## Region 13: Albany, GA CBSA

I.  **Geographic Boundaries, Political Jurisdictions and
    Infrastructure**

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.1: Albany, GA CBSA Major Highways**

The Albany, GA Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) is comprised of five
counties in southwestern Georgia; Dougherty, Baker, Lee, Terrell and
Worth, surrounding the City of Albany. Albany is the only urbanized area
within the CBSA. The CBSA is approximately 1,960 square miles with a
population of approximately 157,833 persons.

Albany is served by a network of both U.S. and state highways radiating
from the city. U.S. Highways 19 and 82 are the main north-south and
east-west arteries, respectively. U.S. 19 runs the entire length of the
state from Tennessee to Florida. U.S. 82 provides access to Columbus,
Georgia, approximately 90 miles northwest, and Interstate 75,
approximately 42 miles to the east. Georgia State Highways include 62,
91, 133, 234, and 300. There is no fixed guideway transit system in the
region.

The area's climate is mainly humid subtropical, with hot, humid
conditions in the southern and eastern parts of the state, and cooler,
drier conditions in the piedmont area of northern Georgia. The state
receives an average of 50 inches of rain annually. Winters tend to be
short with no snow (average one-tenth an inch per year).

Powerful storms are common, especially in spring and on summer
afternoons, with heavy rains and local flooding resulting from these
storms. Tornadoes are not uncommon in Georgia. Over the last 50 years,
over 1,220 tornadoes were reported in Georgia. Hurricanes strikes are
more a threat to the coastal sections of Georgia; however, hurricanes
that make landfall on the Florida panhandle and move north into Georgia
have been known to stall over the state and produce heavy winds and
rain, causing major flooding.

Georgia has very little seismic activity. Historically, earthquakes do
occasionally occur, but most are concentrated in the extreme northwest
corner of the state.

II. **Agencies Operating in the Albany, GA CBSA**

![](media/image2.wmf)

**Table 13.1: Albany CBSA Agencies**

III. **Transit Service Area: Bus Service Area**

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height="7.833333333333333in"}

**Map 13.2: Albany, GA CBSA Bus Transit Service Area**

The Albany CBSA is served by one public transit provider, the City of
Albany, operating service as the Albany Transit System (ATS). ATS
operates 10 transit routes within the City limits Monday through Friday
from 5:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturdays from 6:15 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and
Sunday service from 8:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ATS operates a fleet of ten
25 and 30-foot buses in fixed-route service. The population of its
service area is approximately 87,223. Annual ridership on ATS is
approximately 667,829 passengers. There is no fixed guideway transit
system in the region.

IV. **Number and Proportion of Minority, Below Poverty and Limited
    English Proficient Populations in Relation to the Transit Service
    Area**

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in"
height="7.833333333333333in"}

**Map 13.3: Albany, GA CBSA Minority Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CBSA 46

Total Population of CBSA 157,833

Total Minority Population residing in CBSA 79,972

Regional Average of Minority Population in the CBSA 54%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average minority population 20
(43%)

Total Minority Population in the above average census tracts 53,566

According to U.S. Census data, the average minority population for the
Albany CBSA constitutes more than half (54 percent) of the total
population. Of the 46 census tracts in the CBSA, 20 have minority
populations exceeding the regional average. These 20 census tracts have
a combined minority population of 53,556, approximately two-thirds of
the region's minority population. As shown in Map 13.3, 17 of those 20
census tracts are in Dougherty County -- mostly in the Albany urbanized
area -- with two others in Terrell County and one in Baker County. Most
of the census tracts with the highest percentage of minority populations
are located within the City of Albany. Thirteen of these census tracts
fall within the Albany Transit System service area. Seven of the 20
census tracts with above average minority population lie outside of the
transit service area, representing 13 percent (21,270 persons) of the
total CBSA population.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.4: Albany, GA CBSA Below Poverty Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CBSA 46

Total Population of CBSA 157,833

Total Below Poverty Population residing in CBSA 33,002

Regional Average of Below Poverty Population in the CBSA 23%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average Below Poverty pop. 18
(39%)

Total Below Poverty Population in the above average census tracts 20,183

Approximately 23 percent (79,972 persons) of the population in the
Albany CBSA live below the poverty level. As shown in Map 13.4, 14 of
the 18 census tracts with a higher than average percentage of persons
living in poverty are located in Dougherty County, with three tracts
located in Terrell County and one in Baker County. These 18 census
tracts account for 20,183 persons living below the poverty level.
Similar to the minority population, the census tracts with the highest
percentage of persons in poverty are mostly located within the City of
Albany, and most of those census tracts fall within the Albany Transit
service area. Five of the 18 census tracts with above average below
poverty populations lie outside of the transit service area,
representing 10 percent (15,982 persons) of the total CBSA population.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.5: Albany, GA CBSA Limited English Proficient Population**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CBSA 46

