Houston passes Bibb, metro Atlanta counties grow. Here’s a map of 2020 Census changes

The 2020 Census data is in, and Macon-Bibb County is no longer the biggest county in Middle Georgia, at least by population.

That honor belongs to Houston County, which experienced the greatest percentage increase in new residents in the region.

The U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 Census on Thursday, and Houston County grew to 163,633 people in 2020 compared to 139,900 in the 2010 Census, a 17% increase.

Macon-Bibb County had a 1.2% increase in population with 157,346 people for 2020. Monroe (5.8%), Laurens (2.3%) and Peach counties (1.0%) all saw increases in population between 2010 and 2020.

“Despite the yearly Census estimates predicting — and the perception by the public — that we were losing population, we are growing,” Macon-Bibb County Mayor Lester Miller said in a statement. “Add to that our growing tax digest, and it shows we have turned the ship around and are on the right path as a community. People are responding to the great things happening here, and I know we’ll have even more growth the next 10 years, especially as we reduce our millage rate as other areas see increases.”

Five Middle Georgia counties lost population over the past decade, with Twiggs County losing nearly 1,000 people, a -11.1% change. Wilkinson (-7.2%), Baldwin (-4.2%), Crawford (-4%) and Jones counties (1.1%) also lost population.

In Macon-Bibb County, 85,885 people identified as only Black or African American and 57,778 people identified as only white compared to Houston County where 88,519 people identified as only white and 52,610 identified as only Black or African American. Both counties gained more people who identified as Black or African American from 2010 to 2020, but Houston County gained the most with 12,612 and Bibb County at 4,769.

Both counties also lost population among people who identified as only white, but Bibb County lost the most with 9,421 people and Houston County at 107.

The second largest gain both counties received came from people who identify as multiracial or some other race with Houston County gaining 8,011 people and Bibb County gaining 4,036.

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 3:40 PM.