Heard County, Georgia

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Heard County, Georgia
County
Heard County Courthouse (Georgia).JPG
Heard County courthouse in Franklin
Map of Georgia highlighting Heard County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°18′N85°08′W / 33.3°N 85.13°W / 33.3; -85.13
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
FoundedDecember 22, 1830;194 years ago (1830-12-22)
Named after Stephen Heard
Seat Franklin
Largest cityFranklin
Area
 • Total
301 sq mi (780 km2)
 • Land296 sq mi (770 km2)
 • Water5.1 sq mi (13 km2)  1.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
11,412
 • Density38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website heardcountyga.com

Heard County is a county located in the West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. At the 2020 census, the population was 11,412, down from 11,834 in 2010. [1] The county seat is Franklin. [2] The county was created on December 22, 1830.

Contents

Heard County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell MSA.

History

Heard County was created by Act of the Legislature on December 22, 1830. [3] It was named for Stephen Heard, [4] elected President of the Council on February 18, 1781, thus, in the absence of Governor Howley, becoming Governor de facto. Heard moved to Wilkes County from Hanover County, Virginia, and fought in the American Revolutionary War where he distinguished himself at Kettle Creek. The first sheriff, Jonathan Mewsick, was commissioned in 1832.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 301 square miles (780 km2), of which 296 square miles (770 km2) is land and 5.1 square miles (13 km2) (1.7%) is water. [5]

The vast majority of Heard County is located in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Lake Harding sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin), with just a very small northwestern corner of the county, west of Ephesus, located in the Upper Tallapoosa River sub-basin of the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin). [6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840 5,329—
1850 6,92329.9%
1860 7,80512.7%
1870 7,8660.8%
1880 8,76911.5%
1890 9,5579.0%
1900 11,17717.0%
1910 11,1890.1%
1920 11,126−0.6%
1930 9,102−18.2%
1940 8,610−5.4%
1950 6,975−19.0%
1960 5,333−23.5%
1970 5,3540.4%
1980 6,52021.8%
1990 8,62832.3%
2000 11,01227.6%
2010 11,8347.5%
2020 11,412−3.6%
2024 (est.)12,119 [7] 6.2%
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 [1] 2020 [16]
Heard County racial composition as of 2020 [17]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)9,58984.03%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)9308.15%
Native American 330.29%
Asian 530.46%
Pacific Islander 40.04%
Other/Mixed 5504.82%
Hispanic or Latino 2532.22%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,412, 4,278 households, and 3,254 families residing in the county. The median age was 41.0 years, with 23.8% of residents under the age of 18 and 16.0% aged 65 years or older. [18] [19]

For every 100 females there were 97.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.1 males age 18 and over. None of the residents lived in urban areas while 100.0% lived in rural areas. [18]

The racial makeup of the county was 84.8% White, 8.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.2% of the population. [20]

There were 4,278 households in the county, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 25.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [19]

There were 4,742 housing units, of which 9.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.5% were owner-occupied and 28.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. [19]

Politics

Heard County is a Republican stronghold which voted 85.7% for Donald Trump in 2024.

For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Heard County is part of Georgia's 3rd congressional district.

For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Heard County is a part of District 6. [21] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Heard County is part of District 72. [22]

United States presidential election results for Heard County, Georgia [23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1912 111.83%52687.38%6510.80%
1916 112.15%43985.74%6212.11%
1920 142.95%46197.05%00.00%
1924 359.49%32788.62%71.90%
1928 39044.17%49355.83%00.00%
1932 242.36%98997.34%30.30%
1936 15517.55%72582.11%30.34%
1940 22125.40%64774.37%20.23%
1944 18524.93%55775.07%00.00%
1948 779.63%67083.75%536.63%
1952 18413.40%1,18986.60%00.00%
1956 19414.92%1,10685.08%00.00%
1960 18112.88%1,22487.12%00.00%
1964 80743.18%1,06156.77%10.05%
1968 30316.72%35619.65%1,15363.63%
1972 1,23981.78%27618.22%00.00%
1976 43321.37%1,59378.63%00.00%
1980 87538.33%1,34859.05%602.63%
1984 1,49264.81%81035.19%00.00%
1988 1,55163.77%87435.94%70.29%
1992 1,19036.36%1,45644.49%62719.16%
1996 1,17041.14%1,24843.88%42614.98%
2000 1,94760.88%1,17836.84%732.28%
2004 2,78870.48%1,14829.02%200.51%
2008 3,13374.05%1,04224.63%561.32%
2012 3,16075.63%94822.69%701.68%
2016 3,37079.41%74317.51%1313.09%
2020 4,51983.78%82415.28%510.95%
2024 5,33585.70%85913.80%310.50%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 106. 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.  153.
  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 19, 2015.
  7. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  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. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2024.
  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. ↑ US 2020 Census Bureau report, Heard County, Georgia
  17. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  18. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  20. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  21. ↑ "Senate District 6". www.senate.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Georgia House of Representatives District 72". Ballotpedia. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  23. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

33°18′N85°08′W / 33.30°N 85.13°W / 33.30; -85.13

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