Thomas County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas County
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Former Thomas County Courthouse in Thomasville
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Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
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 Georgia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | December 23, 1825 |
| Named for | Jett Thomas |
| Seat | Thomasville |
| Largest city | Thomasville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 552 sq mi (1,430 km2) |
| • Land | 545 sq mi (1,410 km2) |
| • Water | 7.6 sq mi (20 km2) 1.4%% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(2018)
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44,448 |
| • Density | 82/sq mi (32/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census the population was 44,720. The county seat is Thomasville.
Thomas County comprises the Thomasville, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Thomas County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 24, 1825, from portions of Decatur and Irwin counties. Colquitt (1856), Brooks (1858), and Grady (1905) counties all were formed partially from lands within Thomas County's original borders.
The county is named for Jett Thomas, officer in the War of 1812 who is also known for overseeing the construction of the first building at the University of Georgia (originally referred to as Franklin College and known today as Old College) as well as the state capitol at Milledgeville.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 552 square miles (1,430 km2), of which 545 square miles (1,410 km2) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km2) (1.4%) is water.
The northwestern half of Thomas County, bordered by U.S. Route 319 southwest of Thomasville, and a line that ends up bisecting the distance between Coolidge and Pavo in the northeast, is located in the Upper Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the larger Ochlockonee River basin. The northeastern edge of the county, from north of Pavo to Boston, is located in the Withlacoochee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The southeastern portion of Thomas County, running southeast from Thomasville, is located in the Aucilla River sub-basin of the larger Aucilla-Waccasassa basin. Almost all of the southwestern portion of the county is located in the Apalachee Bay-St, Marks sub-basin of the Ochlockonee River basin, with the exception of the tiny southwestern-most corner, which is located in the Lower Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the same Ochlockonee River basin.
The Aucilla River rises in Thomas County. The Red Hills Region is centered on Thomas County.
Major highways
U.S. Route 19
U.S. Route 84
U.S. Route 84 Business
U.S. Route 319
State Route 3
State Route 3 Alternate
State Route 33
State Route 35
State Route 35 Connector
State Route 38
State Route 38 Business
State Route 111
State Route 122
State Route 188
State Route 202
State Route 300
Adjacent counties
- Colquitt County - northeast
- Brooks County - east
- Jefferson County, Florida - south
- Leon County, Florida - southwest
- Grady County - west
- Mitchell County - northwest
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 3,299 | — | |
| 1840 | 6,766 | 105.1% | |
| 1850 | 10,103 | 49.3% | |
| 1860 | 10,766 | 6.6% | |
| 1870 | 14,523 | 34.9% | |
| 1880 | 20,597 | 41.8% | |
| 1890 | 26,154 | 27.0% | |
| 1900 | 31,076 | 18.8% | |
| 1910 | 29,071 | −6.5% | |
| 1920 | 33,044 | 13.7% | |
| 1930 | 32,612 | −1.3% | |
| 1940 | 31,289 | −4.1% | |
| 1950 | 33,932 | 8.4% | |
| 1960 | 34,319 | 1.1% | |
| 1970 | 34,515 | 0.6% | |
| 1980 | 38,098 | 10.4% | |
| 1990 | 38,986 | 2.3% | |
| 2000 | 42,737 | 9.6% | |
| 2010 | 44,720 | 4.6% | |
| 2018 (est.) | 44,448 | −0.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
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2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 44,720 people, 17,573 households, and 11,999 families living in the county. The population density was 82.1 inhabitants per square mile (31.7/km2). There were 20,177 housing units at an average density of 37.0 per square mile (14.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 59.6% white, 36.9% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.5% were American, 9.0% were English, 8.2% were Irish, and 6.4% were German.
Of the 17,573 households, 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.7% were non-families, and 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.6 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,797 and the median income for a family was $46,333. Males had a median income of $38,520 versus $27,085 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,261. About 17.1% of families and 22.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.2% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 25,994 | 56.76% |
| Black or African American | 16,259 | 35.5% |
| Native American | 150 | 0.33% |
| Asian | 406 | 0.89% |
| Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,403 | 3.06% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,577 | 3.44% |
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 45,798 people, 17,595 households, and 12,161 families residing in the county.
Communities
Cities
- Barwick (partly in Brooks County)
- Boston
- Coolidge
- Meigs (partly in Mitchell County)
- Pavo (partly in Brooks County)
- Thomasville
Town
Unincorporated community
Education
- Thomas University
- Southern Regional Technical College
- Thomasville City School District
- Thomas County School District
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Thomas (Georgia) para niños
