percentage of Aiken Co's workers are GA residents as well. All in all there is a lot of commuting across the state line. For all intents and purposes, the area is tied together and a breakup of the MSA will not happen. (However if it did, Aiken would probably bring along Edgefield and possibly Barnwell). The growth in North Augusta will insure that a steady stream of commuters will take the short trip across the river. Major job losses have been the story in the county at Avondale and SRS, and even still the housing market is historically strong. If anything, the traffic across the border is increasing. Simply stated, unlike Warner Robbins, Aiken Co. does not WANT to be a separate area. Columbia Co. likely wouldn't mind breaking away from Augusta's image problems, but fortunately there's zero chance of that happening, since there's no employment base there...

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