Houston County population growth has outpaced nearby counties. What’s causing it?
Houston County has continued to see a rise in population, according to data released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Middle Georgia county saw an estimated 5.1% increase in population from April 2020 to July 2023, which equates to 8,332 more Houston County residents. It’s more growth than the nearby counties of Peach and Bibb. Peach County saw a 2.9% increase in that same time frame, while Bibb County saw a drop of 0.5%, according to the Census.
In total, Houston County has an estimated 171,974 residents, according to the Census.
Dan Perdue, chairman of the Houston County Board of Commissioners, said the jump in population could be attributed to several factors.
“Houston County has great schools, great businesses and industry, including Robins Air Force Base, and a great quality of life,” he said. “In addition, we have many organizations, including the Houston County Development Authority and the 21st Century Partnership, that are continually working to spur innovation and job growth in our region.”
“In Houston County, we attempt to take a regional focus and celebrate wins in our neighboring counties and communities,” Perdue said.
Perdue said the county government does not try to spur population growth, but rather focuses on good government stewardship to attract people to the county.
“Our role is to deliver essential government services in the most efficient and effective way possible,” he said. “This ultimately results in low tax rates and solving real issues in our community quickly. This means that housing and transportation infrastructure is available and ready to serve needs. People feel safe and like they have responsive public safety organizations in Houston County, and prosperity cannot be achieved without public safety.”
And it seems there is a direct correlation between population increase and economic growth. Perdue said when new businesses or large industrial companies begin to look at where to locate, one of the first things they investigate is the availability of the workforce.
“Continued growth, as we have seen the last few years, allows us to continue to attract great employers to Houston County,” he said. “Of course, all the citizens that are here and continuing to locate here will need to purchase goods and services, which help our SPLOST revenues, which are reinvested in the infrastructure and capital improvements a growing community needs.
“A growing community, wisely managed, is a virtuous cycle that will greatly benefit those already in our community and those who wish to come here.”
Perdue said the county remains committed to making the area a great place to live and work.
“It’s an honor to serve the people of Houston County in this role. I and the other Commissioners I serve with view this as a high responsibility and recognize the great things happening in Houston County as a true blessing,” he said. “We’re committed to continuing to lead this organization with integrity, transparency, and wisdom.”
