Upson County, Georgia

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Upson County, Georgia
County
Upson County Courthouse (West face).JPG
Upson County Courthouse in Thomaston
Map of Georgia highlighting Upson County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°53′N84°18′W / 32.88°N 84.3°W / 32.88; -84.3
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
FoundedDecember 15, 1824;201 years ago (1824)
Named after Stephen Upson
Seat Thomaston
Largest cityThomaston
Area
 • Total
328 sq mi (850 km2)
 • Land323 sq mi (840 km2)
 • Water4.1 sq mi (11 km2)  1.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
27,700
 • Density86/sq mi (33/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 3rd
Website www.upsoncountyga.org

Upson County is a county in the West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,700. [1] The county seat is Thomaston. [2] The county was created on December 15, 1824.

Contents

Upson County comprises the Thomaston, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs CSA.

History

Upson County was formed in 1824 and named after Stephen Upson, a state legislator. [3]

Emancipation Day

On May 29, 1865, following the conclusion of the American Civil War, enslaved African Americans in the county were notified in Thomaston that they had been emancipated. [4] By the following year, celebrations were held on that date, which continue to this day. [4] It is considered one of the largest Emancipation Day celebrations in Georgia and one of the oldest continuously celebrated ones in the United States. [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 328 square miles (850 km2), of which 323 square miles (840 km2) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km2) (1.3%) is water. [5] Upson County boasts the lowest average summer humidity in the state.

The vast majority of Upson County is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin), with just a tiny northeastern corner of the county, north of Yatesville, located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. [6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

City

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1830 7,013—
1840 9,40834.2%
1850 9,4240.2%
1860 9,9105.2%
1870 9,430−4.8%
1880 12,40031.5%
1890 12,188−1.7%
1900 13,67012.2%
1910 12,757−6.7%
1920 14,78615.9%
1930 19,50931.9%
1940 25,06428.5%
1950 25,0780.1%
1960 23,800−5.1%
1970 23,505−1.2%
1980 25,99810.6%
1990 26,3001.2%
2000 27,5974.9%
2010 27,153−1.6%
2020 27,7002.0%
2024 (est.)28,358 [7] 2.4%
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]
Upson County racial composition as of 2020 [17]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)18,00965.01%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)7,85128.34%
Native American 630.23%
Asian 1510.55%
Pacific Islander 10.0%
Other/Mixed 9923.58%
Hispanic or Latino 6332.29%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 27,700, 11,173 households, and 6,100 families residing in the county. The median age was 42.7 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 88.0 males age 18 and over. 53.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 46.7% lived in rural areas. [18] [19] [20]

The racial makeup of the county was 65.5% White, 28.5% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.3% of the population. [20]

There were 11,173 households in the county, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 33.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. [19]

There were 12,301 housing units, of which 9.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 62.1% were owner-occupied and 37.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.6%. [19]

Politics

As of the 2020s, Upson County is a strongly Republican voting county, voting 70% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Upson County is part of Georgia's 3rd congressional district, currently represented by Brian Jack. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Upson County is part of District 18. [21] For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Upson County is part of District 134. [22]

United States presidential election results for Upson County, Georgia [23]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
№ %№ %№ %
1912 71.19%44575.42%13823.39%
1916 181.78%73472.60%25925.62%
1920 17015.08%95784.92%00.00%
1924 376.37%48483.30%6010.33%
1928 22123.46%72176.54%00.00%
1932 201.19%1,66098.57%40.24%
1936 1388.57%1,47191.37%10.06%
1940 1596.64%2,23593.36%00.00%
1944 2439.33%2,36290.67%00.00%
1948 2628.75%2,43281.26%2999.99%
1952 64814.45%3,83785.55%00.00%
1956 71217.22%3,42282.78%00.00%
1960 1,00123.48%3,26276.52%00.00%
1964 3,10348.61%3,27551.30%60.09%
1968 1,49422.73%1,48022.52%3,59954.75%
1972 4,89284.52%89615.48%00.00%
1976 2,89740.71%4,21959.29%00.00%
1980 2,78836.52%4,71361.73%1341.76%
1984 4,80362.01%2,94337.99%00.00%
1988 4,61463.05%2,66636.43%380.52%
1992 4,05345.03%3,74041.55%1,20813.42%
1996 3,78347.08%3,49143.45%7619.47%
2000 5,01960.60%3,15838.13%1051.27%
2004 6,63465.72%3,42433.92%360.36%
2008 7,29163.77%4,06135.52%820.72%
2012 7,23064.10%3,95935.10%900.80%
2016 7,29266.69%3,47531.78%1671.53%
2020 8,60666.68%4,20332.56%980.76%
2024 9,52869.74%4,09830.00%360.26%

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Upson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  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. 238. ISBN   0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
  4. 1 2 3 Ripley, Joe (June 17, 2022). "Juneteenth in Georgia | Here's how enslaved people in the South learned they were freed". WXIA-TV . Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  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 20, 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. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 14, 2015. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  18. ↑ "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. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  21. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Georgia General Assembly". www.legis.ga.gov. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  23. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.

32°53′N84°18′W / 32.88°N 84.30°W / 32.88; -84.30

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