ATLANTA — Three Northeast Georgia counties rank as among the nation’s 100 fastest-growing areas based on July 2007 housing estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Forsyth County was the seventh-fastest growing county, with housing units increasing 64.7 percent from 36,505 in April 2000 to 60,140 in July 2007.

Jackson and Barrow counties also ranked in the top 25.

Paulding County in metro Atlanta was the third-fastest growing county in the nation in 2007. Other Georgia counties ranking high were Henry, Newton, Fannin and Cherokee.

In all, 23 Georgia counties were among the top 100.

Nationwide, housing units increased 10.4 percent between 2000 and 2007.