Georgia's largest cities as of 2008..interesting! (Atlanta, Columbus: 2009, school, zip codes)

[lansinggirl09]

Originally Posted by MantaRay

That's my point. And city populations don't really mean much. Metro populations mean a lot more. If I wanted to size up what kind of place a city is, I would need to know metro population. If I wanted to get a feel for how much amenities and traffic Atlanta has, telling me Atlanta has 500 something thousand people isn't going to help one iota. Telling me Atlanta has 5 million people is much more useful. Since cities proper don't all have the same square miles, comparing populations of cities proper is not all that useful.

If we looked at the CSA poulations....

It would go

Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah and then Macon. Those are the top 5...

City sizes

Augusta 302 sq miles
Columbus 217 sq miles
Atlanta 132 sq miles
Athens 111 sq miles
Savannah 75 aq miles

so obviously it isn't the city size

The Census beureu uses population of the city to determine the largest cities and that would be:

Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, and Athens rounding out the largest cities in Georgia.

If Marietta, Decatur and certain areas around Atlanta were to incorporate, then the list would probably look like this:

Atlanta, Marietta, Decatur, Augusta, Columbus, East Cobb and then Savannah.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by MantaRay

You are exactly right, it's stupid to separate areas that are that close. That's why people usually consider the metro area moreso than an arbitrary city proper boundary and population.

there is a set criteria for determining MSA's.

Apparently, these two areas are to be separated using the criteria in place, which i briefly explained a couple of posts back.


It has nothing to do with who uses who's airports and who shops where.

[nortonguy]

Warner Robins and Aiken are not the same at all. For one thing the city of Augusta has more jobs than Macon. Second Warner robins has its own major employer in the base. So that's why Warner Robins is in Macon's CSA and not in their MSA. Aiken is apart of Augusta MSA because they have a major employer SRS but still so many people commute to Augusta for work. The number of people in Warner Robins who drive to Macon for work. Is nowhere near the amount of people in Aiken who drive to Augusta for work. MSA's have to fit a definite criteria.

[MantaRay]

Since the discrpancy seems to center around the order of Macon, Columbus, and Savannah, here is what wikipedia reports:

The Columbus–Auburn–Opelika, GA-AL Combined Statistical Area though a July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 435,608

the Savannah-Hinesville-Fort Stewart CSA, had a combined estimated population of just over 394,000 in 2006

the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley Combined Statistical Area had an estimated population of 386,534.

Everybody pretty much agrees on Atlanta and Augusta being #1 and #2:

Atlanta...with a combined statistical area population of 5,626,400.

The population of the Augusta-Aiken Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was estimated by the Census Bureau at 500,263 residents as of July 2006. Wikipedia says the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area, which as of July 2007 had a population of 528,519. It obviously must include the SC portion and therefore be the equivalent of the CSAs of the other cities mentioned.

It looks like almost everybody is going to keep the same position going forward except for Macon CSA being poised to overtake Savannah CSA, with only about 7,000 separating the two and Macon arguably the city that is growing faster.

[gaflsc]

Wikipedia is never a reliable source for anything.

The misplaced passion some of you exude to cheerlead for your favorite city is laughable.

[nortonguy]

Also I forgot to mention Aiken is apart of Augusta's MSA. Because Augusta and Aiken have a 35,000 to 40,000 people city in between them. Called North Augusta. Macon and Warner Robins doesn't have that.

[Columbusattorney]

Originally Posted by gaflsc

Wikipedia is never a reliable source for anything.

The misplaced passion some of you exude to cheerlead for your favorite city is laughable.

I agree.
Especially the ones from Columbus area.
If you looked at their posts over the past year they change almost weekly depending on economic climate.

[lansinggirl09]

Originally Posted by Columbusattorney

I agree.
Especially the ones from Columbus area.
If you looked at their posts over the past year they change almost weekly depending on economic climate.

What does that have to do with this topic???

[Columbusattorney]

Originally Posted by lansinggirl09

What does that have to do with this topic???

Basically another false claim Chris/Atlcol1.
Everyone knows the deal with your multiple names.
Time to give it up young man.

[yerocal]

Originally Posted by nortonguy

Also I forgot to mention Aiken is apart of Augusta's MSA. Because Augusta and Aiken have a 35,000 to 40,000 people city in between them. Called North Augusta. Macon and Warner Robins doesn't have that.

According to the Us Census N.Augusta has pop of about 20,000 and Aiken at 29,000. Between Macon and W.Robins is a HOT growth area, there is the unincorporated community of Rutland, South Bibb Co. and North Houston Co. with well over 30,000.............And then W.Robins at 60,000