Which Georgia Counties Lead in Population Growth (2025)?

You want to know which parts of Georgia are booming and which ones are shrinking. Well, the population numbers tell a story. The counties near the big cities are growing like crazy because people are flocking there since housing is still somewhat affordable and there are lots of jobs to go around. On the other hand, the rural areas are where it's tough to keep people from leaving.

The pandemic shook things up quite a bit, too. Some people decided they wanted a change of pace and moved to different parts of the state. Plus, the new roads and infrastructure projects are making places a bit more interesting to live in. People also care about quality of life and want to live somewhere that fits their lifestyle and has the amenities they're looking for.

These population changes matter because they affect a lot of parts of life. Schools might suddenly have way more or way fewer students than before. Traffic could get a whole lot better or worse, depending on where people are moving to. Local governments have to adjust their budgets based on how many taxpayers they have.

If you're ready to find out which counties are hot and which ones aren't, you could be surprised by some of the patterns. Let's get started and see what's driving these changes across Georgia!

Fastest Growing Counties In 2025

You could be surprised to learn that Georgia's population growth story is changing fast. A few counties are seeing some good expansion compared to the rest of the state. Long County is a great example - it has a whopping 20.4% growth rate over just three years. That actually makes it the second-fastest-growing county in the entire nation!

Dawson County is right up there as well with a great 17.3% growth rate. It actually ranks fifth nationally for population expansion. And Jackson County isn't too far behind with a good 15.5% increase in residents during that same period. Bryan County and Forsyth County are also top performers with 10.4% and 7.9% growth rates in that order.

Location plays a giant role in their success. These counties are within a pretty easy commuting distance to serious job centers - especially Atlanta. That means families can access worthwhile employment opportunities while also enjoying cheaper housing options compared to living right in the city.

It's a big contrast with other parts of Georgia, too. Bigger counties like Fulton, DeKalb, and Clayton have posted almost flat population growth recently. The real boom is happening more in those exurban areas where there's still lots of land available, and home prices are staying pretty affordable.

Looking ahead, these growth patterns seem likely to continue. Forsyth County's population is actually expected to increase by a staggering 79% between 2020 and 2050. That would bring its total residents to over 450,000 people! and Cherokee County is expected to grow by around 53% during that same timeframe. These kinds of population changes bring opportunities and challenges for communities.

New residents moving in means expanded tax bases and economic vitality - but it also creates demand for more schools, roads, and public services. The counties that can plan are the ones that'll grow successfully with this influx of newcomers. It's mostly the North Georgia region that's capturing the bulk of this population surge. This 71-county area accounts for a whopping 88% of the state's total growth. The pattern shows a clear change toward the surrounding communities that have more space available.

Metro Atlanta's Shifting Patterns

Hey, have you looked at the latest population numbers for the Metro Atlanta area? They have a story to tell about how people's preferences are changing. People are packing up and moving away from the big cities and into the surrounding counties instead. Dawson County grew by a massive 17.3% between 2020 and 2023, which is crazy fast and makes it the fifth fastest-growing county in the whole country! Forsyth and Cherokee counties are also seeing growth, with rates of 7.9% and 6.9%.

The counties in the heart of the city are barely growing at all. Fulton DeKalb and Clayton counties have pretty much stayed the same. Gwinnett County only grew by 2.6% over three years and Cobb County managed a measly 1.4% growth rate during that time. Compare these numbers side by side and the difference is crystal clear.

It looks like Georgians are starting to try out life in the suburbs over the city. They want more space and are willing to trade in their city apartments for houses with yards out in the burbs. The Thompson family is a perfect example, having left their place in Atlanta for a house in Dawson County. Even though their commute is longer now they have a yard, better schools and lower housing costs out of the deal. For them it was worth it.

As more people make the same choice, it's changing communities all over the state. Property values in areas outside the city are skyrocketing as demand goes up, and traffic is worse as these new residents move in. Schools in the growing counties are bursting at the seams with the new kids, and the culture is changing, too, as the suburbs become more populated and different. They think it'll go on for decades.

Experts say this trend has probably just started. Cherokee County's population could increase by 53% by 2050, and Henry County could grow by 44% in the same amount of time. Even counties that are already pretty big might see growth. By the middle of the century, the Atlanta region may have twice as many people as it does now.

Some parts of Georgia are also growing. Rural counties in main and southern Georgia are actually losing residents. Bryan County near Savannah grew by a whopping 48% over the last decade, which makes it the sixth-fastest-growing county in the whole country. The Georgia Coast as a whole is expected to have more than 840,000 residents by 2030.

Most Populous Counties By 2025

Georgia's biggest counties are growing like crazy, with Fulton County leading the charge and soon calling more than 1.1 million people its residents. That's 17,000 new residents in just a single year!

Gwinnett County is about to join the million-resident club as it'll cross that big milestone in 2024. New people are putting a strain on the county's resources and schools. One school board member in Gwinnett said it best by saying "Our schools are bursting at the seams." They're always scrambling to build new buildings for the students.

Cobb County is hot on the heels of its neighbors - by 2050, it'll have over 914,000 residents. That's a 19% jump from 2020! Even with housing prices going up, people just can't seem to stay away. DeKalb County is set to have around 880,000 residents by 2050, which is a 15% increase from 2020. DeKalb manages to balance urban living and suburban beauty.

All this growth is encouraging the expansion of our Atlanta region - by 2050, nearly 8 million people will call it home. That's possible.

