Although Dawson County lies approximately 45 miles north of the city of Atlanta, the county was recently
added as part of the Atlanta Combined Statistical Area (Atlanta CSA), an area including the Atlanta Metropolitan
Statistical Area (MSA). The Atlanta MSA is experiencing rapid expansion and is now the 11th most populated MSA
in the country according to 2000 U.S. Censes estimates. From 1990 to 2000, Atlanta added over 1,175,000 residents
to its population, a number exceeded only in the New York MSA during the same period of time.
At just over 210 square miles, Dawson is one of the smaller counties in the state, and its population of
approximately 19,000 residents reflects this position. Resting at the base of the North Georgia mountains, Dawson
County has long been considered a very rural area. With the rapid expansion of Atlanta's suburban borders, however,
the county is experiencing a definite change.
Like neighboring Forsyth County, Dawson County has experienced remarkable growth in recent years.
The county's population began rapidly increasing in the 1980s and nearly doubled from 1980 to 1990. Since then,
the population has increased by over 105%, ranking Dawson County as the 11th fastest growing county in the nation
during this time.
Dawson County offers some of north Georgia's most desirable attractions, including Amicalola Falls State Park.
Amicalola State Park stretches across 829 acres at the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. The park is home to
Amicalola Falls, a 57-room retreat offering spectacular views of the North Georgia mountains.
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