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Wilcox County, Georgia facts for kids

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Wilcox County
Wilcox County Courthouse in Abbeville
Wilcox County Courthouse in Abbeville
Map of Georgia highlighting Wilcox County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Georgia
Founded December 22, 1857; 167 years ago (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)
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.

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

Major highways

  • US 129.svg U.S. Route 129
  • US 280.svg U.S. Route 280
  • Georgia 11.svg State Route 11
  • Georgia 30.svg State Route 30
  • Georgia 90.svg State Route 90
  • Georgia 112.svg State Route 112
  • Georgia 159.svg State Route 159
  • Georgia 215.svg State Route 215
  • Georgia 233.svg State Route 233
  • Georgia 257.svg State Route 257

Demographics

Historical population
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

Wilcox County racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
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

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Wilcox (Georgia) para niños

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