Decatur County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

Not to be confused with Decatur, Georgia.

County in Georgia

Decatur County

County

Decatur County Courthouse in Bainbridge

Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 30°53′N 84°35′W﻿ / ﻿30.88°N 84.58°W﻿ / 30.88; -84.58
Country|  United States
State|  Georgia
Founded| 1823; 202 years ago (1823)
Named after| Stephen Decatur
Seat| Bainbridge
Largest city| Bainbridge
Area

• Total

| 623 sq mi (1,610 km2)
• Land| 597 sq mi (1,550 km2)
• Water| 26 sq mi (70 km2)  4.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 29,367
• Density| 49/sq mi (19/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| www.decaturcountyga.gov

Decatur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,367.[1] The county seat is Bainbridge.[2]

Decatur County comprises the Bainbridge, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), which is included in the Tallahassee—Bainbridge, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area.

## History

[edit]

The county was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 8, 1823, from a portion of Early County.[3] Three other counties were created from land that was originally part of Decatur County.

In 1825, a portion of Decatur was used in the creation of Thomas County. In 1905, another portion of Decatur was used in the creation of part of Grady County. In 1920, the western portion of Decatur County was used to form Seminole County in its entirety.

Decatur County is named for United States Navy Commodore Stephen Decatur, a hero of the War of 1812.[4]

## Geography

[edit]

The welcome sign for Decatur County on State Route 97

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 623 square miles (1,610 km2), of which 597 square miles (1,550 km2) is land and 26 square miles (67 km2) (4.2%) is water.[5]

The bulk of Decatur County, from northeast to southwest, and centered on Bainbridge, is located in the Lower Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). Almost all of the county's western border is located in the Spring Creek sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. The southwestern portion of Decatur County, centered on Attapulgus, and bordered on the west by State Route 302, is located on the Lower Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the larger Ochlockonee River basin. Finally, the county's southwestern corner, west of State Route 302, is located in the Apalachicola River sub-basin of the same larger ACF River basin.[6]

### Major highways

[edit]

* U.S. Route 27

U.S. Route 27 Business
* U.S. Route 84

U.S. Route 84 Business
* State Route 1
* State Route 1 Business
* State Route 38
* State Route 97
* State Route 97 Spur
* State Route 241
* State Route 253
* State Route 253 Spur
* State Route 262
* State Route 285
* State Route 302
* State Route 302 Spur
* State Route 309
* State Route 310
* State Route 311

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Miller County \- north
* Mitchell County \- northeast
* Baker County \- northeast
* Grady County \- east
* Gadsden County, Florida \- south
* Seminole County \- west

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Attapulgus
* Bainbridge
* Climax

### Town

[edit]

* Brinson

### Census-Designated Place

[edit]

* Faceville

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Amsterdam
* Ausmac
* Cyrene
* Eldorendo
* Fowlstown
* Vada

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1830| 3,854| | —
1840| 5,872| | 52.4%
1850| 8,262| | 40.7%
1860| 11,922| | 44.3%
1870| 15,183| | 27.4%
1880| 19,072| | 25.6%
1890| 19,949| | 4.6%
1900| 29,454| | 47.6%
1910| 29,045| | −1.4%
1920| 31,785| | 9.4%
1930| 23,622| | −25.7%
1940| 22,234| | −5.9%
1950| 23,620| | 6.2%
1960| 25,203| | 6.7%
1970| 22,310| | −11.5%
1980| 25,495| | 14.3%
1990| 25,511| | 0.1%
2000| 28,240| | 10.7%
2010| 27,842| | −1.4%
2020| 29,367| | 5.5%
2023 (est.)| 29,087| [7]| −1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10]
1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12]
1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14]
1980-2000[15] 2010[16]
Decatur County racial makeup as of 2020[17] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White | 14,280  | 48.63%
Black or African American | 12,200  | 41.54%
Native American | 64  | 0.22%
Asian | 183  | 0.62%
Pacific Islander | 16  | 0.05%
Other/Mixed | 713  | 2.43%
Hispanic or Latino | 1,911  | 6.51%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29,367 people, 10,084 households, and 7,113 families residing in the county.

## Education

[edit]

Decatur County School District is the local school district with Bainbridge High School being the local high school.

