 Population fell from 23,192 in 1971 (56 inhabitants per km²) to 16,148 in 2002 (only 39 inhabitants per km²), as previously very much developed industries in the nearby towns of Gornji Milanovac, Kraljevo and Kragujevac constantly attracted the manpower from the Gruža region (for example, the density of population in the neighboring Lepenica region, where the city of Kragujevac is located, is over 280 inhabitants per km²).The Gruža river valley in the center of the region is the route for the regional Kragujevac-Kraljevo road and railway.The center of the region is the municipal seat of Knić, which is located 4 km west from the Gruža river.