Wilcox County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilcox County
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Wilcox County Courthouse in Abbeville
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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 22, 1857 |
Named for | Mark Wilcox |
Seat | Abbeville |
Largest city | Abbeville |
Area | |
• Total | 382 sq mi (990 km2) |
• Land | 378 sq mi (980 km2) |
• Water | 4.4 sq mi (11 km2) 1.2%% |
Population | |
• Estimate
(2018)
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8,812 |
• Density | 25/sq mi (10/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
Congressional district | 8th |
Wilcox County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,255. The county seat is Abbeville.
Contents
History
It is unclear whether Wilcox County is named for General Mark Wilcox, a Georgia state legislator and one of the founders of the Georgia Supreme Court, or if it is named for his son John Wilcox. The formation of the county was led by Norman McDuffie of Pulaski County, Georgia.
It was formed on December 22, 1857 from parts of Irwin, Pulaski, and Dooly counties. Settlers named the county seat as Abbeville, because many of them were from Abbeville, South Carolina.
The first county courthouse was built in 1858; the present courthouse dates from 1903.
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America spent his last night of freedom at the end of the Civil War in Wilcox County, before being captured by Union troops. His capture marked the end of the Confederacy.
The county holds an annual marathon, called "Chasing Jefferson Davis," is held on the Saturday in May closest to May 9, the date Davis left Abbeville with his personal guard en route to Irwin County. The marathon route starts in Abbeville and goes to the historic capture site near Irwinville in Irwin County, Georgia, closely following the route of Union troops.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 382 square miles (990 km2), of which 378 square miles (980 km2) is land and 4.4 square miles (11 km2) (1.2%) is water.
The northern and eastern three-quarters of Wilcox County, from State Route 215 southeast to Rochelle, then due south, are located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The southwestern portion of the county, west of Rochelle, and roughly centered on Pitts, is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin.
Adjacent counties
- Pulaski County - north
- Dodge County - east
- Telfair County - east
- Ben Hill County - south
- Turner County - southwest
- Crisp County - west
- Dooly County - northwest
Major highways
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1860 | 2,115 | — | |
1870 | 2,439 | 15.3% | |
1880 | 3,109 | 27.5% | |
1890 | 7,980 | 156.7% | |
1900 | 11,097 | 39.1% | |
1910 | 13,486 | 21.5% | |
1920 | 15,511 | 15.0% | |
1930 | 13,439 | −13.4% | |
1940 | 12,755 | −5.1% | |
1950 | 10,167 | −20.3% | |
1960 | 7,905 | −22.2% | |
1970 | 6,998 | −11.5% | |
1980 | 7,682 | 9.8% | |
1990 | 7,008 | −8.8% | |
2000 | 8,577 | 22.4% | |
2010 | 9,255 | 7.9% | |
2018 (est.) | 8,812 | −4.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013 |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 9,255 people, 2,891 households, and 2,027 families living in the county. The population density was 24.5 inhabitants per square mile (9.5/km2). There were 3,510 housing units at an average density of 9.3 per square mile (3.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 61.7% white, 35.1% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 11.1% were American, 10.1% were Irish, 9.2% were English, and 6.1% were German.
Of the 2,891 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 15.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.9% were non-families, and 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 39.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,784 and the median income for a family was $40,552. Males had a median income of $30,755 versus $26,641 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,692. About 18.4% of families and 25.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.6% of those under age 18 and 24.9% of those age 65 or over.
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
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White (non-Hispanic) | 5,185 | 59.15% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 3,096 | 35.32% |
Native American | 3 | 0.03% |
Asian | 49 | 0.56% |
Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.03% |
Other/Mixed | 158 | 1.8% |
Hispanic or Latino | 272 | 3.1% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,766 people, 2,575 households, and 1,807 families residing in the county.
Notable event
The Ocmulgee Wild Hog Festival takes place in Abbeville annually on the Saturday before Mother's Day.
Communities
Cities
Town
Census-designated place
Other unincorporated community
- Owensboro
Education
The county is served by Wilcox County Schools. The district headquarters are in Abbeville and the schools, including Wilcox County High School, are in Rochelle.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Wilcox (Georgia) para niños