Habersham County is growing again. The latest census estimates show our population grew by about 450 people between 2013 and 2014. Habersham’s population declined (-169) the year before.
This information is based on annual population estimates for each of the nation’s counties since the 2010 Census and up to July 1, 2014.
Habersham and White Counties stand out as anomalies in the area because both show pretty consistent growth during the past five years. Stephens County, on the other hand, shrank for a fourth year in a row. They’ve lost nearly 700 people since 2010. Banks County lost about a hundred people in the same period while Rabun County’s population is basically static.
| County | April 1, 2010 | Population Estimate (as of July 1) | |||||
| Census | Estimates Base | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
| Habersham County, Georgia | 43,041 | 43,041 | 43,095 | 43,106 | 43,463 | 43,294 | 43,752 |
| Stephens County, Georgia | 26,175 | 26,175 | 26,155 | 25,751 | 25,725 | 25,595 | 25,480 |
| Rabun County, Georgia | 16,276 | 16,276 | 16,258 | 16,279 | 16,307 | 16,247 | 16,243 |
| White County, Georgia | 27,144 | 27,144 | 27,237 | 27,403 | 27,577 | 27,781 | 27,970 |
| Banks County, Georgia | 18,395 | 18,395 | 18,403 | 18,330 | 18,232 | 18,325 | 18,295 |
Changes in population have practical and political implications. The federal and state government use population figures to determine how millions in funding will be shared out among Georgia’s 159 counties. It impacts everything from highway construction and public housing to health care and education.
