Macon is a city located in central
Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of
Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into
Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles (136 km) south of
Atlanta, hence the city's nickname as the
Heart of Georgia. As of the
2000 census, Macon had a population of 97,606;
[U.S. Census Bureau Population Finder] as of 2007, the Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 229,846 and the
Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley Combined Statistical Area had an estimated population of 386,534.
[Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: [[April 1] 2000 to July 1, 2005 ] (Note: This is a Microsoft Excel-formatted file)] Macon is the sixth-largest city (by population), fifth largest
Metropolitan Statistical Area, and third-largest
Combined Statistical Area in
Georgia, behind Atlanta and Augusta. Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley, GA Combined Statistical Area (CSA) includes 13 Georgia counties.
Robins Air Force Base, a major employer, is south of the city in
Warner Robins. The area is also home to several institutions of higher education, as well as numerous museums and tourism sites. The area is served by the
Middle Georgia Regional Airport and the Herbert Smart Downtown Airport. The current
mayor of Macon is
Robert Reichert, a former
Democratic member of the
Georgia House of Representatives. Perhaps its most colorful mayor with national recognition was
Ronnie Thompson, who served from 1967-1975 and was the first of thus far two
Republicans to have held the position, the other being
George Israel (1979-1987).
