Local numbers for the 2010 Census released Thursday painted a picture of a growing county changing significantly in its ethnic proportions.

Rockdale County grew by 21.5 percent to about 85,200 in the last decade, with the number of black residents tripling and Hispanic residents nearly doubling while the number of white residents shrank by a third.

In 2000, about 72.7 percent of the population in Rockdale was white, 18.1 percent black, and 6 percent Hispanic. In 2010, about 40.8 percent of the population in Rockdale was white, 45.8 percent black, and 9.5 percent Hispanic.

The total population for Rockdale County grew from about 70,000 in 2000 to about 85,200 in 2010 – an addition of about 15,000 new residents, or 21.5 percent growth.

The population in the city of Conyers grew even faster than the county, adding about 4,300 residents, or 40 percent growth.

The ethnic makeup of the city changed in ways similar to the county. The number of white residents shrank by 35 percent while the number of black and Hispanic residents more than doubled.

In 2000, about 52.6 percent of the population within the city was white, 32.9 percent black, and 10.4 percent Hispanic. A decade later, about 24 percent was white, 55.8 percent black, and 16.3 percent Hispanic.

 The population in neighboring Newton County, which had one of the highest rates of growth in the decade, stands at 99,958, according to the 2010 Census. The 2000 Census population count was at 62,000. Still, census numbers are lower than many previous estimates, which had placed the county at anywhere from 100,000 to almost 105,000 residents last year. The Covington Newton County Chamber of Commerce lists an estimated county population of 103,555 for 2009 on its website.

The total population for Georgia in 2010 was 9,687,653. That is an increase of about 1.5 million residents, or 18.3 percent.

The makeup of the state population is 59.7 percent white, 30.5 percent black, 8.8 percent Hispanic/Latino, 3.2 percent Asian, 2.1 percent citizens of two or more races, 4 percent other race.

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(March 17, 2:02 p.m.) Rockdale County's population counted in the 2010 Census was 85,215, about 15,000 or 21.5 percent more than counted in the 2000 Census

The state of Georgia added about 1.5 million residents.

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