New city population estimates from the census put Atlanta's population at 463,878 (Sandy Springs: apartment, houses)

[Airforceguy]

That's an increase of 43,875 from 2010. Here are estimates other for Metro Atlanta communities.


Sandy Springs: 105,330 up 11,477 from 2010

Roswell: 94,501 up 6,155 from 2010

Johns Creek: 83,335 up 6,607 from 2010

Alpharetta: 63,693 up 6,142 from 2010

Marietta: 59,067 up 2,488 from 2010

Smyrna: 56,146 up 4,875 from 2010

Brookhaven: 51,910

Dunwoody: 48,733 up 2,466 from 2010

Peachtree Corners: 40,978

Source:Cleveland population loss slows; find latest census estimates for every U.S. city, county and state | cleveland.com

[Gulch]

Not too shabby.

[wasel]

I never would have guessed Peachtree Corners would be that high.

[Pemgin]

At this rate, Atlanta could reach its historical peak population by 2020.

[skbl17]

At this rate, the City of Atlanta should reach 500k by 2020, assuming that the estimates are widely correct and there's no counting difficulties like there were in 2010.

- skbl17

[atler8]

Originally Posted by skbl17

At this rate, the City of Atlanta should reach 500k by 2020, assuming that the estimates are widely correct and there's no counting difficulties like there were in 2010.

- skbl17

Although there were several problems at play with the 2010 census count, it wasn't solely a case of "counting difficulties". The largest factor at work with the 2010 count not matching what was apparently an over-ambitious growth estimate for the City of Atlanta that developed year by year during the prior decade was that the massive depopulation trend for some large areas on the northwest, west central & southwest sides of the city proper were not picked up or recognized.
The growth in Buckhead, northeast & southeast Atlanta was indeed noteworthy for the decade but not enough to overwhelm the trend found in the depopulating areas. As such, Atlanta's growth for the decade was only marginal to the tune of a few thousand.
If the depopulation trend is still occurring in the same areas now, then the new estimate may once again be over-ambitiously high. Time will tell.
As a reminder, the fact is that the overestimate situation was not confined to only the City of Atlanta but rather there was an over estimate for the entire state of Georgia to the extent such that only Arizona had a wider mismatch/undercount than Georgia for the 2010 census.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by atler8

Although there were several problems at play with the 2010 census count, it wasn't solely a case of "counting difficulties". The largest factor at work with the 2010 count not matching what was apparently an over-ambitious growth estimate for the City of Atlanta that developed year by year during the prior decade was that the massive depopulation trend for some large areas on the northwest, west central & southwest sides of the city proper were not picked up or recognized.
The growth in Buckhead, northeast & southeast Atlanta was indeed noteworthy for the decade but not enough to overwhelm the trend found in the depopulating areas. As such, Atlanta's growth for the decade was only marginal to the tune of a few thousand.
If the depopulation trend is still occurring in the same areas now, then the new estimate may once again be over-ambitiously high. Time will tell.
As a reminder, the fact is that the overestimate situation was not confined to only the City of Atlanta but rather there was an over estimate for the entire state of Georgia to the extent such that only Arizona had a wider mismatch/undercount than Georgia for the 2010 census.

Beat me to it.

Much of that depopulation in the western and southern parts of the city was due to the closure of some of the big housing projects and the Great Recession. I think it bottomed out right around the time of the Census count.

[atler8]

Originally Posted by Gulch

Beat me to it.

Much of that depopulation in the western and southern parts of the city was due to the closure of some of the big housing projects and the Great Recession. I think it bottomed out right around the time of the Census count.

I agree with your point of the housing project closures as being a huge factor in the population loss trend for those particular areas of the city.
Over the last 50 years there has also been a slow but cumulative emptying out of neighborhoods process at work too. A drive through many of those areas reveals streets with rows of vacant lots or empty & decaying houses and apartment buildings.
At some point though, I'd hazard a guess that a bottom point might be reached and an infill process would work to reverse that trend. Much of southeast Atlanta exhibited such a trend during the 1990's & the last full decade.

[hautemomma]

So Atlanta is essentially a mid-sized city.

When people think of Atlanta, they are thinking of the entire Metro. THAT is what lends to the perception of population and size of Atlanta.

Atlanta, in isolation, is not a population powerhouse like Chicago or Houston (each 2M+), let alone NYC or LA.

Better to think in terms of the Metro ATL region than the city-centered focus championed by some.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

So Atlanta is essentially a mid-sized city.

When people think of Atlanta, they are thinking of the entire Metro. THAT is what lends to the perception of population and size of Atlanta.

Atlanta, in isolation, is not a population powerhouse like Chicago or Houston (each 2M+), let alone NYC or LA.

Better to think in terms of the Metro ATL region than the city-centered focus championed by some.

Yep. Looking at you Cobb!