It grew about 7 percent, even as Savannah's population dwindled for the second straight decade. But the biggest changes are being felt in the spokes that lead to the center. Click on the image above to see the diffences in population density changes in the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry. Pains Faith Jerald, Effingham County's assistant zoning administrator, has a lot to say about growth. Her office in Springfield has processed more than 7,600 housing and mobile home permits in the past decade, most of them in the southern part of the county closest to Savannah.
People move there for the schools and the space without being too far from city jobs.
First came a Wal-Mart and some big grocery stores, Jerald said. Next, fast-food joints. But change brought along some unwanted souvenirs of city life, too. The scenario is familiar to thousands across the region. In general, the smaller the county 10 years ago, the bigger the growth today.