Between April 2012 and April 2013, the Atlanta region added 40,100 new residents, with growth rates mirroring those of the previous five years, indicating a significant drop compared to the 1990s and early 2000s. Gwinnett County led the region in average annual growth, while Fulton County added the most new residents last year. Residential building permit activity remains low, impacting population growth despite a slight increase in permit numbers.

1. 2013 Population Estimates
Atlanta Regional Commission
Regional Snapshot: August 2013
For more information contact:
mcarnathan@atlantaregional.com

2. Population Estimates: Recent History
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
Population Growth
The 10-county Atlanta region added 40,100 new residents between April 1, 2012 and April 1, 2013. This growth is
essentially the same experienced during each of the last five years, meaning that growth is still muted when
compared to the booming years of the 1990s and early 2000s. As the table shows, the average annual growth since
2010 is less than half of the annual growth experienced between 1990 and 2010.
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2012 2013
Average Annual
Change 2010-
2013
Average Annual
Change 1990-
2010
Atlanta Region 1,500,823 1,896,182 2,557,800 3,429,379 4,107,750 4,179,500 4,219,600 37,283 77,498
Cherokee 31,059 51,699 91,000 141,903 214,346 220,800 223,300 2,985 6,167
Clayton 98,126 150,357 184,100 236,517 259,424 262,300 263,700 1,425 3,766
Cobb 196,793 297,718 453,400 607,751 688,078 699,500 707,500 6,474 11,734
DeKalb 415,387 483,024 553,800 665,865 691,893 700,700 706,600 4,902 6,905
Douglas 28,659 54,573 71,700 92,174 132,403 133,900 134,700 766 3,035
Fayette 11,364 29,043 62,800 91,263 106,567 107,500 108,200 544 2,188
Fulton 605,210 589,904 670,800 816,006 920,581 936,100 945,400 8,273 12,489
Gwinnett 72,349 166,808 356,500 588,448 805,321 823,100 832,200 8,960 22,441
Henry 23,724 36,309 59,200 119,341 203,922 209,500 211,300 2,459 7,236
Rockdale 18,152 36,747 54,500 70,111 85,215 86,100 86,700 495 1,536
City of Atlanta 495,039 424,922 415,200 416,474 420,003 421,600 422,800 932 240

3. Population Estimates: Recent History
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
Population Growth
Since 2010, Gwinnett County has led the region in average annual growth, adding 9,000 new residents each year.
This growth, like all jurisdictions, is well below the average annual change experienced between 1990 and 2010. As
for last year, Fulton added the most new residents, up 9,300, then Gwinnett (+9,100), Cobb (+8,000) and DeKalb
(+5,900).
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2012 2013
Average Annual
Change 2010-
2013
Average Annual
Change 1990-
2010
Atlanta Region 1,500,823 1,896,182 2,557,800 3,429,379 4,107,750 4,179,500 4,219,600 37,283 77,498
Cherokee 31,059 51,699 91,000 141,903 214,346 220,800 223,300 2,985 6,167
Clayton 98,126 150,357 184,100 236,517 259,424 262,300 263,700 1,425 3,766
Cobb 196,793 297,718 453,400 607,751 688,078 699,500 707,500 6,474 11,734
DeKalb 415,387 483,024 553,800 665,865 691,893 700,700 706,600 4,902 6,905
Douglas 28,659 54,573 71,700 92,174 132,403 133,900 134,700 766 3,035
Fayette 11,364 29,043 62,800 91,263 106,567 107,500 108,200 544 2,188
Fulton 605,210 589,904 670,800 816,006 920,581 936,100 945,400 8,273 12,489
Gwinnett 72,349 166,808 356,500 588,448 805,321 823,100 832,200 8,960 22,441
Henry 23,724 36,309 59,200 119,341 203,922 209,500 211,300 2,459 7,236
Rockdale 18,152 36,747 54,500 70,111 85,215 86,100 86,700 495 1,536
City of Atlanta 495,039 424,922 415,200 416,474 420,003 421,600 422,800 932 240

4. Population Estimates: Recent History
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
Population Growth
Similar to the table on the previous slide, this shows how each county and the City of Atlanta has grown over the
past 40 years. As you can see, each county “took off” at different points of time. Generally speaking, though, the
more rural counties of Cherokee, Douglas and Henry experienced their booms last decade, while the more urban
counties closer to the core had their booms during the 1990s.
-10,000
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000 Cherokee
Clayton
Cobb
DeKalb
Douglas
Fayette
Fulton
Gwinnett
Henry
Rockdale
CityofAtlanta
1970 to 1980 1980 to 1990 1990 to 2000 2000 to 2010 2012 to 2013

