Cherokee County’s population is forecast to reach over 400,000 by 2050, according to a report released Thursday by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
The ARC forecasts Cherokee to have a population of 408,837 in 2050, a 53% increase over a 30-year period, with an average annual growth rate of 1.8%.
This is the fourth-highest 30-year growth rate in the report’s 21-county Atlanta region, behind Forsyth (79%), Barrow (71%), and Paulding counties (60%).
According to U.S. Census data, Cherokee’s population in 2020 was 266,620.
About every four years, ARC issues long-range population and employment forecasts that inform its Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the region’s long-range blueprint that shapes transportation investments in metro Atlanta.
The ARC Board adopted a major update to the MTP Wednesday, which allocates $168 billion through 2050 for transportation projects across the Atlanta region, including Cherokee.
Highlights of the regional population and employment forecasts show that diversity will drive the region’s growth. Hispanic and Latino residents are forecast to account for 21% of the region’s population in 2050, compared to 12% today.