Macon, a consolidated city-county in Georgia, USA, lies close to the Ocmulgee River's fall line, positioned 85 miles southeast of Atlanta and dubbed "The Heart of Georgia" due to its central location within the state.
As of the 2020 census, Macon recorded a population of 157,346, establishing itself as the focal point of the Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which boasted 234,802 residents in the same year. Additionally, it holds the title of the largest city in the Macon–Warner Robins Combined Statistical Area (CSA), with approximately 420,693 residents in 2017, bordering the Atlanta metropolitan area to the northwest.
In 2012, voters endorsed the merger of the City of Macon and Bibb County governments, solidifying Macon's status as the state's fourth-largest city, succeeding Augusta, after the merger's official implementation on January 1, 2014.
Geography
Geographically, the Ocmulgee River traverses the city, placing Macon among Georgia's major Fall Line Cities alongside Augusta and Columbus. The terrain exhibits a diverse landscape, characterized by rolling hills to the north and flat plains to the south, a consequence of the Fall Line's intersection between the Piedmont plateau and the coastal plain.
Demographics
In terms of demographics, Macon holds the position of the largest principal city in the Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley CSA, encompassing various counties and metropolitan areas with a combined population of 411,898 according to the 2010 census.
The 2010 U.S. census reported Macon's population as 91,351, a change from the 2000 census where the city housed 97,255 people. The city's racial composition comprised 67.94% African American, 28.56% White, 0.02% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos constituted 2.48% of the population. By the 2020 census, Macon's population surged to 157,346.