Total Population of CBSA 157,833

Total Population 5 years and older of CBSA 145,995

Total LEP Population\* residing in CBSA 2,037

Regional Average of LEP Population\* in the CBSA 1.4%

Number ( %) of Census Tracts with above average LEP population\* 18
(39%)

Total LEP Population\* in the above average census tracts 1,371

\* LEP includes those 5 years of age and older

Approximately 1.4 percent, or 2,037 persons, in the Albany CBSA have
limited English proficiency (LEP). The highest concentrations of LEP
persons are located in 18 census tracts in Dougherty, Baker and Terrell
Counties (see Map 13.5). Those tracts account for 1,371 or 67 percent of
all LEP persons. The highest percentage of LEP persons are located in
Dougherty County, within and surrounding the Albany city limits. Most of
that area is served by the Albany Transit System, but nine of the 18
census tracts with above average percentage of LEP persons are not
served by the public transit system. These nine census tracts represent
16 percent(25,138 persons) of the total CBSA population.

V.  **Number and Proportion of Zero Car Households: Greater than the
    Regional Average**

![](media/image7.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.6: Albany, GA CBSA Zero Car Households**

Total Number of Census Tracts in CBSA 46

Total Households in the CBSA 57,403

Total Zero Car Households in CBSA 6,556

Regional Average of Zero Car Households in the CBSA 14%

Number (%) of Census Tracts with above average Zero Car Households 16
(35%)

Total Zero Car Households in the above average census tracts 4,277

On average 14 percent, or 6,554 of the households in the Albany CBSA
have no car available. There are 16 census tracts where the number of
households with zero cars exceed the regional average. These census
tracts account for 4,277 households that have no cars. More than 85
percent (14 of 16 census tracts) of the census tracts in which the
number of zero car households exceeds the regional average are within
the ATS service area. As shown in Map 13.6, the concentrations of zero
car households are mostly in the City of Albany, with the remaining two
census tracts with above average percentages of zero car households
located in a mostly rural area of Terrell County and outside of the
transit service area. These latter two census tracts represent five
percent (7,268 persons) of the total CBSA population

VI. **Number and Proportion of Minority Population with Overlay of Below
    Poverty Population**

![](media/image8.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.7: Albany, GA CBSA Minority Population with an Overlay of Below
Poverty Population**

As shown in Map 13.7, there is a distinct relationship between the
minority population and below poverty population in the Albany CBSA. Of
the 20 census tracts identified with an above average minority
population, all but five coincide with tracts that also contain above
average poverty populations. As such, 33 percent of the census tracts
have minority and below poverty populations that exceed the regional
average. Only four of the census tracts identified with both above
average minority and poverty populations are not served by the Albany
Transit System.

VII. **Number and Proportion of Minority Population with Overlays of
     Below Poverty Population and Zero Car Households**

![](media/image9.jpeg){width="6.260416666666667in" height="7.84375in"}

**Map 13.8: Albany, GA CBSA Minority Population with Overlays of Below
Poverty Population and Zero Car Households**

The overlay of minority and below poverty populations with zero car
households (Map 13.8) shows a similar relationship to the overlay of
minority and below poverty populations. There are 12 census tracts (26
percent) in which the level of all three statistics exceeds the regional
averages. A number of the census tracts in which the minority and below
poverty populations coincide with an above average number of zero car
households are served by the Albany Transit System.

VIII. **Correlation Among Minority Population, Below Poverty Population,
      LEP Population and Zero Car Households**

  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------
  * *            *Minority*     *Below         *LEP*          *Zero Car HH*
                                Poverty*                      

  Minority       1.00                                         

  Below Poverty  0.81           1.00                          

  LEP            -0.06          -0.27          1.00           

  Zero Car HH    0.64           0.68           0.16           1.00
  -------------- -------------- -------------- -------------- --------------

**Table 13.2: Albany CBSA Correlation Coefficients**

As shown in Table 13.2, there is a strong correlation between minority
and below poverty populations and between minority and zero car
households with correlations of 0.81 and 0.64, respectively. There is
also a strong correlation (0.68) between below poverty and zero car
household populations. However, there does not appear to be a strong
correlation between LEP population and the other statistics in this
particular CBSA.

