The City of Powder Springs distributed the following announcement stating its intent to opt out of the homestead exemption provided under Georgia House Bill 581:
Statement on Notice of Intent to Opt Out of Homestead Exemption
The Mayor and Council of the City of Powder Springs intend to opt out of the statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption for the City of Powder Springs.
City officials recently submitted a legal advertisement announcing their intention to “opt out” of the HB 581 homestead exemption. This ad involves a statewide referendum approved by voters in the November 2024 election that implements a statewide adjusted base year ad valorem homestead exemption.
While the homestead exemption automatically applies to all local governments and school districts, these jurisdictions may opt out of the homestead exemption for their jurisdiction by following specific procedures by March 1. Powder Springs and Cobb County both have a flat homestead assessment freeze, which provides a generally greater taxpayer benefit than the homestead exemption offered by HB 581.
All concerned citizens are invited to attend any or all of three public hearings on this matter at the Patricia C. Vaughn Cultural Arts Center at 4181 Atlanta St., with the first set for Monday, Feb. 3, at 6 p.m. Additional hearings on this matter will be held Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 4 p.m.; and Monday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m.
About the City of Powder Springs
The City of Powder Springs was incorporated in September of 1883.
The area before incorporation had been known as Gunpowder Springs, possibly because of the dark sand in the water.
Powder Springs is the sixth largest city in Cobb County, larger only than nearby Austell.
Mayor and City Council
| Mayor | Al Thurman |
| Councilman Ward 1 and Mayor Pro Tem | Henry Lust |
| Councilwoman Ward 2 | Doris Dawkins |
| Councilman Ward 3 | Dwayne Green |
| Councilman Post 1 At Large | Dwight McMutry |
| Councilwoman Post 2 At Large | Patricia Wisdom |
The U.S. Census Bureau gives the following quick facts about the City of Powder Springs:
| Population | |
| Population estimates, July 1, 2024, (V2024) | NA |
| Population estimates, July 1, 2023, (V2023) | 18,950 |
| Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2024) | NA |
| Population estimates base, April 1, 2020, (V2023) | 16,907 |
| Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2024, (V2024) | NA |
| Population, percent change – April 1, 2020 (estimates base) to July 1, 2023, (V2023) | 12.1% |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 16,887 |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2010 | 13,940 |
| Age and Sex | |
| Persons under 5 years, percent | 5.0% |
| Persons under 18 years, percent | 25.1% |
| Persons 65 years and over, percent | 13.6% |
| Female persons, percent | 53.5% |
| Race and Hispanic Origin | |
| White alone, percent | 27.0% |
| Black alone, percent (a)(a) | 50.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent (a)(a) | 2.3% |
| Asian alone, percent (a)(a) | 1.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent (a)(a) | 0.1% |
| Two or More Races, percent | 7.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino, percent (b)(b) | 20.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent | 24.1% |
| Population Characteristics | |
| Veterans, 2019-2023 | 1,329 |
| Foreign-born persons, percent, 2019-2023 | 14.7% |
| Housing | |
| Housing Units, July 1, 2023, (V2023) | X |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2019-2023 | 83.7% |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2019-2023 | $283,700 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs – with a mortgage, 2019-2023 | $1,629 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortage, 2019-2023 | $573 |
| Median gross rent, 2019-2023 | $1,778 |
| Building Permits, 2023 | X |
| Families & Living Arrangements | |
| Households, 2019-2023 | 6,195 |
| Persons per household, 2019-2023 | 2.77 |
| Living in the same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+ , 2019-2023 | 90.0% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2019-2023 | 19.7% |
| Computer and Internet Use | |
| Households with a computer, percent, 2019-2023 | 97.4% |
| Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2019-2023 | 96.2% |
| Education | |
| High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023 | 90.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2019-2023 | 39.8% |
| Health | |
| With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2019-2023 | 6.5% |
| Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent | 11.9% |
| Economy | |
| In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023 | 65.0% |
| In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2019-2023 | 59.0% |
| Total accommodation and food services sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 29,526 |
| Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 39,184 |
| Total transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 7,540 |
| Total retail sales, 2017 ($1,000)(c) | 181,543 |
| Total retail sales per capita, 2017(c) | $12,102 |
| Transportation | |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2019-2023 | 35.1 |
| Income & Poverty | |
| Median households income (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023 | $96,961 |
| Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2023 dollars), 2019-2023 | $38,254 |
| Persons in poverty, percent | 11.7% |
| 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, 2022 | X |
| All employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 300 |
| Men-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 134 |
| Women-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | S |
| Minority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | S |
| Nonminority-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 170 |
| Veteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | S |
| Nonveteran-owned employer firms, Reference year 2017 | 247 |
| Geography | |
| Population per square mile, 2020 | 2,288.5 |
| Population per square mile, 2010 | 1,944.7 |
| Land area in square miles, 2020 | 7.38 |
| Land area in square miles, 2010 | 7.17 |
| FIPS Code | 1362524 |
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