Spring Creek Charter Academy was formed in 2019 and includes grades Pre-K through 9th Grade as of 2023–2024 school year with the next year being added as each grade progresses through the years.

Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has a satellite campus in Bainbridge. Southern Regional Technical College has a satellite campus in Bainbridge serving the county.

## Politics

[edit]

United States presidential election results for Decatur County, Georgia[18] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 7,140  | 61.82% | 4,372  | 37.86%  | 37  | 0.32%
2020 | 6,755  | 58.09% | 4,782  | 41.12%  | 91  | 0.78%
2016 | 6,020  | 58.35% | 4,124  | 39.97%  | 173  | 1.68%
2012 | 5,824  | 55.47% | 4,591  | 43.72%  | 85  | 0.81%
2008 | 5,890  | 56.72% | 4,424  | 42.60%  | 71  | 0.68%
2004 | 5,348  | 59.71% | 3,577  | 39.94%  | 31  | 0.35%
2000 | 4,187  | 54.75% | 3,398  | 44.43%  | 63  | 0.82%
1996 | 3,035  | 44.65%  | 3,245  | 47.74% | 517  | 7.61%
1992 | 3,142  | 42.35%  | 3,198  | 43.11% | 1,079  | 14.54%
1988 | 3,866  | 61.95% | 2,348  | 37.62%  | 27  | 0.43%
1984 | 4,134  | 60.88% | 2,656  | 39.12%  | 0  | 0.00%
1980 | 2,919  | 46.76%  | 3,242  | 51.93% | 82  | 1.31%
1976 | 2,500  | 40.09%  | 3,736  | 59.91% | 0  | 0.00%
1972 | 4,292  | 78.21% | 1,196  | 21.79%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 749  | 10.62%  | 1,729  | 24.51%  | 4,576  | 64.87%
1964 | 5,060  | 71.55% | 2,011  | 28.44%  | 1  | 0.01%
1960 | 918  | 24.82%  | 2,780  | 75.18% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 1,062  | 22.31%  | 3,699  | 77.69% | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 1,001  | 27.95%  | 2,581  | 72.05% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 296  | 13.03%  | 1,209  | 53.21% | 767  | 33.76%
1944 | 294  | 15.47%  | 1,606  | 84.53% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 217  | 10.85%  | 1,781  | 89.05% | 2  | 0.10%
1936 | 79  | 3.85%  | 1,965  | 95.71% | 9  | 0.44%
1932 | 65  | 5.17%  | 1,169  | 93.00% | 23  | 1.83%
1928 | 1,156  | 61.16% | 734  | 38.84%  | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 151  | 16.38%  | 637  | 69.09% | 134  | 14.53%
1920 | 300  | 23.40%  | 982  | 76.60% | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 116  | 8.94%  | 1,147  | 88.37% | 35  | 2.70%
1912 | 34  | 6.00%  | 500  | 88.18% | 33  | 5.82%

## See also

[edit]

* State of Georgia portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Decatur County, Georgia
* List of counties in Georgia

## References

[edit]

General

1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Decatur County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 60\. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 102.
5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
6. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
9. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
10. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
11. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
12. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
13. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
15. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2014.
17. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

Specific

* The New Georgia Encyclopedia entry for Decatur County

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Decatur County, Georgia.

* Decatur County historical marker
* Amsterdam historical marker
* Cyrene historical marker

Places adjacent to Decatur County, Georgia

|  | Miller County | Mitchell County and Baker County

|
|

|  |
Seminole County |

Decatur County, Georgia

| Grady County
|  |
| Gadsden County, Florida |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Decatur County, Georgia, United States

County seat: Bainbridge

Cities|

* Attapulgus
* Bainbridge
* Climax

Map of Georgia highlighting Decatur County

Town|

* Brinson

CDP|

* Faceville

Unincorporated
communities|

* Amsterdam
* Ausmac
* Cyrene
* Eldorendo
* Fowlstown
* Vada‡

Ghost towns|

* Fowltown (two different locations)
* Laingkat
* Recovery

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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30°53′N 84°35′W﻿ / ﻿30.88°N 84.58°W﻿ / 30.88; -84.58
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