Metro Atlanta moves up to sixth-largest in US, counties outside city see major increases

Metro Atlanta accounted for more than half of all new HIV diagnoses in Georgia in 2021, according to data released by the Center of Disease Control. (Mike Stewart/AP Photo)

The metropolitan Atlanta area has reached a new milestone this week, with the U.S. Census Bureau naming it the sixth largest — and third fastest growing — region in the country.

The city grew by approximately 68,585 new residents in 2023, roughly 1% of the area’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The fastest growth hasn’t been in counties like Fulton, DeKalb or Cobb, but in exurban communities farther from the city.