Posted on: March 29, 2018
The Atlanta region added more than 89,000 people in the year ending June 1, 2017, according to the latest population estimates from the U.S. Census. Metro Atlanta ranked third in total population growth, behind only Dallas and Houston.
The population growth is driven by metro Atlanta’s strong economy. The region’s employment base grew by 2.5 percent between September 2016 and September 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In metro Atlanta, Cherokee County grew at the fastest rate: +2.47%, followed by Henry and Clayton counties.
The Atlanta Regional Commission will issue its annual population estimates for the 10-county region in August.
Top Ten Largest-Gaining Metropolitan Areas: 2016-2017
| Metro Area | 2017 Population | 2016 Population | Numeric Change | |
| 1 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,399,662 | 7,253,424 | 146,238 |
| 2 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 6,892,427 | 6,798,010 | 94,417 |
| 3 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 5,884,736 | 5,795,723 | 89,013 |
| 4 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 4,737,270 | 4,648,498 | 88,772 |
| 5 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 6,216,589 | 6,150,681 | 65,908 |
10-County Metro Region: Population & Change Estimates, 2016-2017
(For an interactive version of this table, head over to ARC’s regional data blog, 33n.)
| Total Population, 2016 | Total Population, 2017 | Percent Change, 2016-2017 | |
| Cherokee County | 241,600 | 247,573 | 2.47% |
| Henry County | 221,355 | 225,813 | 2.01% |
| Clayton County | 280,006 | 285,153 | 1.84% |
| Fulton County | 1,024,248 | 1,041,423 | 1.68% |
| Gwinnett County | 907,101 | 920,260 | 1.45% |
| Douglas County | 142,021 | 143,882 | 1.31% |
| Fayette County | 111,248 | 112,549 | 1.17% |
| Rockdale County | 89,375 | 90,312 | 1.05% |
| DeKalb County | 746,690 | 753,253 | 0.88% |
| Cobb County | 750,477 | 755,754 | 0.7% |
| 10-County Metro Region | 4,514,121 | 4,575,972 | 1.37% |
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For more details on population change in the Georgia counties for 2017, including interactive features highlighting growth in the ten-county region, across Georgia and more, please visit 33n.
