ATLANTA — Several Georgia cities have gone from urban to rural by the U.S. Census standards.
The federal agency started the new year with new designations for more than 112 cities in the Peach State.
It's not because people have moved out -- it's because the designations now have a new definition.
The bureau drew out new guidelines after the 2020 census. It now requires a minimum population of 5,000 people for an area to be considered urban. Areas also need to have at least 2,000 housing units, based on the idea that the average household has from two to three people.
Of the 1,100 areas that went from urban to rural, 41 of them were Georgia cities, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Cities like Grantville, Monticello and Clayton are now considered rural after taking into account 2020 census data.
Other areas were upgraded to urban status, marking a grand total of 71 cities in Georgia with the designation. Analysts say 54 cities like Forsyth, LaGrange and Villa Rica are now urban areas -- nearly doubling the state's "urban landscape."
And a change in name could also come in a change in tax incentives and development opportunities. U.S. Census Bureau data is often used as a baseline of policymaking, though the agency purely compiles its data for statistical data.
However, most development and financial incentives tied to the designations really come from the state level. A majority of Georgia agencies classify counties -- rather than cities -- as urban or rural based on the USDA's economic research service.
But there's been movement there too.
For example, before the new census data was released, Cedartown in Polk County was named a rural zone in the state. This year the city is now eligible for a job tax credit of up to $2,000 per year for each new full-time job for up to five years.
Georgia's Rural Center has helped delineate which counties are considered rural in the state, adding that much of the state's agricultural business is rooted outside of metropolitan areas.
People can find a list of cities that have a new designation under the U.S. Census Bureau here.
