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New census numbers show metro Atlanta is one of the fastest growing areas

ATLANTA — You might have seen shirts saying “we full” around town. New data released shows the city is getting even more full.

In fact, the Atlanta area is seeing faster growth than almost every other major U.S. city.

The new census numbers came out after midnight, and they show that since 2000, the Atlanta metro area has grown faster than cities like Miami, Seattle and even Los Angeles.

The Atlanta metro population is now just short of 6 million people, making it the 9th largest metro area in the country.

It was the 4th fastest growing city from 2017 to 2018, adding 75,000 more people. It’s also the 4th fastest since growing city since 2000, adding 663,000 people since then.

Channel 2's Lauren Pozen talked to a truck driver who drives the metro interstates about what he thinks of the new numbers.

"It is overpopulated, especially Buckhead, everybody in a hurry, in a rush and thinking about something else,” Amos Anthony said.

A couple of local counties also made the list:

Jackson County was the 10th-fastest growing county in the country from 2017 to 2018, adding about 2,700 people.

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Forsyth County was the 9th-fastest growing since 2000, adding some 61,000.

Channel 2 anchor Craig Lucie sat down with Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts, who explained why everyone needs to make sure they put their name on the list for the 2020 census.

“That money is used to fund any number of programs: public safety, health education and that’s why it is so important everyone is counted,” Pitts said.

Since the 2010 census, Georgia received $14.1 billion every year. Not only that, but Georgia has gained an extra seat in the U.S. House of Representatives based on the 2010 census.

The official count doesn’t start until March of 2020 and the final numbers will be delivered to Washington on Dec. 31, 2020.