Shrinking Counties | Most of Central Georgia still losing population

MACON, Ga. — Macon and Hancock counties have each lost more than one out of every 10 people who lived there eight years ago.

Not far behind them are Pulaski, Dooly, Twiggs and Taylor counties, who have all lost hundreds of residents since the last federal census in 2010.

Updated numbers released by the U.S. Census this month shows that rural Central Georgia is continuing to lose population. That continues their trend of the past decade.

Four counties bucked the trend: Houston County, which has gained more than 15,000 people since 2010, Monroe and Putnam counties, and Wheeler County, which is home to a large private federal prison.

Every other county in the area lost ground, including several that were among the state's fastest-shrinking counties.

Houston, with 155,469 people and Bibb, with 153,095, remain the region's two largest counties. Bibb County lost 2,700 people -- the most of any county in the region, but at a lower percentage drop than most others.

Here are the county-by-count Census estimates:

Houston County    

• 2010 Census: 139,914    
• 2018 estimate: 155,469    
• Gain: 15,555    
• Change: +11.1%

Wheeler County    

• 2010 Census: 7,421    
• 2018 estimate:7,879    
• Gain: 458    
• Change: +6.2%

Monroe County    

• 2010 Census: 26,173    
• 2018 estimate: 27,520    
• Gain: 1,347    
• Change: +5.1%

Putnam County    

• 2010 Census: 21,218    
• 2018 estimate: 21,809    
• Gain: 591    
• Change: +2.8%

Jones County    

• 2010 Census: 28,667    
• 2018 estimate: 28,616    
• Loss: 51    
• Change: -0.2%

Treutlen County    

• 2010 Census: 6,881    
• 2018 estimate: 6,809    
• Loss: 72    
• Change: -1%

Peach County    

• 2010 Census: 27,688    
• 2018 estimate: 27,297    
• Loss: 391    
• Change: -1.4%

Bleckley County    

• 2010 Census: 13,063    
• 2018 estimate: 12,838    
• Loss: 225    
• Change: -1.7%

Bibb County    

• 2010 Census: 155,795    
• 2018 estimate:153,095    
• Loss: 2,700    
• Change: -1.7%

Baldwin County    

• 2010 Census: 45,840    
• 2018 estimate: 44,823    
• Loss: 1,017    
• Change: -2.2%

Laurens County    

• 2010 Census: 48,445    
• 2018 estimate: 47,325    
• Loss: 1,120    
• Change: -2.3%

Crawford County    

• 2010 Census: 12,630    
• 2018 estimate: 12,318    
• Loss: 312    
• Change: -2.5%

Johnson County    

• 2010 Census: 9,972    
• 2018 estimate: 9,708    
• Loss: 264    
• Change: -2.6%

Telfair County    

• 2010 Census: 16,490    
• 2018 estimate: 15,876    
• Loss: 614    
• Change: -3.7%

Washington County    

• 2010 Census: 21,183    
• 2018 estimate: 20,386    
• Loss: 797    
• Change: -3.8%

Wilcox County    

• 2010 Census: 9,256    
• 2018 estimate: 8,812    
• Loss: 444    
• Change: -4.8%

Dodge County    

• 2010 Census: 21,797    
• 2018 estimate: 20,705    
• Loss: 1,092    
• Change: -5%

Wilkinson County    

• 2010 Census: 9,568    
• 2018 estimate: 9,036    
• Loss: 532    
• Change: -5.6%

Pulaski County    

• 2010 Census: 12,002    
• 2018 estimate: 11,069    
• Loss: -933    
• Change: -7.8%

Dooly County    

• 2010 Census: 14,923    
• 2018 estimate: 13,706    
• Loss: 1,217    
• Change: -8.2%

Twiggs County    

• 2010 Census: 9,022    
• 2018 estimate: 8,188    
• Loss: 834    
• Change: -9.2%

Taylor County    

• 2010 Census: 8,910    
• 2018 estimate: 8,039    
• Loss: 871    
• Change: -9.8%

Macon County    

• 2010 Census: 14,743    
• 2018 estimate: 13,143    
• Loss: 1,600    
• Change: -10.9%

Hancock County    

• 2010 Census: 9,401    
• 2018 estimate: 8,348    
• Loss: 1,053    
• Loss: -11.2%