Growing GeorgiaCurrent population (2050 projection)Catoosa County: 65,773 (164,188)Chattooga: 27,335 (42,503)Dade: 16,587 (24,679)Fannin: 23,490 (43,713)Floyd: 97,696 (140,995)Gilmer: 30,095 (89,941)Gordon: 54,925 (112,970)Murray: 42,243 (122,868)Walker: 66,190 (88,747)Whitfield: 96,900 (186,057)Source: Governor's Office
All of Northwest Georgia is expected to grow, but Catoosa County -- which is projected to more than double in size in the next 40 years -- is expected to grow more than some areas.
"Catoosa County will be a major player in this region," said Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb.
The Governor's Office of Planning and Budget published a report in March projecting the population of the 10-county area of Northwest Georgia to add about 495,000 people by 2050. The growth would push the region's current population of 521,000 to more than 1 million. As a whole, the state is expected to add 4 million people in the next 20 years, going from 10 million residents to 14.7 million, according to the figures.
Population experts say the area's scenic beauty, climate and proximity to both metro Atlanta and Chattanooga -- coupled with jobs and affordable housing -- will draw people to the region.
Mr. Cobb said affordability is the key. Local governments must juggle the need for improvements to sewers, roads and schools with the need to keep taxes low.
"A lot of the growth is going to depend on whether you can fund things like that," he said.
Last decade, Catoosa County mirrored the statewide 20 percent growth rate from 2000 to 2009, taking the population from 53,000 to 64,000.
But Catoosa isn't the only county expected to swell.
By 2050, Whitfield is expected to grow by 92 percent, from about 97,000 residents to 186,000. The number of residents in Murray County is expected to nearly triple from 42,000 to 122,000 in 2050. Much of the growth in Murray and Gilmer counties is expected to come from retirees.
"Hopefully we'd like to have a diversified group," Murray County Commissioner David Ridley said. He said he welcomes retirees but hopes the county attracts younger, educated workers as well.
If its size is going to triple, leaders have work to do, he said. Sewers, schools and fire and police protection will have to grow with it.
He said he expects growth, but 123,000 may be optimistic considering a good portion of the county lies in the federally restricted Chattahoochee National Forest and Cohutta Wilderness Area.
"If that is realistic, it's going to be tight quarters," he said.
New Costco expected to draw shoppers, jobs
Did you know?By building its warehouse club in Catoosa County, Costco is able to sell wine, which is illegal for grocers in Tennessee. A Costco spokeswoman said the company sold $1.1 billion of wine in 2009. Trade magazines crowned the warehouse club the biggest wine dealer in the United States, though a company spokesman said that is difficult to determine.
Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Ronnie Cobb said much of the growth coming to Catoosa County will come in the form of retail and industrial growth. Much of that retail growth will center on the Cloud Springs Road interchange on Interstate 75.
"I can see the commercial growth pulling the weight of it," Mr. Cobb said.
A Costco Wholesale warehouse club will open on Cloud Springs in late August or early September, and officials hope it will anchor other development around the site.
Larry Armour, who owns property around the Costco site, said he has heard from hotels, big-box retailers and chain restaurants looking for property in the area.
--Staff writer Andy Johns