Henry County went from 88% white to majority Black in 35 years
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In 1990, Henry County, Georgia, had 58,741 residents, and 88.2 percent of them were white. In the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, 32.4 percent were. Black residents, 10.2 percent of the county in 1990, are now 51.2 percent, a majority.
That 55.8-point drop in the white share is the third largest of any county with at least 200,000 people, behind neighboring Clayton County and Gwinnett County. Henry sits south of Atlanta along Interstate 75.
Most of the change happened in one decade. Between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, the white share fell from 80.1 to 52.5 percent and the Black share rose from 14.6 to 36.3 percent.
| Year | White, non-Hispanic | Black | Hispanic | Asian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 88.2% | 10.2% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| 2000 | 80.1% | 14.6% | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| 2010 | 52.5% | 36.3% | 5.8% | 2.9% |
| 2020 | 35.9% | 48.4% | 7.7% | 3.3% |
| 2024 | 32.4% | 51.2% | 8.3% | 3.3% |
The county grew fast at the same time. Its population more than doubled in the 1990s and has grown 351 percent since 1990, to an estimated 264,922 in 2025. In 1990 Henry had about 6,000 Black residents. The 2020-2024 survey counted 128,099, about 21 times as many.
| Year | Population | Growth since 1990 |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58,741 | baseline |
| 2000 | 119,341 | +103.2% |
| 2010 | 203,922 | +247.2% |
| 2020 | 240,712 | +309.8% |
| 2025 | 264,922 | +351.0% |
The county's two largest cities are majority Black. Stockbridge, with 35,737 residents, is 66.2 percent Black, and McDonough, the county seat, with 30,947, is 71.9 percent. About 4.9 percent of county residents report West Indian ancestry, and 2.8 percent Jamaican.
Henry's median household income was $83,146 in the 2020-2024 survey, above Georgia's $77,353. In 1990 it was $37,550, not adjusted for inflation. The share of adults with a bachelor's degree rose from 10.7 to 29.5 percent, and the median home value went from $81,100 to $313,900.
On the CensusEasy Diversity Score, Henry went from 26.5 in 1990 to 77.8, ranking 156th of 3,144 counties. Cobb County, on the other side of Atlanta, started at a similar white share and is now 47.1 percent white. Our look at where the Black middle class is growing covers more suburbs like it.
Sources
Race and ethnicity shares, income, education, and home values are from the U.S. Census Bureau's 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020 censuses and the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The 2025 population is from the bureau's Vintage 2025 estimates. White, Black, and Asian shares are for people who are not Hispanic; Hispanic residents can be of any race. The 1990 Black count is calculated from that year's share and total population. Ancestry figures are from ACS table B04006. The Diversity Score is a CensusEasy index, described on our methodology page.
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What is the racial makeup of Henry County, Georgia?
In the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey, Henry County was 51.2 percent Black, 32.4 percent non-Hispanic white, 8.3 percent Hispanic, and 3.3 percent Asian. In 1990 it was 88.2 percent white and 10.2 percent Black.
How fast has Henry County grown?
Henry County had 58,741 residents in 1990 and an estimated 264,922 in 2025, an increase of 351 percent. Its population more than doubled in the 1990s alone, according to Census Bureau counts.
Is Henry County majority Black?
Yes. Black residents made up 51.2 percent of Henry County in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. Its two largest cities are also majority Black: Stockbridge at 66.2 percent and McDonough at 71.9 percent.
