The growth and evolution of the Atlanta region is a common theme of discussion here at 33n. To mark Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 to October 15 of each year, let’s focus on the contribution that the Hispanic or Latino population has made to our region’s growth.
To that end, we’ll utilize decennial Census data and the Census Bureau’s latest population estimates. Figure 1 compares the change over time in percent Hispanic or Latino population from 1980 to the present for the 11-County ARC region and the state of Georgia as a whole.
Figure 1: Hispanic or Latino Population as a Percentage of Total, 1980-2024
As this graph shows, the Atlanta region looked about the same as the state in 1980, with Hispanic people comprising just over one percent of the population. Growth of the Hispanic population took off in Georgia and even more so in the Atlanta region between 1990 and 2000. That growth has continued to the present, though the rate of increase has slowed since 2010.
What counties have the greatest proportion of Hispanic or Latino population? Figure 2 presents percent Hispanic or Latino by county using the most recent– 2024 vintage– Census estimates. The reference line in the graph denotes the overall value for the 11-county region.
Figure 2: Hispanic or Latino Population as a Percentage of County Total, 2024
As this graph shows, Gwinnett, Cobb, and Clayton Counties have the largest shares of Hispanic population, each with a greater proportion than the region as a whole. Fayette, Henry, and Fulton counties have the smallest percentages of Hispanic or Latino residents.
But Atlanta’s Hispanic community is far from monolithic. Instead, it is a tapestry of distinct national backgrounds. Data from the Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey’s 5-year estimates[1] allow us to drill down to specific origins of our Hispanic or Latino population. Table 1 shows the estimated count of each Hispanic group in the Atlanta region and the percentage of the total Hispanic population that it represents.
Table 1: 11-County ARC Region: Hispanic or Latino Population by Specific Origin
| Group | Count | Percent |
| Mexican |
311,097 |
47.0 |
| Puerto Rican |
62,406 |
9.4 |
| Guatemalan |
41,902 |
6.3 |
| Salvadoran |
34,559 |
5.2 |
| Colombian |
33,059 |
5.0 |
| Honduran |
29,111 |
4.4 |
| Venezuelan |
24,848 |
3.8 |
| Cuban |
22,361 |
3.4 |
| Dominican |
20,594 |
3.1 |
| Peruvian |
9,942 |
1.5 |
| Nicaraguan |
7,065 |
1.1 |
| Panamanian |
6,852 |
1.0 |
| Ecuadorian |
5,325 |
0.8 |
| Costa Rican |
4,371 |
0.7 |
| Argentinean |
4,152 |
0.6 |
| Uruguayan |
3,652 |
0.6 |
| Chilean |
2,586 |
0.4 |
| Bolivian |
1,360 |
0.2 |
| Other South American |
1,069 |
0.2 |
| Paraguayan |
497 |
0.1 |
| Other Central American |
141 |
0.0 |
| Other Hispanic or Latino[2] |
35,050 |
5.3 |
Data Source: 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B03001
As this table shows, people of Mexican origin are the most common Hispanic group in Atlanta, accounting for a bit less than half (47%) of the region’s Hispanic population. Latinos drawing heritage from Puerto Rico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Colombia are the next most prevalent; together the top five groups comprise about 483,000 people, accounting for nearly three quarters (73%) of Atlanta’s Hispanic population.
How does Atlanta’s story compare to other top metros? We’ll take that up in the next post in this series.
Notes:
[1] Note that we are shifting to a different data source based on 5-year estimates rather than point in time figures.
[2] Includes people who identify as Spaniard, Spanish, Spanish-American, and those more than one Hispanic county of origin, e.g., those with parents from different countries.
Download an Excel file of the data utilized in the graphs found in this blog post (and comparable data for Georgia counties outside the ARC region): Hispanic Time Series x County.