By Mark Woolsey

Marietta city officials, residents and church members gathered Wednesday to commemorate longtime pastor Rev. Nelson L. Price with a memorial pathway.

Price pastored Roswell Street Baptist Church for 35 years, building it up from a neighborhood church with a few hundred attendees to one of the first megachurches in the Southeast, with a roster of 10,000 faithful.

The ceremony established the Nelson Price Pathway along Roswell Street from Marietta Square to Cobb Parkway. According to the city, the street’s official name and numbering will not change. The ceremony took place at the intersection of Roswell Street and Victory Drive.

Price died aged 94 at the end of August, and at his funeral, he was described as a powerful preacher, steadfast mentor and religious and community leader who impacted many lives for the better.

His work in television, radio and print media made him well-known well beyond the walls of the church on Roswell Street.

About the City of Marietta

The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 63,122 (2024 estimate) which makes it the second largest city in Cobb County by population, smaller only than the City of Mableton.

Marietta’s history dates back to the early 19th century, with significant development occurring alongside the expansion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in the 1830s. 

During the Civil War, Marietta was a strategic location, witnessing several battles and occupations. Post-war, the city experienced growth in various industries, including cotton, flour, paper, and marble mills.

In the 1940s, the establishment of a Bell Aircraft manufacturing plant, later operated by Lockheed, contributed to Marietta’s economic development, especially during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Marietta operates under a mayor-council form of government. The current mayor is Steve “Thunder” Tumlin, who has been in office since January 4, 2010.

The City Council comprises seven members, each representing one of the city’s wards:

• Ward 1: Cheryl Richardson
• Ward 2: Griffin L. Chalfant
• Ward 3: Johnny Walker
• Ward 4: G.A. (Andy) Morris
• Ward 5: M. Carlyle Kent
• Ward 6: Andre L. Sims
• Ward 7: Joseph R. Goldstein

This governing body is responsible for enacting local laws, policies, and allocating city resources for various programs and services.

Here are a few quick facts from the Census Bureau

Population
Population estimates, July 1, 2024, (V2024)	63,122
Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2024)	61,055
Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2024, (V2024)	3.4%
Population, Census, April 1, 2020	60,972
Population, Census, April 1, 2010	56,579
Age and Sex
Persons under 5 years, percent	5.7%
Persons under 18 years, percent	20.9%
Persons 65 years and over, percent	14.8%
Female persons, percent	51.7%
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent	43.7%
Black alone, percent (a)(a)	30.4%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent (a)(a)	1.5%
Asian alone, percent (a)(a)	2.0%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent (a)(a)	0.0%
Two or More Races, percent	11.4%
Hispanic or Latino, percent (b)(b)	19.8%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent	41.2%
Population Characteristics
Veterans, 2019-2023	2,256
Foreign-born persons, percent, 2019-2023	18.3%
Housing
Housing Units, July 1, 2024, (V2024)	X
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2019-2023	47.2%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2019-2023	$401,100
Median selected monthly owner costs – with a mortgage, 2019-2023	$2,061
Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortage, 2019-2023	$601
Median gross rent, 2019-2023	$1,491
Building Permits, 2024	X
Families & Living Arrangements
Households, 2019-2023	24,574
Persons per household, 2019-2023	2.39
Living in the same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+ , 2019-2023	80.6%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2019-2023	25.4%
Computer and Internet Use
Households with a computer, percent, 2019-2023	97.9%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2019-2023	93.1%
Education
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023	89.1%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023	46.8%
Health
With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2019-2023	6.5%
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent	20.8%
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023	67.7%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023	61.4%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2022 ($1,000)(c)	355,423
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2022 ($1,000)(c)	3,634,864
Total transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue, 2022 ($1,000)(c)	629,700
Total retail sales, 2022 ($1,000)(c)	2,822,793
Total retail sales per capita, 2022(c)	$45,082
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2019-2023	27.5
Income & Poverty
Median households income (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023	$70,086
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023	$43,074
Persons in poverty, percent	12.7%

Businesses
Total employer establishments, 2022	X
Total employment, 2022	X
Total annual payroll, 2022 ($1,000)	X
Total employment, percent change, 2021-2022	X
Total nonemployer establishments, 2023	X
All employer firms, Reference year 2022	2,762
Men-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	1,574
Women-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	644
Minority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	569
Nonminority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	1,767
Veteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	167
Nonveteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2022	2,133

Geography
Population per square mile, 2020	2,602.0
Population per square mile, 2010	2,451.4
Land area in square miles, 2020	23.43
Land area in square miles, 2010	23.08