Demographics

Demographics reveal that there’s much more to Georgians than their warm and welcoming hospitality.

Education

The percentage of Georgians earning high school diplomas, college degrees and advanced degrees has soared over the past 20 years.

• Nearly 30% of Georgians have at least a bachelor’s degree
• 1 in 10 Georgians have a master’s degree or higher

Entrepreneurship

Georgia is where people start businesses.

• The state ranks #10 in Growth Entrepreneurship (Kauffman Foundation, 2015).
• The state also scores an “A” and ranks in the top 5 for small business friendliness (Thumbtack, 2016).

Diversity

Beyond having one of the nation’s most diverse population profiles, Georgia has richly varied business ownership.

• Georgia ranks #5 in the U.S. for greatest number of women-owned firms (40.5% of total state firms).
• The percentage of minority-owned firms (40%) exceeds the national percentage.

Ingenuity

Thanks in part to organizations like the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), scientists at the state’s research universities are prolific inventors, and technology startups acquire sound business foundations.

• Since its formation in 1990, GRA has leveraged $600 million of state funding into 150+ newly launched companies and more than $4 billion into direct federal and private investment in Georgia.
• ATDC has helped launch 160+ companies with more than $2 billion in capital. Nationwide, 90% of all startups fail, but at ATDC, 90% of startups are successful within 5 years of graduation.

Georgia remains one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. Its 10-year growth rate of 14.4% is more than 1.5 times that of the U.S. population growth rate. The state will add more people in the years to come; population projections forecast a 17.7% increase in Georgia’s population by 2030.

GEORGIA PROGRESS IN EDUCATION, 1990 – 2014
Percentage of citizens with minimum high school diploma, 4-year degree

Source: U.S. Census Bureau