5. Population Estimates: Recent History
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
Population Growth
Similar to the table on the previous slide, this shows how each county and the City of Atlanta has grown over the
past 40 years. As you can see, each county “took off” at different points of time. Generally speaking, though, the
more rural counties of Cherokee, Douglas and Henry experienced their booms last decade, while the more urban
counties closer to the core had their booms during the 1990s.
-10,000
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000 Cherokee
Clayton
Cobb
DeKalb
Douglas
Fayette
Fulton
Gwinnett
Henry
Rockdale
CityofAtlanta
1970 to 1980 1980 to 1990 1990 to 2000 2000 to 2010 2012 to 2013
Cherokee, Douglas and Henry had their
growth spurts during the 2000s.

6. Population Estimates: Recent History
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
Population Growth
Similar to the table on the previous slide, this shows how each county and the City of Atlanta has grown over the
past 40 years. As you can see, each county “took off” at different points of time. Generally speaking, though, the
more rural counties of Cherokee, Douglas and Henry experienced their booms last decade, while the more urban
counties closer to the core had their booms during the 1990s.
-10,000
-5,000
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000 Cherokee
Clayton
Cobb
DeKalb
Douglas
Fayette
Fulton
Gwinnett
Henry
Rockdale
CityofAtlanta
1970 to 1980 1980 to 1990 1990 to 2000 2000 to 2010 2012 to 2013
DeKalb and Fulton had their largest
growth spurts during the 1990s.

7. Population Estimates: 10-County
Atlanta Region
Source: ARC Population Estimates Program
What Comes Around…
The annual growth from 2012 to 2013 almost exactly matches the average annual growth during the 1970s.
In fact, growth over the past 40 years has been quite symmetrical. As the chart shows, the 1990s saw the
greatest growth, while growth during the 1980s was similar to the growth during the 2000s.
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
100,000
10-County Atlanta Region
1970 to 1980 1980 to 1990 1990 to 2000 2000 to 2010 2012 to 2013

8. Population Estimates: Historical Series
Source: Census
Population Growth Through The Decades
The 1990s were booming, as the 10-county Atlanta region added more than 900,000 new residents
during the decade, by far the largest net gain in population when compared to other decades
spanning back to the 1930s. On a percentage basis, however, the 1950s had the largest gains, growing
by some 38 percent between 1950 and 1960.
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
35.0%
40.0%
%
Change
30-40
%
Change
40-50
%
Change
50-60
%
Change
60-70
%
Change
70-80
%
Change
80-90
%
Change
90-2000
%
Change
00-2010
Percent Change by Decade: 10-County ARC
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
700,000
800,000
900,000
1,000,000
#
Change
30-40
#
Change
40-50
#
Change
50-60
#
Change
60-70
#
Change
70-80
#
Change
80-90
#
Change
90-2000
#
Change
00-2010
Raw Change by Decade: 10-County ARC

9. Building Permits: 10-County Atlanta
Region
Source: State of the Cities Data System
Building Permits Are An Indicator Of Population Growth
Given that residential building permit activity is still at all-time lows, it is not surprising that population growth is sluggish. Permits
are on the rise, but again, just rising slowly. There were almost 11,000 residential units permitted in 2012, 4,500 more than in 2011.
But, considering the region averaged around 35,000 new residential units each year since 1980, permit activity is still way down.
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Building Permits: 1980 - 2012

10. Building Permits: 10-County Atlanta
Region
Source: State of the Cities Data System
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Building Permits: 1980 - 2012
30-Year Average
Building Permits Are An Indicator Of Population Growth
Given that residential building permit activity is still at all-time lows, it is not surprising that population growth is sluggish. Permits
are on the rise, but again, just rising slowly. There were almost 11,000 residential units permitted in 2012, 4,500 more than in 2011.
But, considering the region averaged around 35,000 new residential units each year since 1980, permit activity is still way down.

11. Building Permits: 10-County Atlanta
Region
Source: State of the Cities Data System
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Building Permits: 1980 - 2012
30-Year Average
2012:
31% of
30-year
average
Building Permits Are An Indicator Of Population Growth
Given that residential building permit activity is still at all-time lows, it is not surprising that population growth is sluggish. Permits
are on the rise, but again, just rising slowly. There were almost 11,000 residential units permitted in 2012, 4,500 more than in 2011.
But, considering the region averaged around 35,000 new residential units each year since 1980, permit activity is still way down.