GEORGIA FACTS: A LOOK AT GEORGIA FACTS: A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS WITHIN YOUR THE NUMBERS WITHIN YOUR STATESTATE
By: Andrew Carswell, Ph.D., and Douglas Bachtel, Ph.D.
Society of Georgia Archivists MeetingSavannah, GA
November 6, 2009
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER WHAT WE ARE GOING TO COVER TODAYTODAY
The Five Georgias
Ten Pertinent Things That Make The State Unique
Recent Research That Covers Under-Documented Populations
THE FIVE GEORGIASTHE FIVE GEORGIAS
URBAN URBAN COUNTIESCOUNTIES
Contains a city with 50,000 or more inhabitants
Some Georgia urban counties are part of metro areas outside the state
Large numbers of African-Americans
Growing number of Hispanics
High crime rates
URBANIZING COUNTIESURBANIZING COUNTIES
Sometimes referred to as “micropolitan”
Viable job opportunities and infrastructure improvements
Diversified economyGrowing minority groupMay eventually evolve into
metropolitan area
SUBURBASUBURBANN
Also metropolitan¼ of population
commutes in to core/central city to work
Predominantly white, affluent, and highly educated
These areas grow at the expense of the urban counties
RURAL GROWTHRURAL GROWTHExperienced growth during
the 1980sCharacterized by scenic
beautyAttractive to tourists and
retireesSome located near military
baseUsually tax issues involved
in these countiesConflicts between new and
old residents
RURAL DECLINERURAL DECLINEThe counties in
greatest perilLong-term population
lossLack of employment
opportunitiesLow infrastructure
and business development
Bi-modal age distribution
SIZE OF THE POPULATIONSIZE OF THE POPULATION
9th largest population in the U.S.
Only 24th in areaLarge rural populationFarm population shrinking
(currently 63,480)
GROWTHGROWTH
4TH fastest growing state in the nation (2000-2007)
60% of growth was from new people moving into the state
Majority of new movers came from other SE states
DIVERSITYDIVERSITY
4TH highest % of African-Americans among U.S. states
Hispanics represent 7.5% of population
Asians account for 2.8% of the population
GA’s minority population heavily concentrated in a few areas
AGEAGEGA is a young stateLess % retirees than rest of
U.S., but growingLarge portion of GA’s
population growth is from new residents in their child-bearing years
EDUCATIONEDUCATION
GA traditionally has low educational attainment
Dropout rate is growing and is above the U.S. rate
Disparities in HS educational attainment rates within the races
ECONOMICSECONOMICSGA has low income levelsRanked 36th among all states119 counties are below that
of MSDisparities in income
between Asians/whites and Hispanics/A-A
53.7% of all firms in GA have <4 employees
187 companies have more than 1,000 employees
HOUSINGHOUSINGLarge number of mobile
and manufactured homesIn the top ten states for
foreclosuresRecently hit by large wave
of mortgage fraudRental and single-family
sectors both hurting Generally house prices
have been more stable than in other areas
Tax assessment and property tax issues
HEALTHHEALTHBirths to unwed mothers a
real problem within GA50% of students in GA
public school system live in single-parent households
Infant mortality rate much higher than rate for U.S.
Four epidemics prevalent within the state
VOTINGVOTINGA majority of eligible voters
do not cast their votes during a Presidential election
Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama elections
WATERWATER
State’s water supply directly tied to population growth
State currently has a border issue going on with FL, AL
Still currently a cheap resource, which hurts conservation efforts
WE THANK YOU FOR THE WE THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH YOU!TIME TO SPEAK WITH YOU!
[email protected](706) 542-4867
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