Cobb County is a county located in the state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population is 607,751. The county's incredible growth is evident with a population of 654,005 according to the 2004 U.S. Census Estimate. Its county seat is Marietta6, located in the center of the county.
The county is part of the core Atlanta metropolitan area.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 892 km² (345 mi²). 881 km² (340 mi²) of it is land and 11 km² (4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.27% water.
The county is divided along two major watersheds. Most runoff flows into the Chattahoochee River (along the southeastern border), via Sope Creek, Willeo Creek, Rottenwood Creek, and Sweetwater Creek. A ridge from Lost Mountain in the west, to Kennesaw Mountain in the north, to Sweat Mountain in the extreme northeast, divides the far north-northwest of the county into the Lake Allatoona area, including the northward-flowing Noonday Creek.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 607,751 people, 227,487 households, and 156,511 families residing in the county. The population density is 690/km² (1,787/mi²). There are 237,522 housing units at an average density of 270/km² (698/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 72.40% White, 18.80% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 3.06% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.58% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. 7.73% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 227,487 households out of which 35.80% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% are married couples living together, 10.70% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% are non-families. 23.20% of all households are made up of individuals and 4.10% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.64 and the average family size is 3.14.
In the county the population is spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 36.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 6.90% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100 females there are 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $58,289, and the median income for a family is $67,649. Males have a median income of $45,362 versus $33,453 for females. The per capita income for the county is $27,863. 6.50% of the population and 4.40% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.10% of those under the age of 18 and 6.80% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Government and elections
Under Georgia's home rule provision, county governments have free reign to legislate on all matters within the county, provided that such legislation does not conflict with state or federal laws or constitutions. When this home rule was enacted for Cobb by the Georgia General Assembly in the early 1960s, Ernest W. Barrett became the first chairman of the new county commission.
Cobb County is currently governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, which has both legislative and executive authority within the county. The chairman of the Board is elected county-wide. The other four commissioners are elected from single-member districts; though during 2004, the commission has discussed adding at least one member, to keep up with the county's growing population. The Board hires a county manager who oversees day-to-day operations of the county's executive departments.
County residents also elect a sheriff, district attorney, probate court judge, clerk of superior court, state court solicitor, chief magistrate judge (who then appoints other magistrate court judges), superior court judges, state court judges, tax commissioner, surveyor, and a seven-member board of education.
In addition to the county sheriff, the constitutional chief law enforcement officer of the county, Cobb County has a separate police department under the authority of the Board of Commissioners. The sheriff oversees the jail, to which everyone arrested under state law is taken, regardless of the city or other area of the county where it happens, or what police department makes the arrest.
Taxes
In addition to the 4% statewide sales tax, Cobb County levies an additional 2% for special projects, each 1% subject to separate renewal every few years by countywide referendum (including within its cities). This funds mainly transportation and parks. Cobb levies a 1% tax to lower property taxes, but only for the public school budget, and not the additional 1% HOST homestead exemption for general funds. It has also voted not to pay the extra 1% to join MARTA, which has made operating and expanding that rapid transit system difficult even in the two counties it does operate.
At the beginning of 2006 it became the last county in the state to raise the tax to 6%, which also doubled the tax on food to 2%. The SPLOST barely passed with just 117 votes in a September 2005 referendum, and several have accused the county of deliberately giving as little notoriety to the issue as possible (including scheduling it when there was no election), in order to avoid opposition. The revenue will go to a new county courthouse and expanded jail, and toward various road projects, apparently with none earmarked for badly-needed public transportation expansion and other improvements. [1]
Youth Issues
Cobb County has a significant Teen population which perhaps is the source of most the counties commercial profits and weekend traffic on many of the heavily commuted roads in the bussiness districts. In recent years the psychologists have coined the term "SKA" (Suburban Kids of Atlanta) describing teens who consume alcohol and frequent drug usage (mostly marijuana, ecstasy, and cocaine) on weekend nights and periodically through the summer and glamourize certain aspects of hip-hop dealing with local artists, specifically pointing out Cobb County. Many of the Teens in this area come from upper-middle class families and have a general knowledge of other teens in the area through local schools and most commonly organized baseball through out early years in males.
Cities and communities
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Unincorporated: Formerly incorporated: |
Existing communities:
Modern communities: |
Part of northeastern Cobb is considered unincorporated Roswell, and part of southeastern Cobb (mainly Vinings) is considered unincorporated Atlanta. Both cities are in neighboring Fulton County.
Neighboring counties
- Fulton County (east and southeast)
- Douglas County (southwest)
- Paulding County (west)
- Bartow County (northwest)
- Cherokee County (north)
Major businesses
- The Weather Channel, headquartered in Vinings
- Home Depot, also headquartered in Vinings
- Lockheed Martin, next to Dobbins in Marietta
- Georgia Northeastern Railroad, in Marietta
- Interstate 75
- Interstate 285
- Interstate 20
- Interstate 575
- Cobb County Airport at McCollum Field
- Dobbins Air Reserve Base (where the U.S. President arrives when visiting Atlanta)
- Norfolk Southern railyard at Austell
- CSX Transportation through Smyrna, Marietta, and Kennesaw
- Cobb Community Transit (CCT)
- American Adventures (Marietta)
- Six Flags White Water (Marietta)
- Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell)
- Sun Valley Beach (near Powder Springs)
- Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
- Lake Allatoona (near Acworth)
- Lake Acworth/Acworth Beach(Acworth)
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (Kennesaw to Marietta)
- Marietta National Cemetery (Marietta)
- Marietta Confederate Cemetery (Marietta)
- Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art (Marietta)
- Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History (Kennesaw)
- Mable House (Mableton)
- Silver Comet Trail (westward from Smyrna)
- Cobb County Public Schools (all except Marietta)
- Marietta City Schools
- Southern Polytechnic State University
- Kennesaw State University
- Life University
- Chattahoochee Technical College
See also: Cobb County Public Library System (CCPLS)