On March 30, 2023, the United States Census Bureau released new resident population estimates for Bulloch County, as of July 1, 2017. The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners Development Services staff announced that as of this reference date, according to the Census Bureau, Bulloch County’s population is estimated at 83,059. This represents a 3.0% increase, or 2,422 new residents over the 2021 estimate.
Bulloch County remains the 33rd most populous county in the State of Georgia and remains the third most populous county in the ten-county Coastal Georgia Region that also includes the following counties: Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Screven. Bulloch County’s volume of new residents was second highest in the region last year behind Chatham County, and the rate of growth was third behind Long County and Effingham County. Bulloch County’s growth rate was higher than the region as a whole (3.4% compared to 2.1% annually) outpacing the State of Georgia’s overall growth rate (1.2% annually), while representing over 10.7% of the Coastal Region’s population. Bulloch County ranked 20th in the state among counties for its rate of population growth between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022, and is thus in the top 10% of Georgia’s fastest-growing counties.
“In 2022, the Census Bureau adjusted its estimates methodology to account for anomalies in the 2020 census count,” says Planning and Development Director, James Pope. “We also benefitted from the fact that many Georgia Southern University students residing on or off campus returned after the pandemic subsided.”
County Manager Tom Couch notes that, as neighboring counties, Bulloch County will become even more of an attractive alternative with the coming presence of Hyundai in Bryan County and its suppliers. “Our quality of life led by a growing business sector and a higher education presence will influence more people to choose to live and work in Bulloch County,” says Couch. “It’s quite likely that we will surpass Glynn County to become the second most populous county in Coastal Georgia behind Chatham County.”
“It appears that we are growing in spite of Hyundai,” says Bulloch County Commission Chairman Roy Thompson. “Bulloch County has a wonderful diversity of business, culture, and rural ambience. These new population estimates tell us, yet again, that we must protect this balance and be good stewards of our community’s man-made and natural resources.”
Populations:
| County | 7/1/2021 Estimate | 7/1/2022 Estimate | ’21-’22 Actual | ’21-’22 % Change |
| Bryan | 46,963 | 48,225 | 1,262 | 2.7% |
| Bulloch | 80,637 | 83,059 | 2,422 | 3.0% |
| Camden | 55,754 | 57,013 | 1,259 | 2.3% |
| Chatham | 295,656 | 301,107 | 5,451 | 1.8% |
| Effingham | 66,746 | 69,041 | 2,295 | 3.4% |
| Glynn | 84,705 | 85,079 | 374 | 0.4% |
| Liberty | 66,844 | 68,030 | 1,186 | 1.8% |
| Long | 17,089 | 18,348 | 1,259 | 7.4% |
| McIntosh | 11,051 | 11,180 | 129 | 1.2% |
| Screven | 14,055 | 13,977 | -78 | -0.6% |
| Region | 739,500 | 755,059 | 15,559 | 2.1% |
