Metro Atlanta population growth fueled by minorities

Statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the intersection of Boulevard & Freedom Parkway. (AJC FILE)

Credit: WILLIAM BERRY

Credit: WILLIAM BERRY

Statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the intersection of Boulevard & Freedom Parkway. (AJC FILE)

Metro Atlanta continues to drive Georgia’s population growth, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.

The state’s population in 2018 was about 10.5 million, information released Thursday shows, a growth of 8% since 2010.

The core metro Atlanta counties -- Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb and Gwinnett -- gained 12% more residents in the same time period.

Demographic details provided by the census reveal a familiar theme: the minority population is growing fastest.

The white population in the four-county area grew by 3.8%, up to 1.4 million.

The black population has grown 17% since 2010 to reach 1.3 million, the Latino population 14% to 440,000, and the Asian population 31% percent to 276,000, census numbers say.

Latino population counts can overlap with other demographic groups because they are considered ethnic identifiers, not a race; you can mark on census forms that you are a race like white, black or Asian, and also denote that you are Latino.

MORE COVERAGE:

COBB: Black, Latino population rises; number of whites drops slightly

DEKALB: Latino population declines while Asian numbers rise

FULTON: Asian, black populations fastest growing

GWINNETT: Minority populations continue to grow