Disciplines
Anthropology | Geography | Human Geography | Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The northern Atlanta suburbs are perhaps the premiere destination for migrants, both domestic and international, into the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. Filled with activities, good schools, and endless dining options, these communities are not only relatively safe to raise a family in, but also offer plenty to do for married couples and retirees. The counties of Gwinnett and Cobb, along with the northern portion of Fulton County (known as North Fulton) are the traditional northside suburban destinations, but growth there has slowed because much of the land is now densely developed. Predictably, the suburbs have extended northward through the counties of Forsyth and Cherokee, and into Dawson County, leading to rapid demographic and population change. Just twenty years ago, these counties were mostly rural and unpopulated, containing very small minority populations and a lack of development. I found that within the past eleven years, population patterns and statistics have changed significantly, with influxes of residents belonging to all major racial and ethnic backgrounds. While Forsyth and Cherokee have ranked among America’s fastest growing counties for many years now, Dawson has been thrust into development rather recently. I expect its future population growth patterns will align with those of Forsyth and Cherokee. I am using a choropleth map and two dot-density hybrid maps to display the changes that have taken place.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Geography & Anthropology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Uli Ingram
Included in
Anthropology Commons, Human Geography Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons
Demographic Change in the North Atlanta Metro Area
The northern Atlanta suburbs are perhaps the premiere destination for migrants, both domestic and international, into the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. Filled with activities, good schools, and endless dining options, these communities are not only relatively safe to raise a family in, but also offer plenty to do for married couples and retirees. The counties of Gwinnett and Cobb, along with the northern portion of Fulton County (known as North Fulton) are the traditional northside suburban destinations, but growth there has slowed because much of the land is now densely developed. Predictably, the suburbs have extended northward through the counties of Forsyth and Cherokee, and into Dawson County, leading to rapid demographic and population change. Just twenty years ago, these counties were mostly rural and unpopulated, containing very small minority populations and a lack of development. I found that within the past eleven years, population patterns and statistics have changed significantly, with influxes of residents belonging to all major racial and ethnic backgrounds. While Forsyth and Cherokee have ranked among America’s fastest growing counties for many years now, Dawson has been thrust into development rather recently. I expect its future population growth patterns will align with those of Forsyth and Cherokee. I am using a choropleth map and two dot-density hybrid maps to display the changes that have taken place.