Cities’ location, makeup are factors in how fast they develop

COMMUNITY

Porterdale grew up around a clothing mill in the early 20th century and is in position for development that could grow its population significantly by

2030. File Photo

Cities’ location, makeup apparent factors in how fast they develop

By SARAH DAVIS and TOM SPIGOLON

news@covnews.com

Continued growth in Newton’s industrial and retail sectors and Metro Atlanta’s economic growth in general is producing jobs that appear to be fueling the county’s population increase.

Newton County’s population grew by about 2.6% in one year between 2020 and 2021 — after growing by more than 12% since 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Its largest city, Covington, grew by more than 8% between 2010 and 2020 and added more than 1,000 new residents

The growth spurts of both the county and Covington appears to be affecting, in various ways, the growth of the other cities in Newton County based on their location.

PORTERDALE — The town that grew up around a clothing mill in the early 20th century is in position for development that could grow its population significantly by 2030.

Porterdale’s population grew by a modest 3.8% in 10 years — from 1,429 in 2010 to 1,484 in 2020.

However, the county’s growth appears to be spreading to Porterdale in the form of two major multi-use construction projects either underway or planned.

They are designed in part to take advantage of the town’s relatively easy access to the I-20 commuter route to Atlanta and Newton County’s still-developing industrial area in northeast Covington and near Social Circle.

Porterdale Mayor Arline Chapman was among city officials and Covington developer Brad Mitchell to ceremonially break ground in March 2021 on the estimated $140 million Cedar Shoals project on a long, narrow 257-acre site stretching from Covington Bypass Road on the south to Georgia Hwy. 81 on the north.

Plans call for 1,225 residential units, including 341 detached single-family homes, 164 townhomes and 720 apartments.

City leaders also approved plans for a residential/retail development on the site of the now-closed Oaks golf course in

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770-786-9181 4179 Highway 278, Suite A Covington, GA 30014 www.acceptanceinsurance.com

the city’s north end.

Mitchell also is developing the 257-acre site which includes construction of 692 residential units — 332 single-family attached and detached units and 360 multi-family units — and about 27 acres of commercial development including 143,000 square feet of retail with a possible grocery store anchor.

OXFORD — In the city of Oxford, the population is largely influenced by the growing enrollment of students at Oxford College which has historically dominated the town.

In the past 20 years, the college’s student population has almost doubled, growing from 512 in 1990 to 1,067 in 2021.

In this same time period, the census reported that the city grew by 444 residents and stood at a population of 2,448 I 2020.

But only about 79 new houses were constructed in Oxford in the last 20 years, according to Mayor David Eady.

MANSFIELD — Mansfield’s population grew by about 14% between the 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses in the east Newton town. A total of 466 residents were recorded in Mansfield in 2020, an increase of 56 from the 410 counted in 2010.

Mayor G.W. Davis said his city had seen new businesses filling vacant buildings and spaces that made him optimistic about the future of the city’s historic business district.

Davis said residential growth also rose to its highest level in recent memory in 2021 when 11 new homes were permitted — an unusually high number for the city.

The city sold its electric substation to the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), which is the agency from which Mansfield buys wholesale electricity, to give city residents a more reliable power grid.

In addition, the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority in November 2021 approved a $956,600 Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan to Mansfield to finance an overhaul of the city’s water pollution control plant.

The city’s interest in its part of the Cricket Frog Trail prompted the city to approve a $50,000 expenditure to the county government to pave about 0.8 of a mile of the trail that is within Mansfield’s city limits.

NEWBORN — In the county’s easternmost town, Newborn, population growth is also on the rise.

The town’s population is growing at an annual rate of 2.20% and a population increase of 20.26% was reported in the most recent census, growing from 696 residents in 2010 to 837 in 2018.

In the city’s two-square-mile span, Newborn has a population density of 525 people per mile.

Welcome

THE RESIDENTS, THE MAYOR, AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO OXFORD.

David S. Eady, Mayor Council Members: Lynn Bohanan, George Holt, Laura McCanless, Mike Ready, Jim Windham, and Jeff Wearing

770-786-7004 www.oxfordgeorgia.org 110 West Clark Street

Paddle Your Way to Porterdale, Georgia