Demographic Change in the North Atlanta Metropolitan Area
Introduction to Cartographic Processes, Fall 2021
Poster Overview
My poster focuses on the premier suburbs of the northern Atlanta Metropolitan Area. the three counties that are transforming from rural landscapes to relocation hotspots for those across the nation and the world. Cobb and Gwinnett counties are often the most talked about on the northside, but Forsyth, Cherokee, and Dawson are gaining more traction with each passing year. The goal of my poster, and presentation, is to display which racial and ethnic groups are experiencing the most growth in those three counties. I examine past population levels, the current trends, and the potential reasons behind them.
Halcyon, a master-planned, mixed-use community in southern Forsyth County.
Community Involvement and Audiences
Community involvement translates to audience involvement. My audience for the poster includes residents of the Atlanta Metro Area, people considering moving to the area, and those who are investing, or plan to invest, in the area. Residents and business people, but current and prospective, can figure out which communities north of Atlanta might be the best for them. Current residents of Forsyth, Cherokee and Dawson counties can also be engaged with changes occurring around them. I am a Forsyth County resident of nearly nine years, and I have seen how my research translates to the real-world.
A logo of the United States Census Bureau. I relied on them for population data throughout my poster project.
Data Sources and Digital Materials
My main sources of data for my project are the U.S. Census Bureau, Statista, the Atlanta Regional Commission, and the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions. Data from the regional commissions and Census Bureau was essential for demographic data, while Statista proved a handy resource for more current population numbers.
Photograph of my monitor screen as I worked through setbacks in ArcGIS Pro.
Limitations and Setbacks
All great things are riddled with setbacks. Overcoming those setbacks is part of what makes those things great. Data was certainty a limitation, as there is less demographic data available than expected prior to the mid-2010's. I could only find so much data for the 2010 census, and the 2020 census data was not yet fully available while I developed the foundation my project. This inspired me to create two dot-density hybrid maps alongside one traditional choropleth map. The ArcGIS Pro program itself became a setback at times, as I spent a least two hours battling data corruption and glitches during the creation and exportation of my maps.
Graphic Materials
Map 1:
Map 2:
Map 3:
Poster:
