Tracking Change Over Time in Atlanta: Caribbean Population(s) 2000-2023

To close out Caribbean Heritage Month, we share some numeric trends, in six tables below, that trace the very rapid growth (over the last near quarter-century), of the foreign-born Caribbean population (i) on the whole as well (ii) for those born in key countries of origin (Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Guyana). For other reference, two previous posts this month gave you a chart overview of the population grouping and then map detail of residence by country of origin.

Table 1 below illustrates that, in the 11-county Region, Caribbean foreign-born population increased from 7% of all foreign-born population in 2000 to nearly 11% in 2023. There is large variation at the county level, even more so than that seen with Asian populations. In both Rockdale and Henry counties, Caribbeans make up nearly 4 in 10 of all foreign-born residents in 2023, while in Fulton, Forsyth, and Cherokee the prevalence is fewer than 1 in 10 of the total foreign-born. Do note that, for this table and all those that follow in this post: “Caribbean-Born” is defined as those born in any of the countries of the Census-defined Caribbean region plus those born in Guyana and Belize.

Table 2 (below) focuses on the largest country of origin (in 2000, 2010, and 2023) for Caribbean foreign-born population in Georgia: Jamaica. Those born in Jamaica were already more than 1 in 3 Caribbean-born persons in the 11-County Region in 2000, but had increased to nearly 4 in 10 by 2023 (more than 41,000 in total). DeKalb and Gwinnett are home to about half of the ARC Region’s Jamaican -born population as of 2023. However, the rapid growth in Henry and Rockdale is very notable–both these ‘south of I-20’ counties had fewer than 200 Jamaican-born residents in 2000, but were up to 3,700 and nearly 2,000 (respectively) by 2023. Jamaican population more than doubled, between 2010 and 2023, in ten of the Region’s eleven counties, only failing to double in the county (DeKalb) that had the highest absolute number of Jamaicans (among the 11 counties) across the period .

Table 3 below shows trends for persons born in Haiti, the second largest (as of 2023) Caribbean born country of origin. Those born in Haiti living in the 11 counties increased by 234% from 2000 to 2023, to total nearly 14,700. Gwinnett has the highest concentrations of Haitians in 2023, while Cobb stands out as leading the region in 2010 Haitian population. The Haitian population has grown at a much slower rate in the region “lately” (between 2010 and 2023) than in the first decade of this century, and there have been significant declines in both Clayton and DeKalb counties 2010-23.

Table 4 below presents the growth of the Cuban-born population in the State and 11-County area from 2000 to 2023. The Cuban population was the #2 country of origin for Caribbean born persons in 2000, with much migration coming pre-2000 (particularly in the 70s and 80s). Gwinnett, Cobb, and Fulton combined host 2 in 3 of the region’s Cuban- born population as of 2023. DeKalb County led the region in Cuban population in 2000, but lost almost half of that population by 2023. Cuban population more than quadrupled in Forsyth, Henry, and Gwinnett between 2010 and 2023.

Table 5 that follows tracks historical population trends for residents born in the Dominican Republic (D.R.) , the fourth largest (as of 2023) Caribbean country of origin. This population increased by over 375% in the 11-c0unty region, 2000-2023. In three counties (Fayette, Forsyth, and Gwinnett), D.R. population grew by over 10 times in this near-quarter-century. 2 in 3 of those born in the D.R. and living in the 11 counties live in either Gwinnett or Cobb Counties, with over 50% in Gwinnett alone. As was with Cuban population, DeKalb led the region in 2000, but saw declines in the D.R. population in that county between 2000 and 2023. It is notable that Cuban population is much more evenly distributed throughout the state than population from other primary Caribbean countries of origin (which are far more clustered in the Atlanta area).

Finally, Table 6 below tracks the Guyana-born population in the State and 11-County area from 2000 to 2023. While Guyana is technically located on the South American mainland, the country has a far greater cultural affinity with Caribbean nations and as such, is included in that grouping for the purposes of this post. Guyanese population has grown steadily from 2000 to 2023—more than doubling from 2000 to 2010 as well as between 2010 and 2023. DeKalb has been home to the largest share of Guyana-born residents in 2000, 2010, and 2023, though DeKalb’s share of the regional total has dropped from around 60% in 2000 to about 40% in 2023, with strong increases occurring in Gwinnett, Fulton, Henry, and Rockdale. The 11-county region is home to more than 8 in 10 Guyanans statewide, which represents the highest 11-county share captures of any of the top 5 Caribbean foreign-born populations.