Henry County forecast to grow 70% between 2015 and 2050

Map showing single-family housing permits issued in 2018 in Henry County and surrounding areas (ARC photo)

New forecasts produced by the Atlanta Regional Commission estimate Henry County will continue to develop with new residents, reaching 370,400 residents by the year 2050. This forecast would equate to a seventy percent increase over the benchmark year 2015 used in the forecasts. In 2015, Henry County’s population was 217,700.

The estimated growth rate places Henry County second, behind only Forsyth County, for the largest population percentage change over the next thirty years. As a whole, the twenty-one county metro Atlanta region is expected to add 2.9 million residents totaling 8.6 million by 2050.

Why the forecast? The Atlanta Regional Commission compiles long-range population forecasts every four years, when the regional commission completes a major update to the Atlanta Region’s Plan. Residents can attend open house meetings this month to learn more about the region’s plan and provide commentary.

Henry County population forecast to comprise over eighty percent minorities by year 2050

Metropolitan Atlanta is forecast to grow much more diverse by year 2050. What’s Next ATL shared the following snapshot about the region as a whole:

  • The share of white residents will drop to 31%, compared to 47.5% in 2015.
  • The share of Hispanic residents will reach 21%, up from 12% in 2015.
  • The share of black residents will remain steady at about 33%.
  • The share of residents of “other” race and ethnic backgrounds, a category that includes Asians, will increase to 14%, compared to 8% in 2015.

African-American populations in Cobb, Gwinnett, and Henry Counties are projected to grow faster than those in other counties. Within Henry County, its estimated that an additional 100,000 black residents will locate here in the next thirty years, shifting the share of total county population from 41% in 2015 to 53% in 2050.

Likewise, the share of Hispanic residents will also increase. Its estimated that Hispanics will comprise nearly 15% of Henry County’s population in year 2050, more than double the six percent in 2015. Populations of two or more races, Asian, Native American, or Alaskan / Pacific Islander will see a similar change in percentage share of the total county population.

Almost all counties in metro Atlanta, with the exception of Dawson County, are forecast to see a decrease in the share of the population comprised of white residents. In Henry County, white residents will decrease from 45% of the population in 2015 to only 16% in 2050.

Data presented in this article was prepared by the Atlanta Regional Commission’s research and analytics division. The full regional snapshot is available on their website.

About Clayton 1745 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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