ATLANTA - Metro Atlanta is getting bigger and more diverse, according to a new report from the Atlanta Regional Commission.
What we know:
Over the past year, the 11-county metro area added more than 64,000 residents, bringing the total population to about 5.3 million. Every county saw growth. Fulton County added the most residents with 18,800 new people, followed by Gwinnett with nearly 19,000, Cherokee with 7,100 and Forsyth with 6,700. The city of Atlanta gained 10,600 residents.
Growth by County
What they're saying:
Since 2020, the metro’s population has grown from 4.97 million. Fulton’s population rose from 1,066,710 in 2020 to 1,141,870 in 2025; Gwinnett from 957,062 to 1,027,312; Cherokee from 266,620 to 299,460; and Forsyth from 251,283 to 281,933.
Click here to see all the counties.
By 2050
What's next:
Looking ahead, ARC projects even more growth by 2050 — an additional 254,000 residents in Fulton; 244,000 in Gwinnett; 142,000 in Cherokee; and 199,000 in Forsyth.
Age of Residents
The region’s age makeup is also shifting.
The number of residents age 75 and older is rising quickly as people live longer and the Baby Boomer generation ages. In 2020, just 5% of the population was in this age group.
By 2050, that share is expected to more than double to 12%, or about 926,700 people.
Diversity
Metro Atlanta is also becoming more diverse.
In 2020, the population was 46% white, 34% Black, 12% Hispanic and 8% other races.
By 2025, whites are expected to make up 38% of the population, Blacks 30%, Hispanics 21%, and other races 11%.
Click here for population forecasts.