Report: Atlanta Job Market Rebound Leads To Population Growth

A report compiled by the Atlanta Regional Commission shows the 10-county Atlanta region added more than 50,000 people last year.

According to the latest ARC population estimates, the 10-county Atlanta region added about 52,700 people between April 1, 2013, and April 1, 2014, “a sure sign that the economic recovery is continuing,” the ARC said in its press release.

While the growth is not as strong as the region saw during the 1990s and early 2000s, it is greater than last year’s and puts the region’s total population at 4,272,300, a number that is larger than the populations of 24 states.

“The Atlanta region’s job growth is on the rise,” said Mike Alexander, manager of ARC’s Research & Analytics Division. “Because the Atlanta region is an attractive place for employers and employees, we tend to attract people from all over the country, creating more in-migration than out-migration.”

Fulton County, the largest in metro Atlanta, added the most, with 12,700 new residents, a growth rate of 1.3 percent. Gwinnett and Fulton’s population increase was followed by Cobb (9,600) and DeKalb (6,300) counties.

Gwinnett County, long a growth leader in the region, grew the fastest at a rate of 1.9 percent. Gwinnett added a total of 11,900 new residents.

All 10 counties experienced growth during the year.

Other counties include: Cherokee County at 4,200; Henry County at 3,200; Douglas County at 1,300; Fayette County at 1,300; Rockdale County at 1,200; and Clayton County at 1,000.

The city of Atlanta’s growth trend also continued, with the city adding 4,100 people, driven in large part by new multi-family developments and an influx of young professionals.

(Photo: report of the 10-county ARC population estimates. Credit: Atlanta Regional Commission)