But it also comes with some big challenges - things like transportation and water are going to be problems to deal with. A business owner in Fulton summed it up well by saying "The population boom has been for business." We're feeling the strain on our roads and public services. Communities all over the region are echoing that sentiment as they try to keep up.

Counties farther out are growing even faster on a percentage basis, which could be a strategy. Forsyth County is looking at a 79% population surge by 2050. Cherokee County is close behind, with an expected 53% growth in the same timeframe. These once-sleepy rural places are fast turning into busy suburbs.

Why Are Some Regions Losing Residents?

You're probably wondering why some parts of Georgia are losing so many people while other areas are booming. It's a story of two very different realities. On one hand, rural counties in south Georgia are hemorrhaging residents left and right. People are moving out so fast that these communities are left in a bind and struggle with basic services. Take Telfair County in South Georgia as an example.

Telfair County is nearly dead last in the entire country, with losses of over 12% of its people. It's wild. Then there's McIntosh County, where more than 20% of people have packed up and left. Dooly Stewart and Chattahoochee counties are also seeing double-digit losses. These numbers are pretty staggering.

If you talk to someone like Emma Johnson, who runs a little diner in Stewart County, she'll tell you straight up how much things have changed. She used to have a packed house for Sunday lunch after church. But now she's lucky if she can fill half the tables. It's a tough situation that shows the bigger economic problems these areas face. When people leave, businesses take a hit with fewer customers and less money coming in.

A big reason for this mass exodus is that there aren't enough job opportunities. Young people, in particular, are hightailing it to the cities where work is available. With farming becoming more mechanized, there aren't as many agricultural jobs as there used to be. This leaves an older population behind while the younger generations search for greener pastures.

This whole demographic change can cause a real downward spiral for local services. Schools see fewer students, and their funding gets cut. Hospitals struggle to stay open with a shrinking patient pool. Tax money is drying up while the cost of maintaining infrastructure keeps rising. It's a vicious cycle that makes bouncing back a real challenge.

Compare that to the booming counties in Georgia. Forsyth and Cherokee near Atlanta grew by around 8% and 7%, while Long County ranked second in the country with a 20% growth rate. Up in the north Atlanta exurbs, Dawson County added 17% more residents, which is a serious contrast. These changes show the lopsided development in Georgia as cities and suburbs attract new people while rural areas lose the lifeblood that keeps them going. It raises questions about whether to refresh the struggling counties or support the growing areas, and it's a tough call because something's got to give. We want a more balanced future for Georgia.

The Factors Driving Growth Statewide

You're probably wondering about how Georgia's population growth is changing the state. Well it's pretty a story! International migration is playing a giant role - especially around Atlanta. These newcomers are bringing all sorts of cultures, skills and perspectives to local communities which can enrich them in ways.

The craziest growth is happening in exurban counties. Take Bryan County near Savannah - it ranked sixth in the whole country for percentage change! and Long County is right up there as well, with a 20.4% growth rate from 2020 to 2023. It just goes to show how population patterns are changing past your common city centers.

A big reason for this exurban appeal is affordability. Lots of families are starting to find that they can get way more house for their money in counties like Forsyth, Cherokee and Barrow. These areas are the perfect find between having lots of space in a rural setting and still being close to urban conveniences. You can snag a bigger home with a yard without busting your budget.

Remote work is also changing where people choose to live. Workers don't have to manage those long commutes to the office anymore. This new freedom means they can put quality of life first instead of just being close to downtown. People are picking to trade in that congestion for a more peaceful setting.

Core metro counties are showing a different picture with much slower growth rates. Gwinnett only grew 2.6%, and Cobb had a mere 1.4% growth in recent years. Fulton DeKalb and Clayton counties have pretty much stayed the same. These stats make it clear that people are moving away from urban centers. Then, these job hubs become magnets for residential growth in the surrounding areas.

These migration patterns show that American goals about home and work balance are changing. More families are appreciating personal space and being able to get outdoors. They want to live in communities where housing costs aren't eating up their entire paycheck. Economic opportunities still have an effect on population changes, too. New business developments bring in workers to growing regions - industries like film and technology create employment clusters that draw in new residents.

Moving to Atlanta?

It's pretty easy to see how people's thoughts on where they want to call home have shifted recently. Places outside of the busy cities are actually growing quicker than the urban areas. It makes you think about how the pandemic has pushed some of us to rethink what "home" means to us. Just imagine being cooped up in a small apartment with your whole family and suddenly having to work and study from home. People started craving more space and a great backyard to stretch out in.

I remember hearing the stories about the big city exodus back in 2020. Well, it looks like those short-term changes could turn into long-term patterns after all. It's wild to remember how these patterns that started as knee-jerk reactions could end up shaping Georgia's future in a real way. Suburbs and rural areas are booming, while some city centers are growing a bit slower.

This means we need to think about things like roads, schools, and water systems. The communities that are planning for this growth are probably going to be the ones that grow down the line. It makes you think - which counties will be leading the pack in growth five years from now? Will we see the same patterns, or will some new hotspots pop up?

When speaking of making moves, if you're thinking about making this fun state your new home, you're in for a real treat! Every neighborhood has its own character, and every street corner has a story to tell. To get a feel for Atlanta's beauty, you might want a little input.

That's where we come in - the Justin Landis Group! Whether you're dreaming of a place in the quiet suburbs or a pad closer to the city's lively streets, our team is ready to help. We can help you find your perfect fit. You can reach out to us, and we will help you find your dream home.