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

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