IX. **Natural Disasters**

+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| *           | **Date**    | **Location**      | **Human  | **F      |
| *Event(s)** |             |                   | Impact** | inancial |
|             |             |                   |          | Impact** |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Flooding,   | April 19,   | Dougherty, Worth  | None     | *(a)*    |
| Severe      | 1991        |                   |          |          |
| Storm       |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Heavy       | November    | Worth             | 9        | \        |
| Rains, High | 24, 1992    |                   | injured  | $250,000 |
| Winds,      |             |                   |          |          |
| Tornadoes   |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | May 15,     | Worth             | None     | \$50,000 |
| Storm,\     | 1994        |                   |          |          |
| Tornadoes,  |             |                   |          |          |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Heavy       | June 16,    | Dougherty         | None     | *(a)*    |
| Rains,      | 1994        |                   |          |          |
| Tornadoes,  |             |                   |          |          |
| Flooding,   |             |                   |          |          |
| High Winds  |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Tornadoes,  | July 7,     | Dougherty         | 5        | .5       |
| Flooding,   | 1994        |                   | killed,  | million  |
| Heavy Rain, |             |                   |          |          |
| Tropical    |             |                   | 5        |          |
| Storm       |             |                   | injured  |          |
| Alberto     |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Hurricane   | October 4,  | Baker, Ben Hill,  | *(a)*    | *(a)*    |
| Opal        | 1995        | Berrien, Brooks,  |          |          |
|             |             | Calhoun, Clay,    |          |          |
|             |             | Colquitt, Cook,   |          |          |
|             |             | Decatur,          |          |          |
|             |             | Dougherty, Early, |          |          |
|             |             | Grady, Irwin,     |          |          |
|             |             | Lanier, Lee,      |          |          |
|             |             | Lowndes, Miller,  |          |          |
|             |             | Mitchell,         |          |          |
|             |             | Randolph,         |          |          |
|             |             | Seminole,         |          |          |
|             |             | Terrell, Thomas,  |          |          |
|             |             | Tift, Turner,     |          |          |
|             |             | Worth             |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | November 7, | Dougherty         | 36       | \$10     |
| Storm,\     | 1995        |                   | injured  | million  |
| Tornadoes   |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Severe      | March 20,   | Baker, Dougherty, | *(a)*    | *(a)*    |
| Storm,\     | 1998        | Lee, Terrell,     |          |          |
| Tornadoes,  |             | Worth counties    |          |          |
| Flooding    |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Tropical    | September   | Baker, Brooks,    | None     | \$2.0    |
| Storm Ivan  | 15, 2004    | Calhoun, Clay,    |          | million  |
|             |             | Colquitt,         |          |          |
|             |             | Decatur,          |          |          |
|             |             | Dougherty, Early, |          |          |
|             |             | Grady, Lanier,    |          |          |
|             |             | Lowndes, Miller,  |          |          |
|             |             | Mitchell,         |          |          |
|             |             | Quitman,          |          |          |
|             |             | Randolph,         |          |          |
|             |             | Seminole, Thomas, |          |          |
|             |             | Tift              |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Tropical    | September   | Baker, Dougherty, | None     | \$2.2    |
| Storm       | 24, 2004    | Worth counties    |          | million  |
| Frances     |             |                   |          |          |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Hurricane   | July 11,    | Worth, Terrell    | None     | \$2.2    |
| Dennis      | 2005        |                   |          | million  |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+
| Hurricane   | August 25,  | Statewide         | None     | \$2.1    |
| Katrina     | 2005        |                   |          | million  |
+-------------+-------------+-------------------+----------+----------+

*(a) Not available*

*Note: Data for the years prior to 1991 not available*

**Table 13.3: 20-Year History of Natural Disasters in the Albany, GA
CBSA** *(Source: FEMA)*

The most frequent natural disasters occurring in the Albany CBSA are
severe thunderstorms, which may produce related instances of flooding
and tornadoes. These events occur most often in the spring and summer.
Heavy rains and flooding associated with hurricanes and tropical storms
occur infrequently, but can inflict heavy damage upon the region. On a
scale ranging from Moderate to High, to Very High Risk, the United
States Geological Survey rates the state of Georgia as having a Moderate
Risk of earthquakes.

X.  **Man-made Disasters**

An important economic engine to the city is the Marine Corps Logistics
Base (MCLB), located five miles southeast of Albany. Established in the
1950's, its mission is to rebuild and repair ground combat and combat
support equipment and to coordinate logistics for the Marine Corps in
the eastern United States. The MCLB occupies an area of 3,300 acres and
employs more than 2,400 civilians.

While extensive security measures are in place at the MCLB, the facility
could be a potential target for a terrorist strike. There are no nuclear
power plants or facilities within the Albany CBSA, however, two boiling
water nuclear reactors, Hatch 1 and 2, are located outside of the CBSA,
approximately 150 miles east/northeast of Albany and two pressurized
water nuclear reactors, Vogthe 1 and 2, are located approximately 220
miles northeast of Albany. 2005 data from the U.S. Department of
Transportation on Hazardous Material Safety shows the state of Georgia
accounted for 3% of the hazardous materials incidents, but no related
deaths for the year.